Router reporting wrong location when devices are connected to it

[mindofsiren]

Just over a month ago me and my dad moved. We're still in the same city but we got our internet service moved to the new house while continuing to use the same router. The issue is now that when using my phone or computer on the internet, Things like Google Maps or any app that uses my location shows it as being at my old house rather than our current location. I've read that this is due to a "Geolocation" being attached to the MAC Address of the router, and that it should update in time, but after a month of waiting it still hasn't changed. Any solution?

[Nighthawk]

Wait longer. GeoIP databases can take a long time to update depending on how much money companies want to pay the database company for the updated records. Last time I got a new IP address it took a couple months for Google and other sites to realize I'm not in Halifax (last location that IP was in use) even though I'm in Alberta. Normally if you move from one house to another you'd likely lose your old IP address in the move so it may not be GeoIP related. Try shutting off wifi and see if your phone can see your real location.

The other thing that may be part of it for Google specific services is whether or not you've updated your address with Google. If you have a Google profile or have contact info for yourself in your Gmail or other Google service, and it still has your old address, that may be one possibility. Could also be from cookies in your browser too or cached information for the apps.

[NFtoBC]

I find lots of location services place me somewhere in southern Ontario, if they can place me at all.  Google collects geolocation information when their vehicles do mapping, and other data collectors mine data in similar physical ways.  It may be some time before your location gets updated.

[xray]

Look at a street view of your current address. How current is the view? Google will not know your router is at the new address until they drive their truck down your street and update the view and scan all the WiFi signals.

I'm not sure if they remove an old location but it's also possible they may drive by your old location and note that your router is no longer there.

[xray]

It's possible that Google may update the location of your router if you have enough mobile devices connected to your WiFi with GPS turned on. You will need to access Google maps on the mobile devices and have location tracking enabled.

You may need the mobile devices to have WiFi on but not connected to your router to force the device's location service to scan all the available WiFi and not just assume the location of yours is correct.

The location probably won't update if only 1 device reports the new location but if you have many devices reporting the new location Google may decide it's legit.

[vanthien]

Reviving this old topic, as I'm experiencing this wrong location syndrome.  I've lived on Vancouver Island for 8 years, current house for 6, and since recently (2 months?) Google Maps on my PC shows location as Vancouver, 40 km away as the crow flies. I've checked my computer settings and everything looks fine, but Google Maps tells me I'm somewhere else.  My phone on home WiFi shows location correctly.  What is going on?