Forum Discussion
Any Windows computer on my Telus Wi Fi has wrong location
For the last month or so, location services for any Windows computer (laptop, 2 in 1, Surface, etc.) that connects to my home Wi Fi says we are in Sacramento, California, instead of my actual home here in Calgary. Neither I nor my router nor any of my computers have ever been to Sacramento.
- This has nothing to do with the computers themselves. Take them to any other Wi Fi and they correctly locate themselves. It happens with my computers that live here, and when friends visit with their own.
- They are all running Windows 11.
- I went to local Tim Hortons and connected to its free Wi Fi. Location services were correct. This only happens on my home Wi Fi.
- It affects every app or browser function on the affected computers: Maps app, Bing and Google Maps, etc. Also changes my time zone if I let that set automatically.
- It does not affect any phones on my Wi Fi, which I why I suspect location services. The phones all get locations from GPS and their cell network.
- I verified the location of my IP address is correct with several online services. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with my router either.
Anyone have any ideas how to clear this up?
6 Replies
- Nighthawk
Community Power User
- Which router are you using? One provided by Telus or your own?
- If you plug your PCs into an ethernet connection at home, do they have the same issue?
- If you turn location services off completely on your computer(s), what location comes up?
Sorry for the slow response. Life intervened.
- Same router I got from Telus.
- With Wi Fi and location services turned off and the computer wired into the router, the location shows correctly in Bing and Google Maps.
- With location services turned off and the computer connected over Wi Fi, Bing and Google Maps location goes back to Sacramento.
- Nighthawk
Life happens. No worries.
Both wifi and hardwired should have the exact same location. In Windows, there are separate settings for wifi and ethernet. If you look at your wifi configuration, does it show a proxy or VPN active in there? Do you use a third party VPN like NordVPN, PIA, etc.? Do you use custom DNS settings? While it's very unlikely, are you absolutely sure it's your wifi network that you're connecting to?
Can you also do one more test? When on wifi only, check your external IP addresses here. Do the same when connected by ethernet. Please do not post the IP address itself here. The external IP address should match under normal circumstances. If they do not match, then something is interfering with your PCs while on wifi.
As for the Telus router, from my experience with the one I have (T3200), I only see DNS settings for the LAN/WAN but not separate ones for wifi and ethernet. I would assume the other routers have similar configurations.
