Mobile data uses "Montreal" as location - in PEI

[pxa006622]

I'm in PEI but my mobile data connection keeps thinking I'm in Montreal, for example Walmart and Canadian Tire websites set my "local" store as Montreal, and Google results say "Montreal, QC - based on your I.P."

I know Public uses the Telus network, but a friend using Koodo which is also Telus has an I.P. from much closer.

The most annoying part is all the French language ads I get because it thinks I'm in Quebec.

Please, how can I change this??

[srlawren]

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@Nezgar wrote:

If the website is using only IP address to find the location, Telus/Koodo/Public generally share a single IP address via network address translation so that many customers in the same geographical area, or even across the country, may be connnecting through the same IP. I guess the only potential improvement would be as others have mentioned - enabling location services allows your phone to send your actual GPS location to the site for the most accurate results...

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@Nezgar right, there are far too few IPv4 addresses to cover the plethora of devices we all have connecting to the Internet these days.  Computers, smartphones, smartwatches, appliances, smart home assistant devices, thermostats, security cameras, cars, remote industrial sensors, and many many many more things are all connected these days and the IPv4 address space was never designed with that kind of load in mind.  Thus NAT is an absolute must.

EDIT: Wikipedia page on NAT for anyone curious to learn more about what it is and how it works: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation

[Nezgar · Accepted solution]

If the website is using only IP address to find the location, Telus/Koodo/Public generally share a single IP address via network address translation so that many customers in the same geographical area, or even across the country, may be connnecting through the same IP. I guess the only potential improvement would be as others have mentioned - enabling location services allows your phone to send your actual GPS location to the site for the most accurate results...

[JL9]

If you do some digging around your location services in your phone settings you may be able to get to the bottom of it.

[computergeek541]

@pxa006622 

As others have been disccusing IP addresses, websites that are doing this are entirely relying on the IP address to determine location.  Your connection could be routed through anywhere and you cannot control this. Also, there are also errors or outdated information contained in IP address databases.  

Some website allow for a more detailed location scan, sometimes using GPS, although some may consider that a privacy concern.

The use of a VPN mentioned earlier is an idea, or you could simply turn off your mobile data and turn it back on to get a different IP address. If by chance you get the same IP addeess again, you could wait a few minutes before reconnecting again, or cycle between LTE and HSPA networks.

[dust2dust]

So I looked. Turned on cell data and got Burnaby BC. I'm in the interior of BC. Switched in and out of airplane mode and checked again and now it's Abbotsford. But at least it's in the same province.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @pxa006622 did you turn on the location on your device?  

you using any VPN app?

or check your IP when mobile is connected and use the online Ip search to confirm the location of the IP