Does GPS Tracker Require Internet to work? (2024)

GPS and GPS-related devices are integral to our daily lives. The prime example is our phone, which we use for navigation. Although we are quite familiar with the term GPS, many of us do not know how it works. There are many misconceptions about GPS and GPS tracking. In this article, we try to explain what GPS and GPS tracker are. In addition, we will discuss whether the internet is required for GPS to work.

What is GPS?

GPS stands for Global Position System, which includes a constellation of satellites. These satellites help geolocalize any object on Earth using GPS receivers. GPS is a free service, so anyone can harness the signals from satellites using a receiver and pinpoint their location on a map. According to the government website, GPS comprises three segments: space, control, and user segments.

The space segment comprises a constellation of 24 satellites that transmit one-way GPS data. The control segment monitors these satellites, and the user segment captures the signals from satellites with the help of GPS receivers and calculates the user’s position.

Does GPS require the internet to work?

Absolutely not. GPS does not require any form of internet connectivity. GPS depends on signals from satellites. Anyone can harness these signals using a GPS receiver. You can test this fact by turning off the internet connection on your phone and using Google Maps.

Can a GPS Tracker device work without the Internet?

Before answering this question, one should understand the use ofGPS tracker devices. GPS trackers are small tracking devices that can be deployed on vehicles for live tracking. This tracker device also comes with a tracking application. In this case, the user can be sitting at home while the vehicle is traveling at a certain speed.

Here, the location data of the vehicle must be transferred to the mobile device of the user. Therefore, a GPS tracker requires the help of an internet connection. To understand this more clearly, consider GPS on a cell phone and GPS on a GPS tracker device. In the case of a cell phone, the user gets the location information right from the same device because the GPS receiver is pre-installed on the mobile device.

Likewise, in the case of a GPS tracker, the user should establish a connection with the GPS tracker on a moving vehicle. Therefore, for that reason, the GPS tracker and the mobile/desktop device of the user must be connected to the internet.

Does GPS Tracker Require Internet to work? (1)

Diagram showing the working of GPS on mobile phone and GPS tracker device

Questions

  1. My phone can access GPS without internet so why can’t the GPS Tracker device would also be able to perform without internet?

    Ans: Whether it is on phone or on a GPS device, accessing the location is completely free, as explained earlier in this article. The GPS tracker requires an internet connection to transfer the location data of the remote vehicle into a user device situated far away from the source.

  2. Does the car or the vehicle should have an active internet connection or hotspot for the GPS tracker to send data to the phone?

    Ans: The GPS tracker provided by PAJ GPS comes with a preinstalled M2M sim card that can switch to the best performing network in any geographical location. Therefore, the tracker device will always have the best internet connectivity. It does not require external support.

  3. Does the application for GPS tracking always run to receive alerts and store data? Ans: The tracking application from PAJ will always store the location data on a cloud server. Therefore, you do not need to keep your mobile/desktop application running all the time

Does GPS Tracker Require Internet to work? (2024)

FAQs

Does GPS Tracker Require Internet to work? ›

Here, the location data of the vehicle must be transferred to the mobile device of the user. Therefore, a GPS tracker requires the help of an internet connection. To understand this more clearly, consider GPS on a cell phone and GPS on a GPS tracker device.

Can I use a GPS tracker without internet? ›

GPS does not require any form of internet connectivity. As already mentioned, GPS dependent on the signals from satellites. Anyone can harness these signals using a GPS receiver. You can test this fact by turning of the internet connection on your phone and try to use google maps.

Does GPS work if you have no data? ›

Yes, GPS works because it is completely independent of any WiFi or Cellular data connection. A GPS is just a radio that receives location data from satellites, so its radio is separate from any WiFi, Cellular, or Bluetooth radio.

Do I need a data plan for GPS tracker? ›

Do you need a phone plan for GPS tracker? The majority of GPS trackers, OBD devices, or even dash cam for cars now require SIM cards to achieve connectivity, meaning that if you own a GPS device you will need a wireless plan to be able to track, monitor, and navigate.

What is required for GPS to work? ›

To calculate location, a GPS device must be able to read the signal from at least four satellites. Each satellite in the network circles the earth twice a day, and each satellite sends a unique signal, orbital parameters and time. At any given moment, a GPS device can read the signals from six or more satellites.

Can I use my GPS offline? ›

If your internet connection is slow or absent, your offline maps will guide you to your destination as long as the entire route is within the offline map. Tip: Transit, bicycling, or walking directions are unavailable offline. In your offline driving directions, you can't get traffic info or alternate routes.

How do I track my location without internet? ›

Finally, you'll need to use a GPS app that works offline. Many GPS apps require an internet connection to function correctly, but several options are available that work without one. Workyard, GPS Essentials, and Sygic are all examples of GPS apps that provide offline location tracking.

Do all GPS trackers have a monthly fee? ›

Unfortunately, no GPS tracker without monthly fee seems to meet all the requirements. Some lack either real-time tracking or unlimited distance tracking, thus they do not fully ensure the safety of your loved ones.

What is needed for GPS tracking? ›

GPS tracking requires a device to be installed in a vehicle, on an asset, or to be worn by a person. The device then provides information about its exact location and subsequent movements, enabling tracking in real-time.

What is the difference between a GPS and a tracker? ›

GPS tracking, which is utilizing satellite information to record one's course of travel is a very different aspect that GPS navigation, which is using satellite information to determine a course of direction.

Does GPS require network? ›

Does GPS Work Without Data? Thankfully, you can actually use a GPS without having any connection to the internet. This applies to both Android and IOS devices, and it can do this for different reasons.

Do you need phone signal for GPS to work? ›

Almost every mobile phone can use offline navigation to get directions to a location regardless of where they are on the planet. In addition, GPS is useable without having an internet connection, and you can navigate preload maps to go through the mapping solutions.

How does a GPS tracker work? ›

GPS trackers connect to a series of satellites to determine location. The tracker uses a process called trilateration which uses the position of three or more satellites from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network and its distance from them to determine latitude, longitude, elevation, and time.

Is there a GPS tracker that doesn't use Wi-Fi? ›

Timeero's GPS tracker works flawlessly without data. The tracker is configured to utilize the phone's GPS functionality without needing mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection. Even when the field employee has no internet connection, the app will continue to track location, mileage, and time with unwavering accuracy.

Do car trackers work when the car is off? ›

This is dependent on the type of tracker you use. Most, if not all trackers operate by using the car's battery/electrical system to power it. So for some models of car trackers, they will not track the location of the vehicle if it is off.

How does GPS watch work without internet? ›

Your device calculates the time taken for radio signals from at least four different satellites to reach it and this is how it locates your position. This system does not require an internet connection or cellular service to function.

Does GPS work if the phone is off? ›

When your phone is turned off, whether due to battery depletion or manually switching it off, location determination services also are disabled. These services rely on power to function. GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular data, and other location-based sensors need your phone to be on to gather and process location data.

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