To Everyone Who IS/WAS Having GPS Problems

[Flavio60]

Hey guys heres an altenate setting which is workin great for me first go to your phone settings under Loction and Security uncheck use wireless networks box then enter the *#*#1472365#*#* then go to application settings change operation mode to ms base and turn on sky hook then go to supl/cp settings make sure server FQDN type is on custom change port server to 7276 go back to phone settings and location and security and check use wireless networks box reboot phone and you shoul be good to go i ran test and i went from locking on to zero satelites to locking on to 10 with an accuracy of 5 meters and almost instantly lockin in to my position using google maps which as well gave me spot on accuracy to my position

 

[Chromag]

I was planning on returning my phone for a replacement to see if this GPS problem was limited to the phone itself. Tuesday was the last time I got a GPS lock so I thought it was more serious than some others in this thread.

Since I rooted my phone I removed the root and did a factory reset. When I took it up to the store - guess what happened. The GPS locked on and worked just fine so they just handed my phone back and said there was nothing wrong with it. I'm betting it will revert back to not working again soon.

 

[rajendra82]

After a lot of playing around, I have found out that this change from Standalone to MS Based mode, and the change from spirent server to google has made no difference in terms of accuracy of the GPS for me. My outdoor GPS Based accuracy was always good (5 to 10 meters) when there were sufficiant satellites the phone could see and use. My Wireless network based indoor location has been, and still remains, a giant half mile circle not usually centered around me.

Since I don't get any benefits or detriment from this change in terms of functionality, is there any downside regarding data usage and battery, with an MS Based mode over standalone, that would make me revert back to original settings?

 

[Donatron]

Changing the settings can change the way the phone attempts to receive gps signal so messing around with them may actually help. They arn't there to just look at...so i dunno if i would go as far as saying its rubish

It was suggested in another forum that *#*#1472365#*#* is simply a GPS testing application, and that all the changes you make in there only affect that application. Given my experiences with the changes, and the fact that there is no single combination of settings that everybody agrees upon, and that every single combination has mixed results, leads me to believe that it has no affect whatsoever. Any "improvements" in performance were just coincidences (would've happened even if they didn't change any settings).

Hello, the code:
*#*#1472365#*#*

starts a GPS Test Application.

The settings inside this application are only for this application.
You can test your GPS in different modes.

But the settings are not relevant for other applications.

It is a simple illusion that it helps to manipulate this settings.

GPS is very time-dependent.

And:
I don't know where we can change the default GPS Mode/s...

 

[dsjr2006]

I'm getting really upset about this because I use GPS alot and it doesn't work. I suggest everyone tip Engadget and the other sites about this so maybe the attention will put some fire under Samsung's butt.

 

[blazeplacid]

anyone else notice the battery life is drained if you leave the GPS on??

My phone died in 6 hours on standby (when I was asleep)

 

[rajendra82]

It was suggested in another forum that *#*#1472365#*#* is simply a GPS testing application, and that all the changes you make in there only affect that application. Given my experiences with the changes, and the fact that there is no single combination of settings that everybody agrees upon, and that every single combination has mixed results, leads me to believe that it has no affect whatsoever. Any "improvements" in performance were just coincidences (would've happened even if they didn't change any settings).

This made perfect sense to me, because whatever I changed there, I saw no effect. My results did vary over time depending on how many usable satellites the phone saw, but the GPS Test in *#*#1472365#*#* saw the same thing too. What I did see that the phone was very picky in terms of which satellilites it would use (which might be normal, thisi is my first time testing this).

I think we might need a firmware update for the phone to use the satellites more liberally. That, and a change in algorithm to improve the accuracy of the cell tower based calculations is what we really need.

 

[dsjr2006]

anyone else notice the battery life is drained if you leave the GPS on??

My phone died in 6 hours on standby (when I was asleep)

I leave mine on all the time since it only gets used when an app calls for it. I hate having to turn it on just to use an application

 

[no driver]

I've been using Google Navigate almost exclusively for GPS testing since it is the app that I plan to use the most and the GPS test data from the configuration program doesn't mean anything to me.

The first time I tried GPS I gave up because it was taking so long to find a connection when I was standing in my backyard. Based on a forum post here I turned Skyhook on. Later that day I managed to get a GPS signal after a long wait while I was walking outside and then successfully drove to work with turn by turn directions. Next I tried navigating home that afternoon, and again I had to sit for a while for the GPS signal to pick up. I tried navigating to work again the next day and still took a long time (several screen timeouts) before getting a GPS signal.

Then I tried the settings in the XDA post linked earlier in this thread, and the next time I went home it found my approximate location (half way across the parking lot from where I was) pretty quickly and it caught up to where I actually was before too long. This afternoon I used it to get to lunch and again I had a quick lock and good accuracy. So, even though some folks think we're having placebo effect, as far as I can tell there was definitely an increase in GPS usability after using the XDA settings.

