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What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
ClarDold
Contributor - Level 1
‎04-21-2011 10:51 PM

I see that the MiFi 2200 has "GPS Capabilities", but I don't see any use of it.

 

If I look at Google Maps, "My Location" is not current.

Does some Verizon app make use of it?

 

--

Clarence

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
ClarDold
Contributor - Level 1
‎05-19-2011 07:43 PM

 

jimfitzgerald wrote:
So will it work with a laptop and Street Atlas USA or not? It would make no sense to use up your data allowance downloading map images from the internet when you could simply install one of the numerous navigation programs on your laptop. All you would need from the MiFi is the GPS lat/lon data.

Someone from Verizon called me about this topic.

They said the MiFi 2200 contains a fully featured telephone chipset, it just doesn't have the telephony interfaces.

The primary use of the GPS in the MiFi 2200 is for E911, which doesn't seem to apply, since you would never make a phone call with it, but it could be used by your carrier to locate you if you were connected via WiFi, but you don't have access to it.

It could be tied to SMS texts sent to 911 centers when they accept text alerts.

 

Google Maps doesn't take advantage of it, which makes sense.  It may incorrectly get cataloged as if it were a normal hotspot.  If someone with a GPS-enabled device connects via it, or even reports it as visible when they make a "my location" lookup, it might be located at the spot where it is at that moment in the Google database.  There is supposed to be a block for all of the mobile hotspot MACs in the Google Database, but that isn't in effect now.

 

From a PC, run arp -a, or use some other method to discover the MAC address of your MiFi.

It appears in the "LAN" page of the MiFi web interface.

Put that MAC address into http://samy.pl/androidmap and see what location it returns.

 

In my case, samy shows me at home, because that's the first place I connected a GPS-enabled Blackberry, and did a Google Maps "locate me", while connected to the MiFi.  Using Google Maps "Locate Me" on a PC shows the location based on nearby hotspots, not necessarily the one you are connected to.

 

--

Clarence

 

 

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
RoyB_VZW
Specialist - Level 1
‎04-27-2011 08:26 PM

How are you using the MiFi, and with what device? There could potentially be a setting on that device (not the MiFi), that is not permitting the GPS from locating properly. For more information on the GPS capabilities of the device click here. 

 

Thanks, 

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
ClarDold
Contributor - Level 1
‎04-28-2011 08:32 PM

 

RoyB_VZW wrote:

How are you using the MiFi, and with what device? There could potentially be a setting on that device (not the MiFi), that is not permitting the GPS from locating properly. For more information on the GPS capabilities of the device click here. 

 

Thanks, 

 

That link doesn't work for me.

Do I have to be connected thought MiFi to get to it?

 

--

Clarence

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
ClarDold
Contributor - Level 1
‎04-28-2011 08:34 PM

 

RoyB_VZW wrote:

How are you using the MiFi, and with what device? There could potentially be a setting on that device (not the MiFi), that is not permitting the GPS from locating properly. For more information on the GPS capabilities of the device click here. 

 

Thanks, 

 

I'm using a Windows 7 PC, and Google Maps, which doesn't show my location.

 

--

Clarence

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
Not applicable
‎04-28-2011 10:49 PM
http://maps.google.com/support/?hl=en Maybe you can find something here.
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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
ClarDold
Contributor - Level 1
‎05-02-2011 09:41 PM

 

jimfitzgerald wrote:
http://maps.google.com/support/?hl=en Maybe you can find something here.

 

No help there, except one person noting that it used to work, and now it doesn't.

I never saw it work, and wonder if the poster that saw it work was actually picking up nearby points, and not the MiFi.

 

--

Clarence

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
RoyB_VZW
Specialist - Level 1
‎05-03-2011 04:48 PM

Have you checked your PC for any settings (firewalls, blocks etc.) that may be preventing the GPS feature from working properly? If so, please provide me with a contact number where you can be reached (when you have access to the MiFi) for troubleshooting. 

 

Thanks again, 

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
Not applicable
‎05-03-2011 10:16 PM
Evidently, the free version of Google Earth no longer supports usage as a GPS moving map database. After reading your post, I tried it with my Delorme Earthmate GPS and found out you must have Google Earth Pro. I know it used to work, because I was able to get it to work in the past. You should use a GPS moving map database such as Street Atlas USA, etc. Get something that loads directly onto your computer and use your Mifi simply to provide GPS coordinates.
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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
ClarDold
Contributor - Level 1
‎05-05-2011 08:33 PM

 

RoyB_VZW wrote:

Have you checked your PC for any settings (firewalls, blocks etc.) that may be preventing the GPS feature from working properly? If so, please provide me with a contact number where you can be reached (when you have access to the MiFi) for troubleshooting. 

 

Thanks again, 

 

Could you tell me what it is that should work?  What program?  What feature?

I fully understand how Google Maps works with normal WiFi.

Is the document you mentioned available to an outside user?  I think this URL is only usable from inside Verizon.

 

http://dm.ddc.vzwcorp.com/documentmanager/secure/ContentRetrieval/Info_MiFi_2200_Software_Update_D11...

 

--

Clarence

 

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Re: What can I do with MiFi 2200 GPS?
Jax_Omen
Specialist - Level 3
‎05-08-2011 05:39 PM
I'd assume he accidentally linked an internal URL too, when I click that it asks me to sign in. The only Mifi "software upgrade" (from the URL) that I can find on this site is http://support.vzw.com/system_update/mifi.html but it doesn't list anything related to gps.
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