What is GPS?
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a group of 27 Earth-orbiting satellites (24 in operation and three extras in case one fails) that allows a user with a receiver to determine precise coordinates for their location on the earth's surface. These are a primary source of spatial data.
How does GPS work?
GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth. When your GPS acquires directions what it is doing is referencing it location between at least 3 of these GPS satellites. A process called Trilateration is used to take the distance between the satellites and calculate the longitude and latitude location of your GPS unit. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and display it on the unit's electronic map.
How does a GPS vehicle tracking system work?
A vehicle tracking system using GPS takes the location, speed, direction and time data provided via satellite from the Global Positioning System to the GPS receiver unit in a vehicle and transmits it to our secure, password-protected online Member Panel. On the panel, you can track and monitor the status of your device, and create your own personal E-mail and cellular phone text message alerts if the vehicle leaves a user defined area and/or travels above a user defined speed. All of this happens in real-time.
What are Geofences?
A geofence, or geographical fence, is a virtual boundary that you can create around your remote assets. If a device enters or leaves that area (depending on how it was set up by user), you can set up notifications that the event took place. For example, if your child has an iFind 2000 device in their car and they are not allowed to enter a certain area, the iFind 2000 will notify you (the parent) to let you know they are entering the area.
What is a GPS Timeout?
A GPS timeout is when a device’s GPS signal fails to connect with enough satellites to get a location fix. At the very least, every GPS signal needs to connect with four satellites in order to get a location – anything less and the device will transmit a timeout message through the wireless data (GSM) network. The main reason the device times out is due to the placement of the device. It is recommended that you experiment before placing the device on a vehicle, asset, etc. A GPS timeout is most likely to occur when the device is underground, under a bridge, or in a dense area, heavily surrounded by metal.
How do determine which FindWhere product is right for me?
Our knowledgeable support consultants look forward to assisting you in selecting the right device and service plan for you. Please visit the support pages on www.findwhere.com for custom advice per ticket / Live Chat or call our support department at 703.444.6100.
How do I activate my iFind device?
In order to begin tracking, you’ll need to create an online account with FindWhere
- From your web browser go to www.findwhere.com
- Click on the “Activate your GPS tracking device” link
- Choose your country
- Enter your iFind device MSISDN number in the field provided
- Choose a payment plan
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new FindWhere account
Where can I find my MSISDN number?
When you receive your device, the MSISDN number can be found on the label affixed to the outside of the clear packaging, or on your packaging slip. If you are having any difficulties locating this number please contact FindWhere Support to assist you.
How does my iFind GPS device work?
All tracking devices* operate based on sensing motion through a motion detector. Every device is equipped with an internal motion detector that switches the device from standby to active mode when it senses the slightest movement. When the device is active, it will automatically retrieve location fixes and send location reports based on pre-defined report settings.
For instance, all of our devices are pre-set with a default reporting interval of 15 minutes. So that means once the device is active (moves), a location report is sent every 15 minutes until device detects a period of standstill, which it then sends a final location report and goes back to standby mode. These reporting intervals as well as many other settings can be customized within your FindWhere account to fit your needs or preferences.
*iFind900E series excluded.
Where do I best install my iFind GPS device?
It is important to find the best position for your device so your device will be able to receive a GPS signal. It is recommended to try a variety of installation positions and check your locations on the FindWhere Member Panel to see which install works the best.
A place of installation with less of a view to the sky will result in a poor satellite signal and your device will not be able to compute a location. The failed location report leads to an “Unknown Position” or a "GPS timeout" message reported in the Member Panel. These messages will appear under your text messages tray and is the reason for perceived failure to compute a location report.
How long will the battery last?
There is no exact answer to the battery life as it depends on type of usage. For the average user, the battery life is 4-12 weeks depending on the device and amount of use.
How do I change my iFind GPS device settings?
To change settings, simply click the device settings tab on the online Member Panel after you login to your account. Then choose which settings to change based on your preferences and click save.
At this time, a change settings request will be sent to the device and after the device processes the request, it will send a confirmation back to notify that the settings have been changed. The next time a location report is received, this confirmation will show up on the messages tab. Keep in mind that each time a setting change is requested, the device can only process the change the next time it is in active mode (moves).
My device hasn't reported for awhile. Why?
There are a few possible explanations why the device may have trouble reporting:
- The device is out of the cellular network coverage area and is not able to report its positions into the server. The device will start reporting again once it enters a service area.
- A GPS timeout has occurred when your device’s GPS signals fails to connect with enough satellites to get a location calculated. The main reason a device times out is mostly the direct environment the device is installed in.
- The messages sent from the device are hung up on the cellular network. Given some time these messages should come through. This is usually due to high network traffic and is out of our control.
- The device may not be getting correct power. If the LED light on the side of the unit is not blinking red, please check that the batteries are installed properly and that the battery tray is securely in the device. The batteries may also need to be replaced.
How do FindWhere service plans work?
After activating your device, you will have a service plan in place which will credit your account on a monthly basis. Under this active subscription, your iFind device can operate from the number of locates in your account until the next month’s credit refills your account balance again.
