some Websites think I'm in Canada - Geo-locators show location correct

Caledon Ken said:

So if device connects through Cell phone hotspot it shows right but if you connect through router modem it is wrong location.


I would run Windows 10 Network reset on computer.

Start > Settings > Network and Internet > scroll to bottom of righthand side > Reset.


Don't think you have any special comm software so reconnecting will be straight forward.

I would also run these five commands.

Run the following five bolded commands. Use a Command Prompt(admin) or Powershell(admin)

Do not key in info in brackets, there for your information.

ipconfig /flushdns (Clear the dns cache)
nbtstat -RR (release and refresh NetBIOS names)
netsh int ip reset (reset ip settings)
netsh winsock reset (Reset Winsock Catalog)
netsh interface ip delete arpcache (reset Address Resolution Protocol cache)

I did the Win 10 "Network reset" followed by a reboot several minutes later.

I performed the 5 commands and rebooted but the problem still remains. I'm almost certain it's the ISP or the cable modem load but I want to work on that later in the week. There are no good network people on during the weekend for the most part. and I have some personal issues to take care of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Thank you for your help thus far. I hope we can continue after I try to eliminate my ISP.

Here is the result of the five commends. I have no idea what portion failed in the middle of the one command? Of course I ran them in administrator context (otherwise some would not have worked at all).

I had the cable company out to my place and they saw the issue. They placated me and changed the cable modem. The replacement is a DOCSIS 3.1 (original was an Arris DOCSIS 3.0) and a different brand as well (brand says Spectrum?). The issue remains.

As far as the reply from Callender from a while back where he suggests the following:
"FYI: See if you get the same results using this portable browser:
2Browse - The Technician's Browser
If you get the same results try changing DNS:
Change IPv4 and IPv6 DNS Server Address in Windows | Tutorials

Option Two - use one of those providers listed in Step 7. "To Use Custom or Third-party DNS Server Address"

You'd need to power off computer and router then switch router on and boot into windows to test."

I tried the "2 Browse" diagnostic browser and the problem remains. I changed the DNS servers on my router and there were no DNS servers called out on my network properties.

I powered of the router an my computer and used "2 Browse" when it came back on and the results are the same.

This may take a while but I want to load a fresh machine when I can scrape the hardware together and try the machine before Microsoft has a chance to do all their updates. I will even see if I can find a copy of Win 7 to see if I can eliminate Win 10.

Win 10 OS seems to be the only common denominator which has not been ruled out.

I honestly cannot begin to imagine why this thing is so stubborn. I have even changed virus software in case one let some beast slip into all my computers.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions thus far. I really like the 2 browse browser idea for troubleshooting other issues going forward. Thanks Callender!

Caledon Ken said:

Rather than building a new installation you could use Kyhi's recovery disk. It will boot to windows and you can test browser. It doesn't install anything so no harm to your system.

Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk

I downloaded and booted a Win10 diagnostic standalone as well as a Win10 OS ISO loaded both on USB sticks and even made a copy on a DVD. They should come in handy for future troubleshooting as well.

I booted the diagnostic stick and ran the suggested "2Browse" browser. The graphics were screwed up but it clearly went to Canada using the Subway test.

I even changed to Comodo Firewall along with their DNS servers and it did not help.

While using Comodo firewall I decided to change my Anti-Virus software from Avast to Kaspersky. Talk about depressing, when I went to register Kaspersky, you guessed it, it defaulted to Kaspersky Canada. I decided to keep Kaspersky but I changed back to Windows Firewall and Google DNS for personal reasons.

Since the ISP is telling me they are not aware of any other people reporting this problem, I'm at a roadblock.

I cannot believe I am the only one having this issue but since no one has stepped up with a "me too", I think I'll quit again for another year. Maybe someone will stumble into my nightmare and find a solution.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions, including cool tools like the "2Browse" browser and the PESE diagnostic Win10 boot stick.

FWIW, I used Rufus v3.5 to create the boot sticks and boot DVD.

I called the cable company and showed them first hand. They swapped out my DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem which I've had here for about 4 1/2 years, with a DOCSIS 3.1 modem.

My original cable modem was here before and after the problem started so I really didn't expect it to be the culprit. I REALLY thought changing the DNS servers or my router would have solved it but neither did.

And yes, I connected using my smartphone as a hotspot and it worked as it should, I was able to order from a local store but it took forever, very slow but it worked like it should. As a matter of fact it was your suggestion to try that earlier in this troubleshooting, thank you.

I cannot think of any common denominator other than a corrupt locator type file of some sort at my ISP associated with my account. I'm grasping at straws I guess.

All Geolocators find me correctly and several machines on my local network which use the same gateway, modem, and ISP have the same issue.

When the cable guys were here, they called up to what they call their "headend" people and they said that they have not heard about any other complaints about this issue and they sent me a link to a place that has become familiar to me, "MaxMind" and suggested I log an error correction request. I replied to them that I will (and I did again) and I told them that I had done that before, actually several times.

The sneaky part is that I was on the phone with a troubleshooter a few hours before the cable guy and his supervisor got to my house. His name was Joshua and he said that he helped solve a problem like this about 6 months ago. He could not remember the solution though and then he tried reloading my cable modem. Oops, that means he rebooted my cable modem while I was talking to him through it so we got disconnected and he never called back, even though he had a callback number.

Such is life.

Caledon Ken said:

Hi.

Yes I remember using phone as hotspot to connect PC to Phone. This test is the reverse, sort of.

Shut off cellular on phone forcing it to use wireless in home to connect to internet. Then test phone browser, through your home connection and see if it to thinks Canada.

While this is a long shot ask your ISP to assign you a new IP address on your their network.

I tried my smartphone through the home wireless and the issue is the same. I really feel that all software and hardware in my house has been eliminated. What really convinced me was booting a standalone Win10 OS with a browser from a USB stick. Since the router and the cable modem have already been eliminated, it must be the ISP.

I called them again yesterday and the "script reader" troubleshooter that I got told be it was not possible to change my IP address. I asked her to escalate the problem to someone who knows how a computer works. OK, I said it more politely but I'm at my wits end with them.

For the record, I installed Kaspersky A/V on my wireless laptop yesterday and when I went to register it defaulted to Canada for country and language. It allows me to simply change it but it also indicates there is something more than just geolocators that determine where we log in from.

I now have a separate folder with different IP Locators which all show me near my current location, several are different cities but they are all within 20 miles. I'd love to know what other chunk of code is making this determination!

I noticed a peculiar clue when I try to order from Subway and just go to "Start Order" without logging in. A screen pops up and defaults to Ottawa, ON, Canada. If I clear the Canadian address and click "My Location" (as in "Find My Location"), it finds my correct area but says it isn't sure. Of course, if I select one of the local stores it goes back to the map of Canada and If I continue by entering the closest Subway city, it says the closest store is 843 Km away.

Here's the screen where it says it isn't sure of my location.

Here are all of the IP Locators I have tried that are all correct.


I can only hope that someone has solved this issue and I can tell my ISP what they need to do.

I will let you know if they change my IP Address. I could not find any "release/renew" for the ISP side of my settings and they don't specify the lease duration. If I go on vacation or something I will try to unplug my router and their modem to get a new IP.

If that were to work, I pity the poor soul that gets the IP address I had, unless of course, they are in Ottawa!