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Tracking a IPHONE

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  • 08-01-2008 4:20pm
    #1
    cousin_borat
    Registered Users Posts: 995 ✭✭✭


    My friend had his IPhone stolen recently. Each time he rand it some guy has answered it.

    I heard that IPHONES can be tracked either because of the WI FI or maybe the GPS.

    Anyone any ideas how you could go about tracking the phone. I think he's going to the guards today to report it.

    More out of curiosity on my own part posting this!


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    #2
    Gregor Samsa
    Registered Users Posts: 9,028 ✭✭✭Gregor Samsa


    GPS devices only receive signals from the GPS satellites - they don't transmit location or any other information to them, so there's no way GPS in itself could be used to track the iPhone.

    I suppose theoretically, the iPhone's MAC address could be used to track the approximate location on a device when logged onto a WI-FI network, but in practice no WI-FI or broadband provider is going to help you on this.

    Similarly, the phone could be tracked via the GSM (i.e. mobile phone network). The Mobile phone companies will certainly use technique this in cases of missing people, as in the Robert Holohan case, but I doubt they'll do it for a stolen phone.

    Best bet is to report it to the Guards and the mobile network it was registered to, and see if the theft is covered by you're friend's house insurance.


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    #3
    dak
    Registered Users Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭dak


    My wife also had a phone stolen and like you some guy answered it and claimed her phone must be diverting to him. Vodafone were able to tell her this wasn't the case and that it was her phone the guy had. Because she had all the original serial numbers etc vodafone were able to block the phone itself permanently. They also very kindly gave her the 70 euro credit that the thief had put into her phone! She never got her phone back but at least got 70 euro and the satisfaction that the thief lost out .!


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    #4
    cdebru
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,761 ✭✭✭cdebru


    cousin_borat wrote: »
    My friend had his IPhone stolen recently. Each time he rand it some guy has answered it.

    I heard that IPHONES can be tracked either because of the WI FI or maybe the GPS.

    Anyone any ideas how you could go about tracking the phone. I think he's going to the guards today to report it.

    More out of curiosity on my own part posting this!


    There is no GPS on an iphone the only way to track it would be based on which phone masts it is connecting to and triangulate an approximate position but your chances of getting the Gardai or any of the Telcos to do that are slim and none unless your friends surname is Ahern and her fathers name is Bertie or something similar.

    Unusual that the guy has answered the phone normally they just take out the sim

    Can your friend see if the phone has been used to make calls see who he has rang might help them get a link to who has it.


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    #5
    optiplexgx270
    Registered Users Posts: 2,499 ✭✭✭optiplexgx270


    dak wrote: »
    My wife also had a phone stolen and like you some guy answered it and claimed her phone must be diverting to him. Vodafone were able to tell her this wasn't the case and that it was her phone the guy had. Because she had all the original serial numbers etc vodafone were able to block the phone itself permanently. They also very kindly gave her the 70 euro credit that the thief had put into her phone! She never got her phone back but at least got 70 euro and the satisfaction that the thief lost out .!

    Although more complicated that can still be gotten around fairly easily with the right cables and software.


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