My wife also has a Captivate and we haven't had time to play with GPS on hers yet, but when I tested it out of the box it also experienced a long delay before obtaining a location. This weekend I'll put them side by side, hers still with stock settings, and see how they do when we're driving around running errands.

 

[simulator]

I had similar experience to no driver. It went from not being able to fix a location to being able to do so within a half minute (although not with the accuracy I experienced even with my bold 9700). But its usable for now, and hopefully a firmware update will make it 100 pct.

 

[jblaze5779]

How can I tell if I'm locked and what my accuracy is? I currently have a blue blinking arrow and a blinking "satellite" dish in the task bar. Trying to you googlemaps.

 

[KappaG9]

push on the blue arrow and it will tell you the accuracy. If you dial *#*#1472365#*#* you can test the gps signal and it will tell you how many satellites you are getting a lock on

 

[sremick]

Not sure what to make of my GPS. Put it on the passenger's seat, you get a very strong signal and it locks on like 7+ satellites. Move it literally 2 feet to the left, onto the driver's seat, and all reception is lost, 0 satellites.

Needless to say, my Magellen Maestro and my friend's iPhone 3G work anywhere in the vehicle with strong GPS reception.

It also seems to lose satellite reception if the screen blanks...? Geez.

 

[Dieabolical]

I used the "supl.google.com" method, but turned Skyhook "ON" instead of leaving it "OFF". It is locked on, and very accurate. I even went to work to pick up my check (on vacation, THANK GOD) and tried it out. It worked without issue and new exactly where my car was.

 

[Android_J]

Tried all the settings and nothing really worked. Sometimes it would lock on in under 30 seconds and sometimes it would take minutes. Still have 20+ days to decide if I want to keep this phone or not but this is a huge issue for me. I'm disappointed that Samsung hasn't stepped up to the plate, especially since the Galaxy S line was released in Europe a bit earlier and has the same issues.

 

[jmreed97]

So the fix "worked" I can get a lock pretty well and the LbcTest shows an accuracy of 5 meters (which is AWESOME) but then when I go to googlemaps, that 5 meter accuracy shows me a block and a half away.

I am calling Samsung on Monday to make. I encourage everyone who is having issues to do the same! If this isn't fixed within my 30 days I will be returning the phone I otherwise use. I am just too dependent on my GPS. I use it all the time and it needs to be accurate and lock quickly.

 

[jmreed97]

It may have been coincidence, but I seemed to have a better time keeping a lock this evening when I started LbsTest and kept it running as I used google maps. I still lose my lock almost immediately after going inside my house but that is to be expected I suppose.

 

[Jamiepfef]

On google maps my accuracy jumps between 5-10 meters, my blackberry would also do this as well.

 

[jmreed97]

On google maps my accuracy jumps between 5-10 meters, my blackberry would also do this as well.

Is it actually that accurate or is it just saying it is that accurate (when it's not) like mine?

 

[okmft]

Check your charging cable?

I tried everything on this forum, and finally this worked (although I had also set Application Settings->Accuracy:20); I am now getting excellent and fast accuracy on GPS...*except* when I am using my AT&T car charger. I tried this about 10 different times, and my GPS locked on when I was not charging, and stalled when I was using the car charger.

Any thoughts?

 

[Galroc]

I went running today with Runkeeper and the GPS was all over the place, unlike when I used Runkeeper with the iPhone.

 

[jmreed97]

I've had no issues with my car charger but it is a motorola charger (from my Q). The GPS is equally bad with or without it.

After playing with this for two days and trying every setting combination on every forum and trying a few of my own I am confident that I have found what works best for my phone.

Here are my best settings:
Application settings-
Operation mode:MS Based
Accuracy:20
Use Skyhook: On

SUPL/CP settings-
server FQDN type: custom config
Server: supl.google.com
Serrver Port: 7262

Everything else is left as default.
This gives me a lock within a minute or so while outside. If I've gotten a lock recently, it is much faster to re-lock. Accuracy isn't great but it is good enough for Navigation. Not good enough for geocaching, golf, running, or hiking though.

If it doesn't get any better, I still think I will take the phone back and look into breaking my contract and going to Verizon... They have some cool Droid Phones and they don't have GPS issues.

Also, at one point I had a 7 satellites in use. That disproves the theory that the hardware is only capable of using a max of 5 satellites at once.

 

[dsjr2006]

I went running today with Runkeeper and the GPS was all over the place, unlike when I used Runkeeper with the iPhone.

Exactly my problem

 

[Jamiepfef]

Is it actually that accurate or is it just saying it is that accurate (when it's not) like mine?

It's right on! My house is at the end of a block and this shows me off the street and actually in my house which is a ways off the road. So it is def. accurate and google navigator works like a charm im located in the chicago subs.

 

[Intervenient]

No fix for me.