How do they know where I am??

Going to some sites, like homedepot.com, when I first go there the local store is shown. That's happening with multiple browsers, without my entering any information.

For no particular reason, that's kinda creepy and don't like it. Any way of not broadcasting location and forgoing the pleasure of having the local store shown.

I've cleared cookies and run ccleaner. Tried site with Chrome, a browser I downloaded a long time ago and haven't used, and it also showed a local store without any input on my part.

ip address?

Yea, the sites use your IP address and so there isn't much you can do about it other than use TOR or another proxy. The location isn't that specific though so it isn't a huge deal to most people.

It has nothing to do with your browser. Once the web server knows your IP address upon connection(ex. when you visit the webpage) and has the proper geoip module installed (ex. PHP's geoip API: http://www.maxmind.com/app/php ), it converts the IP into location/area code. All that's left to do after that is for the server to map the location to their store location database and select the nearest store info for you.

As long as you are connected to the Internet, your identity is out there. That's pretty much the rule. Sadly many people think they are totally anonymous behind their "firewall" and their actions cannot be traced. That's why social network websites are so popular since 2004 and that's also why there are so many privacy issues that come with those networks.

http://www.geoiptool.com/

With the assistance of GeoLocation, your browser transmits your IP address in the HTML header when going to a web site. From there, GeoLocation is used to trim down not only what ISP you're using but also where that pool of IP addresses are assigned within the Comcast operating areas. Then places like Home Depot can narrow down your area more precisely and offer up the local store.

It's not exactly perfect. Last time I went to Home Depot it stated my nearest store was in Nashville TN but I live in Knoxville. Close but not perfect.

Quote from menace33 : With the assistance of GeoLocation, your browser transmits your IP address in the HTML header when going to a web site. From there, GeoLocation is used to trim down not only what ISP you're using but also where that pool of IP addresses are assigned within the Comcast operating areas. Then places like Home Depot can narrow down your area more precisely and offer up the local store. It's not exactly perfect. Last time I went to Home Depot it stated my nearest store was in Nashville TN but I live in Knoxville. Close but not perfect.

It astounds me, how precisely they can locate me by IP.
I'm using my HP Touchpad which has no GPS, so the only thing left is the IP and it locates me within 100 feet. (see attachments)

Quote from RockySosua : It astounds me, how precisely they can locate me by IP. I'm using my HP Touchpad which has no GPS, so the only thing left is the IP and it locates me within 100 feet. (see attachments)

Is that Geolocation tied into a a satellite tracking system? Even more awesome yet scary depending on who you are.

Are you sure it's IP and not the Mac Address of the wireless access point you are connecting to? I know when the Google Street view car rolls by they are logging the MAC address of Accesspoints to assist in geolocation via wifi. Other companies like Skyhook also do this.

Most people have Dynamic IP's and they change. While they can locate you to your city usually, maybe neighborhood based off the node, but since they change they won't locate your house.

If I had to guess for apps and some websites its a combination of these technologies.

What I find creepy is retailers who set persistent cookies on your system when you log in so every time you go to their website to look at a product you get an email a few days later going, "Hey we noticed you looked at X and might be interested in Y too". Staples is the same way if you use your staples card for a B&M purchase, they ask you to rate the product a few days later.

Quote from RockySosua : It astounds me, how precisely they can locate me by IP. I'm using my HP Touchpad which has no GPS, so the only thing left is the IP and it locates me within 100 feet. (see attachments)

I don't think pure IP can locate that narrowly. You may have extenuating circumstances like a public WAN or something.

Speaking to OP's issue, I get the same thing but usually it's no more accurate than 50+ miles or so. Your IP can only be traced (generally) so much as your ISP's local center - after that it's like trying to locate a person via telephone #. E.g. area code narrows your location to a certain wide area, and exchange to perhaps a few towns. That's about the level of location that your IP gives random people, not the location of your house.

Quote from RockySosua : It astounds me, how precisely they can locate me by IP. I'm using my HP Touchpad which has no GPS, so the only thing left is the IP and it locates me within 100 feet. (see attachments)

Do you own that bar? Or does your user name just reflect how much you frequent the bar?

