You can track your child’s location without GPS by using alternative methods such as Wi-Fi triangulation, cellular network tracking, Bluetooth tracking, or RFID-based solutions. These methods rely on technologies like nearby Wi-Fi networks, cell tower signals, or short-range communication to estimate the location. While not as precise as GPS, they are useful for monitoring movement and ensuring safety without requiring constant GPS access.
What you’ll learn in this article:
- Different techniques to track a child’s location without using GPS.
- The pros and cons of alternative location tracking methods.
- How to balance privacy and safety when using non-GPS tracking solutions.
Excerpt of How To Track Child’s Location Without GPS?
Parents often worry about their child’s safety but may prefer not to rely on GPS for location tracking due to privacy or battery concerns. Alternatives such as Wi-Fi triangulation, cellular signal tracking, Bluetooth beacons, and RFID provide practical solutions. Each method has its unique advantages, allowing parents to ensure safety while maintaining discretion and minimizing technological dependence.
Non-GPS Location Tracking for Children: 5 Effective Methods
- Wi-Fi Triangulation
Utilizes nearby Wi-Fi networks to estimate the location, even without an internet connection. - Cellular Network Tracking
Tracks location based on cell tower signals, offering wide coverage in urban areas. - Bluetooth Tracking
Leverages Bluetooth-enabled devices like trackers or phones to detect proximity and location. - RFID Tracking
Uses RFID tags to monitor a child’s movement within a specific range, ideal for confined areas. - Hybrid Solutions
Combines multiple methods like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for enhanced accuracy without GPS reliance.
In these dangerous times of social media, parents always want kids to be safe. In some situations, kids can stray away into unsafe locations as they walk off from home. There are many probable locations where kids can suffer an injury or other dangers. A person can also track their location without GPS. 16% of parents with children between 13 – 17 years track their kid’s location. Phones have built-in location services which reveal the owner’s location and other details. Devices and apps can endanger your child’s safety. Is it possible to track location without GPS?
Ways Someone Can Track Your Child’s Location Without GPS
1. Public Wi-Fi network
There are public Wi-Fi networks everywhere. If a kid connects their phone to one of these, they can use the internet freely. Public Wi-Fi networks can easily track a device’s location even when their location services are off. Free Wi-Fi systems can easily collect your device data in exchange for a connection. These providers can use the MAC address of a phone and keep a log of the places visited. If you connect with a hotspot from these providers, then it might be dangerous.
2. Cell Carrier Towers
Every location has many cell phone towers. They help track the location of a phone. The tracker must identify towers to which your mobile phone is connected. By calculating the time delay for the signals, signals get converted to specific distances and ranges. It works well because when the phone is on, it connects with the cell towers. This will return the phone’s accurate location to the tracker device. How to track distance using cell phone towers?
3. StingRays
StingRays or cell-site simulators and function like cell towers. They track a phone instead of providing a network connection. StingRays simulate the cell tower to get the nearby devices to connect. StingRays are useful. Law enforcement tracks devices in an area using them. They broadcast signals stronger than cell towers. This forces mobile phones to get disconnected from legitimate cell towers. Thus, they can connect to these simulators. Their distance gets traced by this method.
4. Malware Or Virus
A pre-installed virus or malware can track a device with your GPS turned off. The easiest way for this malware to access your device is using a Trojan horse. Malware can help to access your system through the backdoor. Malware tracks the location of the device on which it gets installed. It disguises as an update that can improve internet speed and instead track your device.
Ways To Stop Predators To Track Your Child’s Location
1. Parental Control App
Users can use third-party Android apps with location-tracking features. TiSPY is the best Geofencing app that lets the received alert when the device leaves a safe area. Geofence is a powerful feature for child safety. Setting Geofence helps to track the exact location time with the time. It monitors time and place and allows tracking of real-time locations. It also provides location-related information and location history. TiSPY is one of Android users’ most trusted and downloaded parental control apps.
2. Browse Internet content Without GPS
A practical solution to stop your device from being tracked is turning off GPS. You can turn off the device location and save it from being tracked. After turning off location services, you get additional security from trackers and bugs. Turning off the phone’s location services device provides a layer of security. This helps against the common location trackers and any other threats. Can I browse the internet on the phone without GPS?
3. Turn Off Wi-Fi
Smartphones usually prefer to connect to Wi-Fi networks. When a Wi-Fi network is available, the phone automatically gets connected. Mobile data gets switched off. Thus, the phone is working with the Wi-Fi network. This often always happens if the device’s Wi-Fi stays switched on. Disabling the Wi-Fi connection of a phone in public places can eliminate the risk of a device automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi network. This will prevent someone from getting your location data.
4. Check App Permissions
All mobile apps need certain permissions to function properly. It is important to stay away from dubious requests for permission. When the app that doesn’t need location data to function requests location permission, then this app can be dangerous. So, you should uninstall such an app if it requests more permissions than reasonable. You can also find the replacements on the app store if you need to use such a function.
5. Use VPN
A virtual private network or a VPN can enable users to browse the internet anonymously. It works by creating a private network from any type of public internet connection. Using a VPN while browsing results in the encryption of the internet data. Thus, it hides your IP address and physical location. This way, you can be safe if you visit any site that collects the data of the visitor location.
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6. Download Apps And media from a trusted source
It is wise to install apps only from the official stores. There are other ways in which malware could be distributed. You can stay safe if you disable installing such apps from third-party sources. It is also suggested to mind your download sites. If they seem unsafe, you should keep them away.
Summing Up On Tracking Child’s Mobile Location Without GPS
The tips that are shared here can protect phones from getting tracked. You can watch them from the service provider and any dangerous activity. This will ensure that your location doesn’t get into the hand of dangerous people. Parents can keep their kids safe by using tracking apps. The best way to stop a device from being tracked is by using one or more of the above measures.
Wi-Fi triangulation estimates location by analyzing the strength of nearby Wi-Fi networks. It works without GPS and can be accurate in urban areas with many networks.
Cellular tracking uses cell tower signals to approximate location. It is less precise than GPS but works over a wide area and does not require GPS-enabled devices.
Yes, Bluetooth trackers rely on short-range signals to locate items or individuals within close proximity, making them effective for indoor or nearby tracking.
RFID tags can track movement in confined areas like schools or playgrounds. They work without GPS but require RFID readers to capture the signal.