Approximate location text does not match up with the map

[JoshH]

Hi,

We have been having an issue with approx location text above the map not showing the location that it is showing on the map. I have had a case open for this (Case 01939511) but it never got properly resolved.

Is anyone else having the same issue?

Any suggestions, I have tried building a new network but that still has the same problem?!

[Uberseehandel]

When I log in from a Windows workstation (using Chrome), it is like playing a game of "Find Wally". Sometimes it is no more than 100 miles out.

[MikeMandalorian]

So if they are connecting using a Mobile Connection then the location will Vary depending on the server its connecting to ,, we use Alot of Hotspots and i see the same issue , some times  even when its connected to a Meraki AP it will say San Jose,Cali , but mobile connections will In my opinion never be accurate ,, example take your phone run a speedtest app it may not always show up in your city 

[Uberseehandel]

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@MikeMandalorianwrote:

 but mobile connections will In my opinion never be accurate, example take your phone run a speedtest app it may not always show up in your city 

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As somebody with a couple of MNOs as clients, I can assure you that mobile networks can, and do, triangulate the position of a mobile device, extremely precisely. I'm not saying it does happen, but were the MNO to access the sensors in the device, we would know which pocket it was in, and exactly how excited the user was.

Which is one reason for keeping old phones in service for as long as possible.

[JoshH]

I'm talking about when the location is updated by GPS - the location text seems to sometimes be completely different to the location shown on the map below it

[MikeMandalorian]

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@JoshHwrote:

I'm talking about when the location is updated by GPS - the location text seems to sometimes be completely different to the location shown on the map below it

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This is a online Ipad right now in Hendersonville,Tn  but shows Memphis ,, and in most cases i see this when on a Hotspot/Mobile Network 

[JoshH]

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@MikeMandalorianwrote:

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@JoshHwrote:

I'm talking about when the location is updated by GPS - the location text seems to sometimes be completely different to the location shown on the map below it

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This is a online Ipad right now in Hendersonville,Tn  but shows Memphis ,, and in most cases i see this when on a Hotspot/Mobile Network 

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@MikeMandalorian I see that in your screenshot though it shows that the device has been located via its IP address (via IP, updated less than a minute ago) - I understand completely that this won't be accurate. However when I get it located via GPS, the map location is very accurate (often within a few meters) but the text above the map could be somewhere completely different - sometimes it's in a different country because it doesn't seem to always update when the map does.

[MikeMandalorian]

yup just got the same thing,,,, it does show where my Ipad is but other than that nothing,, I wonder if its just a Communication Error with Meraki and Google,,   Maybe @Melissa could shed some light on this issue 

[JoshH]

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@MikeMandalorianwrote:

yup just got the same thing,,,, it does show where my Ipad is but other than that nothing,, I wonder if its just a Communication Error with Meraki and Google,,   Maybe @Melissa could shed some light on this issue 

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I am also getting it where it reports that it was 'updated via gps 1 minute ago' but it has definitely not updated on either the text or on the map.

Seems to be a meraki dashboard or SM app issue?

[MikeMandalorian]

I've also found out that if the Ipad isn't  in the unlocked state ( on the homescreen)  that it will not always communicate fully with Meraki  this is mainly for Profile/setting updates , so i would assume it would be the same for GPS location

[JoshH]

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@MikeMandalorianwrote:

I've also found out that if the Ipad isn't  in the unlocked state ( on the homescreen)  that it will not always communicate fully with Meraki  this is mainly for Profile/setting updates , so i would assume it would be the same for GPS location

I know that that can be an issue with iOS - iPads seem to be fine for us (though still have the location text / map issue in dashboard) - this is with Samsung android devices - we even have knox enabled to force GPS location to remain on on the devices.

I have tried all the usual browser related tricks, refreshing, clearing cache, different browser etc. and it does say that the device has been updated via GPS within the last couple of minutes but the map on the dashboard just doesn't update.

[MikeMandalorian]

ohhhhhhhh,,, Samsung and Knox and Meraki  , that's a tricky combo,, don't get me wrong I LOVE Samsung for my personal device , but in a Business aspect IOS is the way to go ,,,,,  sorry i couldn't help more , not not familiar with Android on System Manager ( YET)

[MikeMandalorian]

Have you Contacted a Samsung Engineer ?  

