Navigation systems on mobile devices() have recently become necessary not only for motorists, but also for pedestrians, thanks to their good ability to build walking routes.
But quite a lot of users have to deal with the fact that the GPS system on Android does not work or does not work well.
This can result in different types of problems, depending on what exactly caused the failure.
Definition
What is GPS? This is a navigation system - strictly speaking, GPS/GLONASS is a navigation module that allows you to use many applications that use navigation.
Problems
But in some cases, certain problems may be detected in the operation of such a module. Their nature is different, but they equally interfere with working with the system:
- Complete inability to determine locations;
- Inaccurate location determination;
- Slow data updating or complete lack of updating (for example, you move in space or turn around, and the pointer on the map does not change its position for a long time).
Most problems can disappear on their own when you restart or when you move to another area of the map.
But if this does not happen, then you need to know what causes them and how to eliminate them.
Possible reasons
There can be many reasons for this type of problem. But all of them can be divided into two large groups - hardware problems and software problems.
We talk about hardware problems when the defect is present in the physical navigation module itself, and about software problems when something is incorrectly configured in the software of a smartphone or tablet.
Important! Problems software type enough easy to set up and fix yourself. When it comes to hardware failures, it is better to entrust the matter to a service center, since the repair process can be quite complicated for a non-specialist. And there is a risk of making the situation worse.
Hardware
One of the most common problems occurs when starting the module for the first time, that is, when you first launch an application that uses GPS on a new smartphone.
Within 15-20 minutes, geolocation may not work, nothing will happen, the location will not be determined.
When you first start it normal condition, but this should not happen again in the future.
A similar situation may arise if you have traveled a significant distance, for example, moved to another country or region, with the navigation module turned off.
In this case, when he first starts in a new place, he will also need time to “think.”
The problem may also occur when starting at high speed, for example, while driving a car - in this case, the module will “slow down” for the first time after switching on.
Keep in mind that in buildings, indoor navigation will not be carried out.
Your approximate location in the building is determined using the zone layout wireless internet and towers mobile operators, but not GLONASS.
Software
The GLONAS module can be disabled through the phone settings; often on new models it is not enabled by default.
Therefore, many beginners who are not accustomed to using Android do not turn it on before starting to use navigation applications.
By the way, this type notifies the user that he needs to enable navigation.
Inaccurate location determination may be due to the characteristics of the zone. The system does not work equally well in all areas due to the nature of satellite operation.
There are “blind” zones that the navigator misses or does not detect accurately. It is impossible to fight this.
Elimination
Troubleshooting is usually quite simple.
But if after taking all the above measures the problem has not been resolved, it is possible that the problem is a faulty module and it requires replacement at a service center.
Hardware
There are no ways to “cure” the program freezing after the first launch of the navigation module.
The user just needs to wait about 15-20 minutes after the first launch of the application - during this time, the electronic components of the navigation device will adjust to the current operating conditions and the location will be determined.
That is why it is recommended to run this module for configuration immediately after purchasing a phone, so as not to wait in a situation where you need it urgently.
Software
Turning on navigation on your smartphone is quite simple. Most often, the application itself “asks” whether to enable navigation when it is disabled.
Then you need to click on “YES” or “OK” in the pop-up window, and the application itself will enable geolocation.
If such a notification does not appear, enable it manually, following the algorithm:
1 On the unlocked screen, on the desktop, pull out the menu, making a sliding movement from the top border of the screen down;
2 A menu with basic device settings will appear.– find the icon in it Geodata/Geodata transmission/Geolocation/Location determination or the like;
I regularly see different letters indicating which Mobile Internet used, but I still can’t remember which letter is better. I wrote a little cheat sheet for myself:
- G - GPRS, theoretical maximum speed: 171.2 kbit/s, in practice 56 kbit/s.
- E - EDGE, theoretical maximum speed: 474 kbit/s, in practice 180 kbit/s.
- 3G - UTMS, theoretical maximum speed: 7.2 Mbit/s.
