Location information for client devices?

hks
Just browsing

Location information for client devices?

Client devices on my network can't seem to get location information (e.g. Apple/Google Maps and browsers cannot determine where, geographically, the devices are). The same devices get location information fine outside of my network (e.g. at home). I do have the address set for each piece of Meraki equipment that will accept it.

 

Another odd wrinkle (not sure if it's even related) is that if I connect via VPN to my network at home (non-Meraki), I do show my home ISP's IP and even location, but location services on my devices still don't work.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated...

9 REPLIES 9
PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

It sounds to me like the GPS is not working - while at work.  Could potentially be a policy preventing this - or that they just can't get a GPS lock.

Thanks - no policies set that could relate to this, and these are devices without GPS (laptops).

PhilipDAth
Kind of a big deal
Kind of a big deal

Without GPS you are relying on services like IP Geo-location.  These are not that accurate.  It probably just means Google and Apple don't know your your public IP address is located - and you wont be able to do anything about it.

Even an approximate location would work. Odd thing is that I have the same ISP (Cox) at home, and IP geolocation is available at least.

vassallon
Kind of a big deal

Based on the fact that the devices work off network until you VPN in. Something with your internal network is blocking the calls needed to report location services correctly. I would suspect some rule either proxy or firewall related is the cause.

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IP Geolocation doesn't use a call per-see.  The service (be it Google Maps of whatever) looks at the public IP address your request comes from to try and guess your location.

 

Some public IP blocks are used over wide-geographic areas, so no location information can be inferred at all.

True, geolocation does need to be setup on the IP address for it to work. I think the key though is the device reports location correctly off network but not on network or when VPN is enabled. That is usually a sign of some part of traffic being blocked. Proxies can also cause traffic to not route correctly. 

 

I think in this case though something is blocking the location calls from reaching the dashboard, be it proxy or firewall.

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Just confirmed that there are no firewall rules set (at all), no proxies.

MBJ_dk61
Conversationalist

Same issue here in DK. We can't edit addresses and doesn't get any location info for all our devices.! We'er currently in the middle of rolling out many devices/networks all over DK...

We have created a case at Meraki Support today.
NB!- it worked fine yesterday 

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