How to locate the exact Cell Tower to which you are currently connected

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JerArdra

JerArdra

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ALL,

I already posted all the details here.

https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/766309

JerryF
 
What I'd like to have is a PC app that tells me what tower my MiFi 2200 is connected to.  I haven't located such anywhere so far.
 
OpenSignal is not foolproof.  I'm at the Western Railway Museum on CA 12 halfway between Fairfield and Rio Vista.  OS keeps reporting my position as being in Vacaville, about 15 miles to the north.

The directional arrow points to the southwest, the same direction as the line on the map.  But from my actual location the tower it is pointing to is West-NorthWest.

If I move the phone 10 feet it tells me it's connected to a tower in Antioch.  This agrees with the direction the arrow is pointing, and also maps my location close to reality.
 
I am with Gary on this one. What difference does it make?
 
It probably doesn't make any difference in most situations, but in my situation at home it does.  The closest (only reachable) 3g tower is in one direction about 5 miles away and slightly behind a hill.  In the other direction is a 1xRTT only tower about 4 miles away.  When the 3g tower signal drops low enough, my MiFi will switch to the 1xRTT tower.  Once there, it seldom switches back without manually disconnecting and reconnecting.  It would be helpful at times to know which of these two towers I'm communicating with.  I added a directional antenna which helps a great deal, but there is still enough rear lobe to grab the 1xRTT tower behind me on occasion.
 
RVers move around and it helps determine which side of the coach or front dash or where you would set your modem to gather the best signal strength. 

If, and few RVers do, you use a directional antenna you can point it in that direction.  This really helps at someone's home.

And most important of all, you get to see a cute little red line on your smart phone display going from your coach to the cell tower you are using ;D ;D

JerryF
 
Molaker said:
When the 3g tower signal drops low enough, my MiFi will switch to the 1xRTT tower.  Once there, it seldom switches back without manually disconnecting and reconnecting. 
Click to expand...

I'm currently in what Verizon calls a "challenged" area.  They advised me to set the MiFi to EVDO only, to keep it from looking for and switching to the 1xRTT signal.  Seems to help.

Jeannine
 
Jeannine said:
I'm currently in what Verizon calls a "challenged" area.  They advised me to set the MiFi to EVDO only, to keep it from looking for and switching to the 1xRTT signal.  Seems to help.

Jeannine
Click to expand...
Where is that setting?  I haven't found it in the web admin.  Do you have to connect via USB and use the Verizon app?
 
Jeannine said:
I'm currently in what Verizon calls a "challenged" area.
Click to expand...

Hahaha.  I guess that sounds better than them stating "sorry our network is not advanced enough to have service there, but we don't want to say that out loud."
 
I thought this would be a cool thing to have since there have been times when I click on our local weather app from home & get the weather in Puerto Rico.  We live in the boonies... no DSL & spotty cell service. There's a Verizon cell tower about 2 miles (as a crow flies) from us so I was really surprised when the "tower" the app located was in the opposite direction and VERY close.  There is no tower in that location BUT our neighbors needed a high speed connection for their business and apparently have installed some sort of antenna/dish system to pick up a signal from who knows where but that's where the app shows OUR tower is.

So... can they monitor our phone calls or at least see the numbers we're calling?  We dropped our landline.

Are our signals really bouncing off their system or is the app just picking it up as the closest "tower"?

Should I contact Verizon?

Totally confused and a bit paranoid..not that we have anything to hide but don't think it's anyone's business who we call!

 
I would first contact VZ to make sure this is a legitimate VZ setup where they can protect adjacent VZ users.

Can you talk with the business and then find out what they think is going on and if they "see" you?
 
Your neighbors would (if they really chose to pay attention) see your device on their system, but no that doesn't mean they have access to any of your phone's specific usage or call history.  And no they cannot listen to your calls just because you might be hitting off their connection.  Just as a courtesy, you might want to contact the neighbors and let them know your device sometimes appears to be picking up on their connection.  Make sure that you aren't slowing anything down on your end (not that you should be).
 
Your phone can be set to use a wi-fi connection if it's available instead of Verizon's network.  That may be what is happening here - your phone is using your neighbor's unsecured wi-fi.

Go to Settings | Wireless and Networks | and see if Wi-Fi is checked.
 
Lou,

I'm not using WiFi on my phone.  I did call Verizon and was told that the app was wrong and our signal couldn't be pinging off their antenna/dish/tower thingy and even if it was, they couldn't monitor phone calls or emails unless they were doing it illegally or were a gov. agency.  Not very comforting.
 
Lou,

I had a situation like you described and this MIGHT help solve the problem.  Once your GPS's are on and the map comes up wait a few minutes for the APP to find your location.  You can tell when it has found the tower when you're in OVERVIEW mode.  Then touch MAP as I know you did.  BUT now press the MENU button on your phone and touch the choice MY LOCATION (bottom of screen) and it will (should) locate you on the map. 

JerryF
 
Lou Schneider said:
Your phone can be set to use a wi-fi connection if it's available instead of Verizon's network.  That may be what is happening here - your phone is using your neighbor's unsecured wi-fi.

Go to Settings | Wireless and Networks | and see if Wi-Fi is checked.
Click to expand...

Verizon phones only use wifi for their data stream, never for voice.  While my phone was using my wifi Ranger as its router this app was totally confused and couldn't find the tower.  When I turned off the phone's wifi, the app immediately pointed to the nearest tower.  From the "help" information in the app it appears that it is using a database of towers; that's why it got confused because my wifi wasn't in its database.
 
Just curious but why would anyone want to know which tower? What use would that info be?
 
BruceinFL said:
Just curious but why would anyone want to know which tower? What use would that info be?
Click to expand...

See Molaker's response above.  It seems it may be most useful if the caller is in an area of sparse coverage, and wants to make sure he/she is connected to the nearest tower with the best signal.  Usually cell phone's are smart enough to do that on their own... but not always.
 
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