- H+ - HSPA: 21 Mbit/s to the subscriber and 5.8 Mbit/s from the subscriber. it's the same 3G - but faster. that's all
People who don’t use the Internet very often on their phones wonder what the mysterious little icons 3G, 3.5G 3G+, H, H+, L, Lte at the top of the phone or smartphone screen mean. Despite the fact that these symbols began to appear a long time ago, they, like new technologies, come to the outback of Russia slowly and with great delay, raising questions among those who are not particularly advanced. To put it simply and briefly, this is the type of connection of the phone to the network in this moment time. The first phones and networks could not connect to the Internet on high speed We used them only for conversations and didn’t see strange icons. Now there are a great variety of them: G - your phone is connected to the network (data transfer is enabled) using GPRS technology, one of the first, currently slow, ways to connect to the Internet. E – network connection via EDGE, about 3 times faster than G. 3G – congratulations, your phone is on the 3G network. Depending on the phone model, the icon may appear during data transfer, or constantly signal that the phone is connected to the network in this mode. If both interlocutors have enough good phones, with high-quality speakers and both work in 3G, you can hear with the naked ear that the interlocutor’s voice sounds better and more natural. This is true if the network is not at the launch stage and the phone supports it normally. Otherwise, the quality and stability of the call may not be up to par. The data transfer speed in this mode can reach 384 Kbps, which is already quite bearable for browsing websites or listening online radio. As a rule, the phone shows which 3G mode it is operating in. 3G on the mobile phone screen. 3G icon on the screen. mobile phone 3.5G, 3G+, H – symbolize the connection via HSDPA. Some devices display the 3.5G icon, and H lights up directly when sending or receiving data over the network. Theoretically, speeds of up to 5.7 Mbit/s are possible. You can now download or watch the movie. In practice the speed is lower. For comparison, watching a video in excellent quality from YouTube, 1 Mbit/s is enough. H on the mobile phone screen The H icon on the mobile phone screen H+ is an extension of the previous standard. Similarly, it may not light up all the time, but only when connected, and allows you to achieve speeds of downloading information up to 42.2 MBits/s and transferring information from the subscriber to the network up to 5.76 MBits/s. LTE, L, 4G – 173 Mbit/s for receiving information from the Internet and 58 Mbit/s for uploading to the network.
All modern Android smartphones and tablets are equipped with a GPS module. This allows these devices to be used as GPS navigators. In addition, the presence of a GPS module allows you to leave GPS tags on photos and use many other useful functions. In this regard, many novice users are interested in how to enable GPS on Android. In this article we will briefly consider this issue.
Typically in Android GPS devices module is included. But, if you previously disabled this function, and now you want to turn it back on, then you need to open Settings and go to the “Location” section.
At the top of the “Location” section there is a switch that is responsible for disabling and enabling GPS on Android.
If this switch glows blue, it means GPS is turned on. In addition to simply turning on GPS, you can change the navigation mode. To do this, go to the “Mode” section. Based on device sensors."
In the “Mode” section, you can choose one of three modes for determining your location.
Consider these modes:
- High accuracy. IN this mode To determine the location, all available information is used: data from a GPS sensor, data obtained using wireless network Wi-Fi, as well as data received using a mobile network. If you turn on GPS in this mode, you will be able to determine your location with maximum accuracy.
- Save battery power. The operating mode intended for the device. In this mode, the GPS module. Instead, data obtained via Wi-Fi and mobile networks is used to determine location.
- Based on device sensors. In this mode, only information from the GPS module is used.
You can also enable or disable the use of your location data in the Location window Google services. To do this, go to the “Sending geodata” section.
In the “Sending Data” section there are two additional sections: “Sending Geodata” and “Location History”. Open each of these sections and turn off (or turn on) the use of your location data.
IN modern smartphones navigation modules are built in by default. In most cases they work quite accurately. Just turn on GPS in Settings, launch the Maps app, and within minutes the program will determine where you are. And if you didn’t turn off the GPS, the determination will take a few seconds.
