Location tracking using cell tower data

saga8 years ago

Hi, Anton Tananaev, First things first...would like to congratulate you for your continuous efforts in developing and supporting this app throughout. People are getting benefitted from this app immensly.

I'm without having any technical background, though failed to use the app properly.

I understand that you have implemented "buffer" kind of thing to log the "location data" in case of internet unavailability and send these buffered location logs to server when internet connection is available. I also understand that these logs are permanent i.e.can survive multiple reboots and don't expire over time.

I understand that traccar client supports location tracking using cell tower triangulation data.

working conditions for app:
1: I'm using traccar client hidden latest version 3.11 on android kitkat 4.4 platform on my samsung s duos 3 phone. Phone is not rooted.
2: Internet connection is not available throughout...it's available in intervals i.e. say one hour each at morning and evening.
3: GPS is turned off throughout.
4: Tasted the app using two settings for location: Mixed and Network Location
5: Interval: Tried from 15mins to 60 mins
6: Rest of the settings like server and port kept as it is.
7: Internet connection speed: 2G (144kbps approx)

With above setup I've found that app does not report/send the buffered logs to server when internet is back/available. For example for interval of 900seconds/15mins app should have logged 96 entries in 24 hours but in actual I'm able to see only 2 to 10 entries on demo.traccar.org portal.Server showing 10 odd entries, it means "network location provider" is also working, I could have easliy assumed that its not working if it had zero entries. I'm able to use whatsapp with this internet connection so I think no issue with that. I even tasted by connecting my phone to highspeed 3G network, with same settings intact. It still doesn't show it on server. So I guess no issue with low speed internet too.

Thanks for reading patiently.
Kindly give your views on why this is happenning.
Thanks again!

Anton Tananaev8 years ago

Network provider requires internet to work, so if internet is not available, you won't get any updates. As you said, GPS is turned off as well, so you won't get any GPS location either.

saga8 years ago

Googled for whether network provider requires internet to work, and came across following discussion, pls have a look. It may give you some insight about network provider really needs internet to work or not.
Do network location provider need internet to determine location?
For me as a non-technical user it does not seem logical that to retrieve cell tower triangulation data(MCC, MNC, LAC, CELLID) it needs internet. Only cellular signal availability would suffice.
Let me know what's your view after going through given article.
Thanks!

Anton Tananaev8 years ago

There is no need to Google or read anything. I know that network provider required internet access.

I understand what you are talking about and it's technically possible to save cell tower information and convert it to coordinates later or on the server, but that's not how the app works. Traccar Client uses standard Android APIs which require network connection.

saga8 years ago

okay, got it. Internet availability in this part of the world is a task in itself.
In such a scenario, If converting cell tower information to coordinates is a daunting task, can you make a provision to just save the cell tower information into logs, so that if needed one can convert it into coordinates manually using OpenCellID or Profone GSM tracker.
At the moment app is getting handicapped in the absence of working internet connection. I mean "something is better than nothing". Would love to have this "something" in the form of cell tower information log. Plain MCC, MNC, LAC, CELLID, DATE, TIME would be more than enough.
Thanks.

Anton Tananaev8 years ago

You can add a feature request on GitHub, but I don't think I would be able to implement it very soon.

saga8 years ago

I want this feature DOT. Either you help me and add this feature or I need to reinvent the wheel and start learning android programming and implement it myself.
But I still hope that you will help me out...Champ, pls find some time and implement it..5 days, 10 days, 15, 20, 30?? You are already a master of this, should be a cakewalk for you. But for me, it will take so much efforts/time to do it. What's your final say?

Anton Tananaev8 years ago

Send me an email to discuss this. Address is on support page.

Phil7 years ago

Hi Anton,

Did you manage to add this feature on the client?

Anton Tananaev7 years ago

No, I haven't. Any feature requests should go to GitHub.