If desired, you can change your service plan at any time to suit your specific needs for each month. Also it will be possible to upgrade or downgrade your monthly plan. These changes will take effect when the next billing cycle begins. Upon every charge to your credit card an email confirmation will be sent to inform you on every transaction. If you are only able to commit to our service for a brief period of time, FindWhere also offers 3-Month & 6-Month Short-Term Service Plans.
Please review all cancellation policies when subscribing as the terms & conditions differ for each type of plan.
What’s considered a: locate?
A locate is an incoming report from your device, the device can report location, status or confirmation messages as a result of a requested change by the account owner (report settings). These device reports will be debited from the specific device balance. The charges to an account are based on actual use of transactions which are debited from the account as seen in the table below:
(Any unused credits will not be rolled over to the next month)
| Type Of Transactions |
Domestic |
International |
| Location (GPRS) |
1 Credit |
10 Credits |
| Location (SMS) |
40 Credits |
120 Credits |
| Request Change Of Settings |
1 Credit |
10 Credits |
| Confirmation Of Change Settings |
1 Credit |
10 Credits |
| Email Notifications |
4 Credits |
4 Credits |
| SMS Notifications |
40 Credits |
120 Credits |
When using more credits than available within a service plan, you will be notified by the registered email address in the account. First, an account balance notification will be sent when the balance is at 100 credits, to give users the opportunity to purchase an “Incidental Credit” for the remainder of the month. When the balance drops to 0, the device will be blocked and set to report only once per day to the FindWhere Server. When the account is blocked, you can always purchase an “Incidental Credit” to unblock their account and device. It can take up to 24hours before your device starts to report after it has been in blocked status.
The "Add Credits" fee is: $25.00 and adds 2,500 credits to the account.
What is an alert notification?
FindWhere provides alert notifications via email or mobile phone text messages to pre-defined contacts based on the alert settings you choose. For instance, from a list of features and possible events, you can choose to be notified when your device starts to move, the batteries are low, when it exceeds a certain speed, etc. If you would like to learn more about alert notifications, please click here.
How are notifications received?
Alert notification can be received via email and/or text message alerts.
Why doesn’t my street address match up?
When a location from a device is received on the FindWhere system then by default it is Geo-coded to inform the end user with the address details that match with the raw longitude and latitude received. By doing this the end user gets a better understanding of what the location is besides directly looking at the map. The collected address details will be displayed under the mapping area in the locations tray.
The address details will not always be “spot on” since Geo-coding is depending on the completeness of a mapping server that could slightly be out of date or if in a rural environment showing a ballpark postcode area. When this database is not completely up to date it will not hold the exact home address. The Geo-coding will always show the nearest point available. Keep in mind that the location displayed on the map itself is always accurate.
How long is data (location history, etc) stored?
Data is available on the member panel for 90 days or up to 200 locates
How do I set the correct time zone?
By default on the first login the system comes up with a screen to set the correct time zone for the newly created account. If it’s needed to set the correct time zone afterwards to reflect a different one then simply click the MY ACCOUNT tab and change the time zone settings displayed here. Once these settings are changed click SAVE&EXIT to store the change on the account. Once submitted all locations and text messages in the account directly will be displayed in the correct (as requested) time zone. By default on the first login the system comes up with a screen to set the correct time zone for the newly created account.
How do I set up a geofence?
- Log into the member panel and on the top menu click your device name
- Select “Geofences” and a pop-up window which defaults to an “Areas” tab will appear
- Create a Geofence name
- Left click on the map to specify geofence center and press “Show Map” button (you may press + or – key to increase or decrease geofence size).
- When finished press “Store.”
You must relate a geofence to a device. To do this, click on the relations tab. Select Members (your unit). Then select Geofence (the one just created)-> Geofence Type (In/Out). Then click “Send Notification Only Once (you can choose yes or no). Then determine the period (between which dates the geofence should be active. This is normally left blank. When completed click “store.”
How do I enable the system to notify me when a geofence has been violated?
- Go to “My Account”
- Click “Contacts”
- Add your contact details.
- Go to “Admin”
- Select “Notifications”
- Select “Geofence Violation” from the “Select Notification” field
- Check your unit from the “Select Member” box
- Check “By email” in the “Members to Receibe Notification” section
- Click “store”
What types of systems and browsers work with FindWhere?
Currently the FindWhere Application works on Windows Internet Explorer 5 or higher.
MAC, PDA browsers, Safari & Mozilla Firefox are currently not supported.
How can I get technical support?
It's easy to get fast, one-on-one support for your FindWhere GPS tracking solution. Our online knowledgebase can be reached directly from within your account by simply clicking the SUPPORT tab located at the top of your screen. You can search the entire knowledgebase by entering keywords in the navigation bar beside this text.
Our professional support staff can help you with any questions you may have. Please contact us by email at
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, by phone at 703.444.6100 or via our online support and chat room. Or you may submit a ticket at http://support.findwhere.com.
How do I submit a ticket?
Our support can be reached directly from within your account by simply clicking the SUPPORT tab located at the top of your screen. If you can't find a solution to your problems in our knowledgebase, you can submit a ticket with as much detailed information as possible and submit this. Our support staff will be more than happy to assist.
What information do I need for support?
When requesting support please have the following information at hand:
- MSISDN number/Unit ID
- Account number
- Brief description of the problem
- Failure to provide any of the above information may result in a delay in processing your ticket.
