Geolocation

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What Does Geolocation Mean?

Geolocation is the process of finding, determining and providing the exact location of a computer, networking device or equipment. It enables device location based on geographical coordinates and measurements.

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Geolocation commonly uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and other related technologies to assess and specify geographical locations.

Techopedia Explains Geolocation

Geolocation provides the location of a device but is generally used in a variety of applications to help locate human users. Geolocation works through a pre-built GPS in a device that propagates the device’s longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates. The coordinates are identified on a map to provide a complete address that usually includes a country, city, town/colony, building name and street address.

Besides GPS, geolocation also may be identified through an Internet Protocol (IP) address, media access control (MAC) address, radio frequency (RF) systems, Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) data and other wireless positioning systems.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology expert

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.