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Wi-Fi Positioning System

What Does Wi-Fi Positioning System Mean?

A Wi-Fi positioning system is a system that works to locate users of wireless networks through their wireless access points. These systems may complement or substitute for GPS systems, or use GPS data to track users.

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Techopedia Explains Wi-Fi Positioning System

One benefit to Wi-Fi positioning systems is that they can work where a GPS system cannot, such as in some indoor spaces. As a general technology, WPS is now a common part of many mobile device services. Many attribute the origin of this kind of system to a company called Skyhook Wireless, which began to pioneer software using Wi-Fi signals to locate devices around the turn of the millennium.

A Wi-Fi positioning system can be used to identify Wi-Fi hotspots, or to locate signals from a particular user device. Some of the issues around this technology include privacy concerns, where users want to be able to opt out of Wi-Fi positioning system features so that they cannot be easily located by administrators.

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