[JoshH]

I dont think its an issue with the devices - its says updating  but the dashboard still shows an old map location 

[MikeMandalorian]

But it could be a issue with Knox Communicating with Meraki 

[JoshH]

All knox is doing is preventing the user from turning location off - we also have devices that do not have knox KCC enabled (we didn't want to pay for knox KCC licenses if they weren't needed) that are experiencing the same issue.

[Uberseehandel]

I have just quickly checked where the control thinks I login from.

Taking 394 location values and using a great circle distance measurement calculation the error distribution is:

Kilometres      Frequency

  0 -  10             65

 11 -  60              1

 61 - 110            321

111 - 160              1

161 - 210              0

211 - 260              2

261 - 310              1

310 - 360              3

So the error distribution is -

<   10 km -  16.5 %

<  110 km -  81.5 %

<  210 km -  82.0 %

<  360 km - 100.0 %

The reasons for these large errors are probably caused by -

• the ISP having to find dynamic IPv4 addresses where it can, rather than within their exchange based scheme
• Meraki not having access to the best available location information

So IPv6 may come sooner than expected, even in fuddy-duddy UK.

It seems silly for Meraki to report that I accessed the controller from, say, Manchester, a city I have not visited for 20 years. Probably better not to report unreliable locations. 😎

[JoshH]

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@Uberseehandelwrote:

I have just quickly checked where the control thinks I login from.

Taking 394 location values and using a great circle distance measurement calculation the error distribution is:

Kilometres      Frequency

  0 -  10             65

 11 -  60              1

 61 - 110            321

111 - 160              1

161 - 210              0

211 - 260              2

261 - 310              1

310 - 360              3

So the error distribution is -

<   10 km -  16.5 %

<  110 km -  81.5 %

<  210 km -  82.0 %

<  360 km - 100.0 %

The reasons for these large errors are probably caused by -

• the ISP having to find dynamic IPv4 addresses where it can, rather than within their exchange based scheme
• Meraki not having access to the best available location information

So IPv6 may come sooner than expected, even in fuddy-duddy UK.

It seems silly for Meraki to report that I accessed the controller from, say, Manchester, a city I have not visited for 20 years. Probably better not to report unreliable locations. 😎

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Login info is generally gathered via IP so does as you say tend to be quite innacurate. Systems Manager client location however when gathered via GPS is normally accurate but the text above the map shows somethig out of date (sometimes from a few days orr weeks ago)

[MikeMandalorian]

try this  Doc also  

https://documentation.meraki.com/SM/Monitoring_and_Reporting/How_Systems_Manager_Approximates_the_Lo...

[MikeMandalorian]

https://documentation.meraki.com/SM/Profiles_and_Settings/Samsung_KNOX

[JoshH]

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@MikeMandalorianwrote:

https://documentation.meraki.com/SM/Profiles_and_Settings/Samsung_KNOX

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Thanks for those, have previously had a read of them before. I dont think its the devices as it isn't limited to just samsung knox or even android devices - the dashboard just isn't updating properly for devices sometimes.

I had  similar issues with the dashboard pushing profiles after the profiles had been deleted ( it was even pushing the deleted profiles to devices enrolled after the profiles were removed) Meraki support Solution was to abandon the network, create a new one and transfer all the devices to a new network (which thankfully worked!). I might have to do it again with this issue I think its another dashboard bug...

Thanks for your help @MikeMandalorian  🙂

@Melissa Do you have any ideas?

[MikeMandalorian]

Kudos are appreciated also lol !

[MikeMandalorian]

i waited about 5 min and refreshed my browser and GPS location finally shows,, have you tried that 

[Uberseehandel]

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@JoshHwrote:

I'm talking about when the location is updated by GPS - the location text seems to sometimes be completely different to the location shown on the map below it

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That is a software problem, probably taking the first reading that looks valid. I can recall 30 years ago, sitting on the boat in Sydney harbour and checking the GPS position against where we knew we were. It transpired that when Captain Cook surveyed the east coast of Australia 1770, he calculated the continent as being 400 metres further East than it actually is. If you consider the tools he had available, that is fantastic.

I don't know where the controller gets the information about where I am logging in from. Other software gets it down to a local exchange, without difficulty. 

[MikeMandalorian]

I wouldn't go as far as precisely  lol ,, like i said i have a IPAD active right now online being used and it says its in Memphis, Tn while using a Verizon Hotspot , but it is in Nashville