[Patch] DISABLE Verizon aGPS Server (Improved GPS)

[BryanEW710]

So you didn't follow the developer's instructions and you're wondering why it doesn't work?

[spdsktr]

Have you tried GPS Fix yet?

[kody.thompson113]

die-hard pre + and garmin handheld user... lol

[knobbysideup]

Originally Posted by knobbysideup

I'm quite often in a place with poor or no sprint coverage, so it times out trying to get data over 1x, when I REALLY need that gps lock! So, I'm going to try the iptables rule, and see what happens as soon as I have time to do so.

Ok. I just implemented a service to do this. It seems to have fixed my problem on sprint. I simply reject all outbound on port 5017. The same can be done on Verizon (port may be different). Iptables REJECT is a better solution, IMO, than using loopback in /etc/hosts.

/etc/event.d/agps.kill:

description "AGPS Killer"   

start on stopped finish
stop on runlevel [!2]

console none


script
# Short circuit any queries to the agps servers so we force
# the real gps to be used without timing out
     /usr/sbin/iptables -D OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 5017 -j REJECT || /bin/true
     /usr/sbin/iptables -D OUTPUT -p udp --dport 5017 -j REJECT || /bin/true
     /usr/sbin/iptables -I OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 5017 -j REJECT
     /usr/sbin/iptables -I OUTPUT -p udp --dport 5017 -j REJECT
end script
# end of file

**EDIT**
I tested this on my commute to work today. It has resolved my problems. Sprint's agps servers are apparently unreliable, and removing them from the equation makes things work much better for me. Google Maps now loads in 10 seconds or less, and locks in a few seconds, if I'm outside. Sprint navigator is also snappy now as well.

[Rockbeast]

I'm pretty ticked that I can't get a GPS lock ever anymore. I take that back, when I use GPS wrestler, I might get a single lock with a static lat/long, but after a few seconds, it will find a tower and lock onto that.

So no more using google maps to navigate, no more using BFG to navigate. I don' know what to do now except buy the Garmin.

BryanEW17, I followed the instructions at the beginning and it worked. When it stopped working, I tried many other things as well, some of them talked about by others in this thread. But when the instructions don't work anymore, what do you do? You try other things. If you see something that it appears I failed to follow, I'd appreciate some help in pointing me to my problem here. Specifically, what is it you think I failed to follow?

spdsktr, I used to have GPS fix, but deleted it long ago. I'll give it a whirl...or a whorle...or whatever it's called!

UPDATE: I did an emergency patch removal (EPR) after saving my installed patch feed...then was able to remove the potentially offending patch (the stuck one that enables Verizon aGPS by ebag333), then install my old patches...and everything seems to be ok. I started up Google maps and it was 'spot-on' my location...then I started walking and it didn't move at first. Then it moved to my location but showed a 100 yard radius of accuracy. Then, a couple minutes later, it went to the closest tower lock. Hmmmm. What to do now?

[BryanEW710]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast

UPDATE: I did an emergency patch removal (EPR) after saving my installed patch feed...then was able to remove the potentially offending patch (the stuck one that enables Verizon aGPS by ebag333), then install my old patches...and everything seems to be ok. I started up Google maps and it was 'spot-on' my location...then I started walking and it didn't move at first. Then it moved to my location but showed a 100 yard radius of accuracy. Then, a couple minutes later, it went to the closest tower lock. Hmmmm. What to do now?

If that hadn't worked, I'd have suggested a trip to the [WebOS] Doctor.

[Rockbeast]

You know, I haven't visited the doctor yet...kind of trepidatious about that (that sounds like a condition i NEED a doctor for!).

As I mentioned, I'm getting this thing like an initial lock that is pretty much right on target when I activate Google Maps, but it isn't a dynamic lock that moves with me...and after a minute or two, the lock goes to a nearby tower (there are two that are close to equidistant from my house). I just opened google maps here at my office, and I'm inside at the moment, and it took about 9 seconds and opened up locked right in on my actual location, with about a 30 or 50 foot radius of accuracy. It's been about 3 minutes and it is still locked on.

I think I will take a walk! Give me a minute here because we got about3-4 inches of snow and that has shut down most of our city (Knoxville, TN, it doesn't take much to close us down!).

