The cellular device module, like any other mobile device, can be found as a result of a strong and constant signal source. Provided that a person's location has changed, his mobile device will be connected to the nearest mobile tower, which can allow continuous connections with another subscriber without any interruption. Using a locator, you can find a location on the map with accuracy up to several meters. To do this, you need to show your subscriber phone number and activate the search mode. Let's learn how to find a phone by geolocation, namely how to determine location coordinates using a phone.
Geolocation capabilities
This is determining the location of a person based on the signal from his mobile phone. The search is carried out using a satellite network, LBS (Location Based Service), as well as using signals from operator base stations.
On a note!
The satellite network allows you to determine the location of a person by determining the time it takes for the signal from the phone to reach the satellite. With the help of telephone stations, information is compiled based on the signal strength at nearby antennas.
Some technology limitations for operator stations that can play a decisive role in a difficult life situation:
- It will not be possible to accurately determine the location of the person. Geolocation can be off by 50 meters or more in large cities. In rural areas everything is much worse. If there is one tower per ten kilometers, then the search range will be exactly that. Therefore, finding a grandmother lost in the forest is a difficult task.
- A switched off phone cannot be tracked. If a child's battery runs out or he intentionally turns off the power, it will be quite difficult to find him.
- You can track a person's location only with personal consent. Everything else is punishable by law.
- A search request can be sent no more often than every 5 minutes.
Software
On the Internet you can find a bunch of flashy banners advertising programs for finding a phone by imei. You shouldn't believe loud promises. You download the program, install it on your computer, it will ask you to add a database with existing codes to it. And you can download it from the Internet, but only in such databases are viruses most often hidden. You can complete the check by entering your imei into the required window. Only in 99% of cases will the program not find it, citing either incorrect code or outdated data, and the insidious virus will already penetrate your machine.
It’s good if the program is free, but most often such utilities are either paid, or ask for money for the service, giving a message like “we found your device, to see the report, deposit a certain amount of money.” Keep in mind that according to the law, only special services have the right to search for a mobile device by imei.
Still, there are programs designed to search for missing gadgets. Most of them use a geolocation method, that is, tracking via satellites. Therefore, the device must be turned on itself, it must have a SIM card (not necessarily yours), it must have mobile data transmission connected (or active Wi-Fi, if the attacker decided to use his Internet at that moment) and GPS transmission. data. Such a combination of circumstances in the event of theft or loss is unlikely, but why not try.
The free Android Device Manager utility, which can be downloaded from Google Play, will help you find your Android phone. By the way, the latest improvement to the program by Google developers gave it a new name - Find My Device - it’s the same thing.
And so we came to the very conditions that I mentioned above:
- The program must be installed on the gadget in advance.
- You must have a valid Google account to which you must link your device and mobile number.
- On the gadget itself, you must enable the “Find device” function (Settings - Location or Google - Security) and the “Location” function itself must be activated.
- Also in the same place in Settings - Google - Security you need to connect an administrator who is given rights to remote control (block and erase everything).
- The phone must be visible to the Google Play service; to check this, you need to go to play.google.com/settings and in the “My Devices” section, in the “Accessibility” column, check the box next to the desired model.
If all the settings are made and the conditions are met, then to search for the gadget yourself via the Internet, simply enter the phrase “where is my phone” in the Google search engine on any machine (computer or other smartphone), just first log in to the account to which it is linked .
As a result, a special window with a map will open, where, using geolocation, Google will begin to search for the connected model.
From here you can “Ring” a lost phone to quickly find it, for example, in an apartment or on the street if the gadget was dropped on the road.
Or block the stolen phone, since you are sure that it was theft. You will need to enter a new (preferably incredibly complex) password twice and be sure to remember it, since it will not be possible to change it.
If the gadget contains a lot of important information that ill-wishers can use for personal gain, then you can delete it all through your computer. To do this, use the “Clean device” function.
How to find out a person's location by phone
Currently, even providers provide services to determine the place in which a person is at a particular moment. But this service is paid, and you will still have to obtain the consent of the device owner. There are at least 5 different ways to find out the location of a friend or relative.
Operator services
Every major mobile phone company has a similar service. Subscriber information will not be disclosed just like that. It will be necessary to obtain his consent.
MTS
The service is provided using the “Locator” application. To connect it, you can use one of the methods:
- execute request *111*7883#;
- send an SMS to number 6677, specify in the text the phone number that will be monitored;
- through the technical support center for subscribers by calling 0890.
A trial version of the program along with the service is provided free of charge. For further use you will have to pay, the amount is very small.
