✏ µG Unified Nlp (with Installation Guide)

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#56

Some functionality of µg Unified Nlp is also provided by GMS core, which is also part of the µg project. I have not tested it, however.

I have written a post about GMS core here:

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#57

I finally managed to compile and flash the FP Open Source OS to the FP2. I used f-droid to install the µg UnifiedNlp (no GAPPS). No I’m wondering which backend(s) I shall install. f-droid offers different nlp backends. I would like to choose the one with the best (up to date) coverage (in Germany), preferable working offline. If I understand it correctly, I can install more than one as well…?
Anybody good/bad experiences with a specific backend? Which one would you recommend? :slight_smile:

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#58

So I assume you have also added the needed patches as well?

You want offline, so I would recommend using GSM (cell-tower) information (like GSMLocationNlpBackend and others). Not sure how good they are for your area, let us know :slightly_smiling:

If you live in a big city, adding WiFi APs might work as well.

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#59

Yes.

Not sure if I made myself clear enough. I intend a use-case where I only need sporadic internet access (via WiFi) to initialize/update a local database and then can use the service without internet connection. It would be good to have data for GPS/WiFi/GSM to have all fallbacks available, depending on which information is present at a current location.

Well, about 35,000 inhabitants, so rather not too big. :smiley: But I’m using Mozilla Stumbler to collect data. :slight_smile:

#60

Hard to tell, depends on your use case I guess. I just use my GPS, if the data helps me to get a quicker fix … good. So if you do some mapping and need good fast GPS data for that, create a WiFi AP map for the area first so you get a quicker GPS fix later. Not sure if really needed, though. Also there is lot of better hardware out there to get very good GPS fast … you just need to download some data before you enter the area you want to survey.

Most of the time I want the opposite: My phone should not tell everyone where I’m am. So it’s best if it thinks I’m elsewhere :slight_smile:

#61

I believe that is similar for me, in addition it would be good to have a fallback for GPS if no satellite can be reached (thick clouds, forest, inside buildings, …).
Edit: I probably need the location only for navigation (atm I do have the problem that I sometimes have reached my destination before a satellite was found…) and location information in photos. Haven’t gotten into mapping yet.

I hope I can trust Mozilla (and that the date transmitted is rather anonymous). Otherwise I totally agree to you and thus use the google free phone. :slight_smile:

#62

Could anyone please explain the advantage of a “nlp provider”. I read a lot about nlp but did not yet understand, why I need one. I I need a location I use GPS and that’s more accurate - never needed more. Could it be that most people think that nlp is a must?

Spielmops

#63

Sometimes it helps to read on how GPS works and what data is needed to get a “fix”. It helps to understand why one waits :slightly_smiling: And how the antenna in your device is orientated :slightly_smiling:

I use the SatStat app to see what’s going on. Hope that helps.

#64

It’s not needed at all. In rare cases (big city with high buildings) it can speed up things a bit. But there are some people that still want to use google services without trusting them … I guess these people like to have a look at Nlp.

Also I fear, in the future, we will get “indoor” GPS through Bluetooth. That also will be a proprietary service. Looking for your gate at the airport? Just install our app. For “services” like this, Nlp could also be useful.

#65

I’m using the official Android Kitkat by @chrmhoffmann , which is reported to have a faster GPS TTFF.

Sometimes, however I need to kill the navigation app (in my case OsmAnd) and start it again. Then usually satellites are found in an instant and a fix comes only about 15 secs later.

For visualization purposes of GPS satellites availability I use SatStat.

#66

I installed µg UnifiedNIp (no GAPPS) from F-Droid, added & configured the backends I could find in F-Droid: LocalGsm LocalWifi and Nominatim, enabled ‘high accuracy’ in location services mode, rebooted a few times, and in Location settings I see µg UnifiedNIp in recent requests, but I don’t think it is working as if I install any app that uses location data it doesn’t know where I am. In its settings µg UnifiedNIp sometimes complains “no last known location”. And in LocalWifiNIpBackend’s configuration I have ‘No APs’ although Wifi is on. I’m using Fairphone Open OS, of course :wink: What am I most likely doing wrong?

#67

They both need a database (local = offline). Did you download or import a database?

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#68

Excellent point! After reading your reply I ‘created’ a database for LocalGsm backend from Mozilla Location Services, which took a while and seemed to be successful. HOWEVER, still nothing that uses GPS works… it seems like GPS is ‘off’. I’m sure I’m missing something really basic >_<

#69

Do you not get any position at all with “high accuracy” or is it just unreliable?

If you get an inaccurate location - somwhere near to your actual location - then microg works. If you don’t get any location at all, switch to “device only”, download SatStat from F-Droid, go somewhere with a 360° clear view of the sky, open SatStat and see if it finds any Satelites. It may take a long time the first time, but if you don’t find any Satelites then there is probably a hardware issue.

#70

In apps that uses location data I either get no position, a complaint that GPS isn’t installed, or what seems to be a random/default location - Paris or Frankfurt (I’m in London).

But… SatStat finds satellites immediately… and it finds me correctly! Hurray!

#71

And if you change to “device only” the apps don’t locate you either?

#72

Sorry for the slow response - I was having charging problems but now my FP is alive again.
SatStat works in device only mode (obviously)
Mixed results with other apps but seem to be working well now:
Using WhereAmI, I get no location at all in device only mode, but it finds me instantly in high accuracy mode, which seems odd as it uses GPS, and doesn’t work in low battery mode.
R Maps works in device only mode, but is more accurate in high accuracy mode so clearly works properly. Did I just need to wait longer?

#73

Usually it shouldn’t take long to get a GPS fix, except if you use it the fist time in a long time or you changed country. In the #gpsguide there are some tips to get a fix faster (just ignore everything about A-GPS and EPO. That’s just for FP1).

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#74

WhereAmI is an app which needs Wifi for it’s work, not for location, so to work properly it makes you enable Wifi this way.

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#75

The Apple Backend is also the only one that works for me.
Its still better than using google location services IMO because:

  1. The locations are cached, so if you locate yourself repeatedly it doesnt have to send data to apple again.
  2. There isnt much information on you combined with the location. There is no google or apple accounts attached to it. Also its opensource, doesnt have much permissions and because its a single app, its easy to restrict its permissions with xprivacy or so. So apple mabye sometimes knows where i am. but other than my ip adress they shouldnt know who i am.