I still like when I use my phone to look at this site and my ads are incorrect by several states worth of distance.

Quote from menace33 : With the assistance of GeoLocation, your browser transmits your IP address in the HTML header when going to a web site. From there, GeoLocation is used to trim down not only what ISP you're using but also where that pool of IP addresses are assigned within the Comcast operating areas. Then places like Home Depot can narrow down your area more precisely and offer up the local store. It's not exactly perfect. Last time I went to Home Depot it stated my nearest store was in Nashville TN but I live in Knoxville. Close but not perfect.

Your browser doesn't transmit an HTML header when you visit a website
The web server DOES know what IP the HTTP(S) request appears to be coming from, though.

Quote from Jabbit : Do you own that bar? Or does your user name just reflect how much you frequent the bar?

I used to own it and still live on the property.

Quote from Dr. J : I don't think pure IP can locate that narrowly. You may have extenuating circumstances like a public WAN or something. .

We do have free wifi in the bar for clients. Calling it my IP was a slip of the tongue. I theorize that the internet provider makes the location of our router accessible to the powers that be, but I really don't know and am quite mystified by it all.

Quote from LiquidRetro : Are you sure it's IP and not the Mac Address of the wireless access point you are connecting to? I know when the Google Street view car rolls by they are logging the MAC address of Accesspoints to assist in geolocation via wifi. Other companies like Skyhook also do this. Most people have Dynamic IP's and they change. While they can locate you to your city usually, maybe neighborhood based off the node, but since they change they won't locate your house. .

I don't understand that. Do they log into our wifi, get the router's MAC address, then record the location of each one?

Quote from menace33 : Is that Geolocation tied into a a satellite tracking system? Even more awesome yet scary depending on who you are.

It is scary, specially living where I live, in the land of confusion and disorganized chaos. I figured that it must have been old common place technology in the US, for it to work so accurately here.
The internet comes to us by way of our telephone.
That being said, my girlfriend's internet comes from the cable company, and those maps locate me at her house, just as accurately.
If anyone has an HP Touchpad, just try it out. It works just as well in webOS as it oes in Android.
Everyone agrees that the unit has no GPS, so we can rule that out.
One of my friends who lives here is our resident compute gu

ru, having run the main computers for the Canadian equivalent to the FBI (RCMP) and he was just as baffled as I am.
I'm really happy to see this thread and have an opportunity to get opinions as to how this system works.
I'm quite sure that one of the apps (I think it's Glympse) even mentions that it is accurate to 30 yards, which it is.

PS: Have attached 4 map screenshots. The first is from Maps in CM9, then the next two are from Glympse, and the last one is Google Earth.
The black pic shows my location settings.

Quote from RockySosua : I used to own it and still live on the property. We do have free wifi in the bar for clients. Calling it my IP was a slip of the tongue. I theorize that the internet provider makes the location of our router accessible to the powers that be, but I really don't know and am quite mystified by it all. I don't understand that. Do they log into our wifi, get the router's MAC address, then record the location of each one? It is scary, specially living where I live, in the land of confusion and disorganized chaos. I figured that it must have been old common place technology in the US, for it to work so accurately here. The internet comes to us by way of our telephone. That being said, my girlfriend's internet comes from the cable company, and those maps locate me at her house, just as accurately. If anyone has an HP Touchpad, just try it out. It works just as well in webOS as it oes in Android. Everyone agrees that the unit has no GPS, so we can rule that out. One of my friends who lives here is our resident compute guru, having run the main computers for the Canadian equivalent to the FBI (RCMP) and he was just as baffled as I am. I'm really happy to see this thread and have an opportunity to get opinions as to how this system works. I'm quite sure that one of the apps (I think it's Glympse) even mentions that it is accurate to 30 yards, which it is.

No, MAC address of the router is broadcast if you have wireless turned on regardless of if you broadcast the SSID or not. May of the air sniffing programs work by just detecting these and signal strength.