Megaphone
Offers the “Radar” service, which can be activated using the USSD command *140#. To determine the location of a person by his mobile phone number, you will need to dial the command *140*7ххххххххххх#, where 7ххххххххххх is the phone number.
The cost is low and is about 3 rubles per day. But you will have to obtain permission to track from the owner of the number. You can also enter phone numbers of subscribers of other mobile networks into the search.
Beeline
To connect to the “Locator” service, you need to send an SMS to the number 5166. You can also download an application to your smartphone that makes searching easier. The cost of “Locator” is slightly higher than in other networks and is about 7 rubles per day. And you can track no more than 5 numbers.
Monitoring information on the Internet
If you want to follow an unfamiliar person, about whom you may know nothing except his phone number, then you can use the Internet. You just need to enter the number in the following places:
- Google and similar search engines;
- social media;
- forums.
Search engines allow you to capture many sites where the user left his phone number. After analyzing the information received, you can form an impression about the person, as well as his habits.
On a note!
Job search sites can also be helpful. The user's resume reflects complete information about his places of work and, accordingly, travel routes.
Most people have pages on social networks. It is there that you can find out your full name (if it is indicated), friends, as well as your last places visited. People often leave geolocation data on their photos and posts. If such information is not found on the page, then it is advisable to visit people on the friends list.
Direction finder program
There are several programs in mobile application stores that allow you to track a person's location using the GPRS system. In addition, programs are able to provide third parties with information about the user’s movements.
Most of these applications are free and only require an Internet connection and GPRS system. But you should not abuse this method without the permission of the phone owner.
Contacting the police
Knowing the number, you can contact law enforcement agencies, who have the necessary resources to search. This method is only good for searching for criminals or missing people. Mere curiosity will not be satisfied by the police.
Authorities send a request to the mobile network operator and receive all the necessary information, including a printout of recent phone calls. But with a high probability they will not provide any information to the interested person.
We use Viber
In the settings of the messenger dialogue with a specific person, you need to move the slider next to “Send geolocation data” to the “On” position. Now a label with the subscriber's location will be attached to each message. That is, the recipient to whom the owner of the smartphone has allowed the tag to be sent from him/herself will see its location.
On a note!
You can also enable this feature secretly. To do this, you only need a few minutes and the phone number of the person whose surveillance needs to be organized. But do not forget that such actions are illegal.
Locator from MTS and Beeline
MTS - by turning on the locator you can determine the exact location of your friend. If you compare it with a similar service - “child under supervision”, then there is a chance of being refused. The subscriber may be against giving out his coordinates.
When you first launch, you are given a trial period of 14 days, free of charge. At the end of the period, the amount will be debited, so you first need to top up your account. Every 30 days, funds will be debited from your account until you want to disable the “Locator” in the system settings.
What is the price to include the locator?
The package includes 100 requests, total price 100 rubles. If this is not enough and more is needed, then each subsequent request will cost 10 rubles. If attempts to find out the user's location are unsuccessful, the traffic is not counted.
Beeline is an analogue of the previous web service. The locator searches for relatives and friends (the function will be launched only when their number gives consent to surveillance - confirmation is done once).
When used, there is a detection error of 250 meters to 1 km.
Possibilities:
- New clients have a trial period of 7 days.
- Connection cost 0 rub.
- Subscription fee daily 7 rubles.
Conditions under which the locator will work:
- The subscriber's phone is turned on or in standby mode; if the device is turned off, the locator will not work.
- Finding company subscribers: MTS, beeline, Tele2 and Megafon.
- It is allowed to determine locations of up to 5 subscribers.
- It is permissible to search no more than once every five minutes.
How to avoid becoming a victim of scammers
On the Internet, upon request, you can find many offers that promise to determine a person’s location for little money or for free. You shouldn't trust them.
In order to find out where the subscriber is located, it is necessary to activate a special service of the mobile network operator, install a special program, or arouse the interest of the internal affairs authorities in him. In any other case, it will not be possible to obtain accurate information. And those people who offer to do this for money are simple scammers.
Tips for identifying scammers:
- There is no need to spend money on purchasing a mobile network operator database. They strictly monitor information leakage.
- There is no need to enter your data on third-party sites that offer to find a person by phone number. This fraudulent scheme will take your money.
- It is important to use a secure connection that can protect you from viruses.
- You should not download unverified files from the network, they may contain viruses. Especially on sites offering human search services.
- We must not forget that determining the place where a person is located without his consent is an illegal activity that is punishable by a serious fine. True, for this a person will have to contact law enforcement agencies.
Just five simple rules can preserve the integrity of funds in your wallet and bank card, as well as protect your computer and smartphone from virus files.