OK, this is something new for me. I walked down my street at work for about 300 yards...if it wasn't snow covered streets, I'd walk farther, but it's slippery! It is maintaining a 'nearby' lock that isn't exactly moving. What I mean is, it locks on to a location that is pretty darn close to where I am. As I keep walking, it stays put, then suddenly locks on to a new location that is typically pretty close to where I am at that moment. Sometimes it's about 500 yards away, sometimes within 50 feet. But it doesn't slide along with me...it sits there then jumps to the new location. Also, it maintains an error radius of between 50 and 100 feet all the time. In the past, I only got exact moving locks with virtually no error radius, or I got tower locks with large (500 yard to 1 mile) radii. What's the deal, I don't get it. Is the GPS radio sputtering, only getting a lock once every several seconds, so it's putting up an error radius that should cover the distance I might travel in a few seconds?

[BryanEW710]

I will say that Doctoring your phone isn't nearly as bad an experience as I thought it would be. In fact, it was kind of nice to get a fresh start!

[NickVTPre]

As with many other Pre/Pre+ users i have GPS issues.

Brief history:
-I had installed ebag's aGPS enable patch, and this seems to work well for me if i am in an area with good cell reception. Nearly instant lock.
-my house is in an area with poor cell reception. Ebag's patch doesn't work well for me at home.
-I've tried GPS Fix (app) in combination with Ebag's patch at home and inside, no dice. The aGPS gets a tower location, but can't be improved from the 3 mile accuracy.
-I also tried the GPS Fix app with the GPS Fix patch. Still no dice inside the house (same 3 mile accuracy).
-I've also tried GPS Wrestler at home and inside, no luck.

Likely the above results could be improved by stepping outside...


I would like to know if this patch really does create a "standalone" gps, and how well it works.

Given the varied results that people have had in this thread, and others, it seems to make sense to propose a set of test conditions and have multiple people report back results.

Here is what i would suggest, please comment or improve:
- Remove all gps related patches. Full reboot.
- Anyone who is using a QPST'd GPS radio will likely skew results, so be sure to note what your modified radio settings are in your results.
- Install GPS Fix app (for GPS radio status purposes, and to keep GPS alive if it gets a satellite lock)
- Install the VZW aGPS blocker patch. full reboot.

**
- Turn off data connection, and phone radios. Turn on GPS.
- Step outside and go for a walk somewhere with open sky.
- Use GPS Fix app to "get fix" and understand accuracy
- "record" or generally note time it takes to get an accurate lock.
**

- swipe away GPS fix, turn off GPS radio, then repeat the ** portion of the above steps with except with phone radio on, then with phone radio and 3g radio on.

Thoughts?
Any takers?

[NickVTPre]

Thought i'd update this with my results so far.

Using the configuration i proposed in my last post (GPS Fix app installed, Disable aGPS patch installed) i have had mixed successes.

- Earlier today at work i was able to obtain a highly accurate gps lock outside. All radios were disabled except GPS. I was also able to keep the lock when the phone and wifi were turned on. (Where i work is fairly flat and open.)

- Using the same approach (only GPS radio on) i was able to obtain a satellite lock while driving home. This stuck up to the door of my house, then was lost.

- Tonight i have not been able to obtain a lock using this same approach. Going for a walk outside and using GPS Fix to "get fix" it fails. I live in a very mountainous area. (I'm guessing this is related to which GPS modes are enabled, and that Ebag333's QPST instructions would help/fix this).


One direct observation about this patch is that using the VZNavigator trick with GPS Fix still seems to work (i get a very low accuracy position). This doesn't entirely make sense to me, as i thought the Disable aGPS patch should cripple this...?

[TimBoch]

This patch seems to be working pretty well on my newly replaced Verizon Pre+. I am using it in conjuntion with GPS Fix. On my previous Pre+, I was using the older aGPS patch and GPS Fix, which worked pretty well, but wasn't getting very quick GPS with my new one, so I deleted the older aGPS patch and installed this aGPS Disable patch.
Fingers crossed and thanks for the patch.

[NickVTPre]

After my last post it seemed obvious that the hardware was the issue, and that QPST could open this up. So following the well detailed instructions i enabled the full features of the GPS. Prior to doing so i removed the Disable Verizon aGPS patch to avoid conflicts.

Repeating my walk outside with only the GPS radio on i had no success getting a lock.

I enabled phone radio, and data radio, and using the GPS Fix app i launched VZNavigator to get the same very low accuracy lock as before. The difference now is that using QPST enabled the hardware to get the satellite information from the aGPS, and so almost immediately my accuracy began to climb. Once that happened i turned off my phone and 3g radios and the accuracy continued to improve. I think with more patience, or in a more open area i wouldn't have even needed the VZNavigator trick to get a lock.

In any case, my take on this patch is that it may block the aGPS servers, but without the hardware being used to its full potential its kind of like polishing a turd (absolutely no disrespect meant to troymiller, and none taken i hope).