But what if GPS doesn't work? How then to determine the route, speed, your location? Don’t rush to take your smartphone for repair: most often this can be solved correct setting phone.
Auxiliary services
In addition to the satellite receiver itself, auxiliary settings are sometimes very useful for determining your location. As a rule, they are easily enabled on the phone itself:
- A-GPS. This service downloads your location data from the Internet using data cellular networks, to which you are connected. Of course, its accuracy is much lower, but it speeds up accurate satellite determination.
- Wi-Fi. Didn’t you know that you can also determine your location using data from Wi-Fi networks?
- EPO. However, more about it below.
When customization is necessary: a Mediatek curiosity
Today, Mediatek (also known as MTK) is one of the leaders in manufacturing mobile processors. Even such giants as Sony, LG or HTC today create smartphones using MTK processors. But there was a time when the processors of this Taiwanese company were used only in poor iPhone clones or dual-SIM dialers.
In 2012-2014, Mediatek released quite decent chipsets, but they constantly had a problem: GPS did not work correctly. Satellites with such devices behave according to the quote: “I am difficult to find, easy to lose...”
It was all about the settings of the EPO auxiliary service. This service, developed by Mediatek, helps calculate the orbits of navigation satellites in advance. But here’s the problem: the default EPO data in Chinese phones is designed for Asia and fails when used in Europe!
This can be easily fixed in modern models. Let us remind you that all these instructions are only suitable for smartphones with MTK processors:
- Open menu Android settings
- Go to the “Time” section and set your time zone manually. This is necessary to avoid network location for time.
- Go to the “My location” section, allow the system access to geodata, check the “By GPS satellites” and “By network coordinates” checkboxes.
- By using file manager go to the root directory of the memory and delete the GPS.log file and other files with the combination GPS in the name. It's not a fact that they are there.
- Download and install the MTK Engineering Mode Start application, which allows you to log into your smartphone (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.themonsterit.EngineerStarter&hl=ru).
- Move to an open area with good visibility. There should be no high-rise buildings or other objects around that would obstruct your direct view of the sky. The Internet must be turned on on the smartphone.
- Launch the application, select MTK Settings, in it - the Location tab, in it - the EPO item. As you may have guessed, we update the EPO data for OUR time zone and time!
- Click the EPO (Download) button. The download should happen in seconds even on a weak connection.
- Return to the Location section, select the YGPS tab. In the Information tab, press the Cold, Warm, Hot and Full buttons in sequence. With their help, information about the location of satellites in orbit is updated, so each time you have to wait for the data to be loaded. Fortunately, it's a matter of seconds.
- In the same tab, click the AGPS Restart button. The AGPS support service will now take into account already downloaded data and more accurately determine the position of the satellites.
- Go to the adjacent NMEA LOG tab and click the Start button. After that, go to the Satellites tab. You will see how the system detects satellites. This process should take 15-20 minutes, during which the satellite icons will turn from red to green. Make sure that the display does not turn off during this time, or better yet, disable sleep mode altogether. When all (or most) satellites turn green, return to the NMEA Log tab and click Stop.
- Restart your smartphone.
Yes, this is far from the easiest procedure. Depending on the version of the MTK processor (we described the steps for the MT6592 platform), the procedure may differ slightly, but essentially remains the same. But after these steps, GPS on your smartphone will work great.
Incorrect operation of the GPS module is a fairly common problem with Android devices. The system can connect to satellites, but navigation will still not work. In some cases, the defect is associated with a breakdown of the gadget’s hardware, but most of the situation is solvable using software methods. Below we describe what to do if GPS does not work on Android.
First, let's determine how the navigator on the phone works. Yandex.Maps or navigation from Google contacts the system satellites and requests data about the user’s current location. Based on the information received, an optimal route is built or public transport is selected. If the GPS module stops functioning, normal navigation operation is impossible, even using A-GPS technology. The main reasons for failure are usually software problems, but in some cases the source of the malfunction is the failure of the hardware module.