Finding a person by his mobile phone number is easy, but to do this you will need to resort to one of the legal methods listed above. Such information is relevant for parents or friends who want to always stay in touch. Geolocation can also be useful when searching for missing people or criminals. But it is better not to satisfy idle interest in this way, since you may be liable in the form of a fine.
Applications
There are many other applications with similar functionality. Through xFi Locator you can search for both Android and iOS phones. If simple tracking is not enough, and you are interested in more advanced features, then you can take a closer look at options such as “Find Friends” and “Family GPS Tracker”. They can send notifications when the right person is in a certain place, and much more.
How to remotely protect an Android device from an iPhone
This feature allows you to remotely lock your Android device so that no one can use it. Once activated, the device will be closed and the lock screen will display a recovery message (if available) and the owner of the call. The device remains locked until a call is made, even if it has been restarted several times.
- Click "Secure Device" on the device's home page.
- Enter your recovery message, a phone number where you can be reached, and click Secure Device.
- Your Android device will be locked and the following screen will appear.
Additionally, all app notifications are hidden during this time. This way, no one can access messages, emails or notifications received during this time. Notably, the screen cannot be locked if the device is turned off. However, the screen will be locked as soon as the device connects to the network via a cellular or Wi-Fi network. It will be blocked until the call is made.
Share your location on Google maps
Another way to tell family and friends your location is Google Maps. If you open a map service and enter its menu, you will see a “Share location” link in the list.
By clicking on it, you will be able to share the location of your mobile phone for a limited time. You will be able to configure this period of time or disable the option.
Here you can also specify all the people with whom you want to share your location. After that, you will see your friends' smartphones on the map, indicated by icons from their Google profiles.
This is a good way for the whole family to know each other's location.
Remotely call Android phone from iPhone
A convenient feature, especially if you are used to forgetting your device everywhere and everywhere. Find My Device allows you to make remote calls to your Android device.
- After logging into google.com/android/find, tap Play Sound on your device's home page.
- The screen will go into calling mode and your Android device will ring.
Restrictions:
- No Sim: This feature becomes useless when a Sim is removed, replaced, or does not have a network connection. So this is a great option if you've lost your phone, but not particularly if it's stolen.
Chronology
Google allows you to track the chronology of a person's movements in the browser. In your browser, click on the “Chronology” link. Enter the account information and password of the person whose movements you want to know. Upon request, you can obtain movement data for a specific year, month, day. The result is displayed with flags on the map and a table with the time spent in certain places.
The service allows you to record movements around the world, the data is not deleted. Tracking occurs using GPS and Wi-Fi.
What do you like best?
Finding the location of a mobile device is now much easier than ever before. Using any of the methods described in this article, you can find your smartphone, as well as the devices of friends and family.
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Sergey Benzenkoauthor-translator
Mom knows
Application for tracking the location of children. Can work on all operating systems: Android, Windows Phone, iOS. The program is installed on the parent's phone, and a GPS beacon is installed on the child's phone. Then registration in the system takes place, the phone number of the child being tracked is indicated. Observation occurs when the GPS module is working and the Internet is turned on. In addition to data about the location of the device, information about the amount of battery charge is also transmitted.
Location monitoring can be useful in various cases: monitoring the movement of a child, detecting a stolen phone, sending data to a friend while traveling, in order not to get lost in an unfamiliar city. Phone tracking apps can help a person get rid of the fear of losing their phone. This type of fear is widespread in modern society, when the telephone is a means of communication, entertainment, education, and a repository of important data for its owner.
Controlling the location will also avoid many problems when searching for the entire child. Prematurely installing tracking on children's phones can eliminate the need to seek help in the search.
How to track the location of your children or spouse using your phone (1 video)
All illustrations of this article (7 photos)
Finding a smartphone's location via Facebook
If you log into the Facebook app on your mobile device, you will see a “Friends Nearby” link. Click on it and you will find out which of your friends on the social network has enabled the “share your location with friends” option.
How to find out the IP address and why it is needed
This section of the Facebook app will tell you the last time your friend logged into Facebook and from what location. This is one of the easiest ways to find out the location of your friends.
You can also find your friends through Facebook messenger by clicking on the “+” button located on the left side of the application and selecting the location icon.
This will show the recipient of the message a small map with your smartphone's location on it.
Data sharing function in Google Maps
Open access to geolocation in the application. The application allows you to transfer data to users who do not have a Google account. You can choose the time of data transfer and your location, transfer data to a certain circle of people, turn off tracking at any time, and delete the location of other people from maps.
Users who have access to the tracked person's movements will see his name, chronology and geography of movements. A map of places visited, the pace of movement: walking, traveling, addresses and photographs of objects are displayed.
