How does the ESET Anti-Theft finds the location of my PC?

[Eset_fan21 0]

Hello there,

Thanks to the ESET; the best computer security company I've ever seen and everybody knows that it's the best!

I've just tried the ESET Anti-Theft test and it showed me my approximate location with a considerable accuracy, but after I did this test; I felt a bit scared about my privacy and wondered how does the ESET gathered this information when my computer doesn't have any GPS tracking system as far as I know! Is it a complex and secret algorithm or it's just a simple trick that every website owner can do to find my location? 

 

[rugk 397]

Well it's not a secret, it may be a bit complex, but it's easy to answer: Wi-Fi positioning system

 

BTW I asked a similar question too: Small question: Does ESET Smart Security use GPS for Anti-Theft?

As you can read there ESET Anti-Theft only uses WLAN to locate the device. GPS isn't actually used. (but I would appreciate it of course)

 

[...] or it's just a simple trick that every website owner can do to find my location? 

No a website can't do this - unless you allow it, but every browser should notify you and ask "Do you want to allow site XY to use your location?" (or similar). You can test it e.g. on Google Maps.

But a software which is installed on the system may be able to do this. At least until Wi-Fi is turned on, but I assume also applications can turn this on in Windows, so this might not be a problem.

Edited March 13, 2015 by rugk