Geolocation services do not work on Android if the settings are incorrect. The defect may also be caused by the installation of incompatible firmware or the lack of necessary drivers.
The navigator from Google or Yandex does not work well even when weak level satellite signal. It is worth remembering that programs do not always display location correctly, and you should not rely on the system when hiking or off-road. To troubleshoot, let’s look at the causes and solutions to popular problems.
Reasons for no signal
There are two main groups of faults: hardware and software. The former can be fixed by qualified specialists in service centers, while the latter can be fixed at home.
- Hardware - a component can fail after mechanical impact on the device body, for example, if dropped or strong blow. The cause of the breakdown may also be liquid entering the main board, followed by oxidation of the contacts.
- Software – malware infection software, incorrect firmware or update failures - all these faults can damage the location driver.
The first thing to do if the GPS sensor does not work is to restart your smartphone and scan it with an antivirus. Maybe, RAM The device is full, and there are not enough processor resources to activate communication with satellites.
Incorrect setting
Correctly setting your smartphone parameters is the key proper operation GPS systems for Android.
- If Android does not find the location, go to the device settings, then “General”, and then open “Location and modes”.
- On the Location tab, specify your preferred location method. If you select "Satellites only", Android will not use A-GPS technology, which collects data from nearby cellular and Wi-Fi networks to improve geopositioning accuracy.
- Try setting the mode to "Only mobile networks» and check the functionality of the cards. If navigation turns on, there is a problem with the driver or hardware.
- When GPS on Android does not turn on (the system does not respond to switching the option), there is probably a problem in the firmware. Execute full reset settings or contact the service center.
- To reset your location settings, click on the “Backup and reset” tab, then tap on “Reset network and navigation settings.” Login to Google account for confirmation.
Important! All saved passwords from points Wi-Fi access, as well as cellular network data will be deleted.
The described method helps eliminate most problems with the software.
Incorrect firmware
The consequences of careless firmware on Android can be quite unpredictable. Installation of third-party OS versions is performed to speed up the operation of the gadget, but as a result, the phone modules stop functioning.
If you decide to reflash your device, download firmware files only from trusted forums - XDA and w3bsit3-dns.com. Do not try to flash your smartphone with an OS version from another phone, as the drivers necessary for operation may no longer function. If the device has become a brick, perform a full data reset.
- Press the volume up and lock buttons for 5-7 seconds. When the Android logo appears on the screen of the turned off gadget, release Volume Up.
- The Recovery menu will load. Select “Wipe Data/Factory Reset”, confirm Hard Reset.
- To reboot your smartphone, tap “Reboot system now”. Setup will take a few minutes when you turn it on.
The method is suitable for devices with damaged firmware. The GPS module will restore functionality after switching to the factory version of the OS.
Module calibration
In some cases, it is necessary to perform a quick calibration of the device.
- Open the “Essential setup” application, it can be downloaded for free from the Play Market.
- Click on the compass icon and place your smartphone on a flat surface.
- Tap the “Test” button and wait 10 minutes until testing ends. Once completed, try turning on satellite navigation.
Hardware problems
Chinese cheap smartphones are often equipped with low-quality modules satellite communications. Problems can be corrected by replacing the corresponding module in service center. Malfunctions occur on both Android and iOS phones.
Sometimes the internal antenna (a small thing on the board) falls off, which also affects the quality of satellite signal reception. It's difficult to fix it yourself.
Ask a question to a virtual expert
If you still have questions, ask them to a virtual expert, the bot will help you find the problem and tell you what to do. You can talk to him about life or just chat, it will be interesting and informative!
Type your question in the field and press Enter or Submit.
Conclusion
If navigation on Android does not work or you cannot connect to satellites in open areas, determine whether the cause of the defect is in the gadget’s parameters or is out of order electronic board. Repairs to hardware faults should only be carried out at authorized service centers.
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