The “No GPS” status box appears on your GPS equipment list when the device cannot see enough satellites in the sky to obtain positioning data.
This does not mean your device is offline; instead, the device is most likely online but unable to update its location.
In most cases, "No GPS" will resolve on its own when the vehicle moves. However, if the vehicle moves from its location and still has a "No GPS" marker, this could indicate a larger problem.
Causes
- GPS installation location:
- Located under any type of metal, including aluminum
- Installed under the hood or in the trunk
- For weather-resistant units, installing the device underneath your asset or vehicle is likely to result in struggles with positioning
- Vehicle is parked in or underneath a structure:
- Personal garage
- Underground garage
- Under-building garage
- Vehicle is parked very close to a building
- Vehicle is traveling in an area with a lot of tall buildings, such as a major downtown core, which may result in intermittent GPS signal
- Vehicle obscured by natural structures (eg; trees)
- Rarely: electrical or signal interference inside of the vehicle. This is particularly true if the GPS loss is only happening while the vehicle's ignition is turned on:
- Electronics plugged into the vehicle by a driver or passenger
- Some higher-end or aftermarket technology installed in vehicles
- Complex radios / receivers could lead to interference with positioning
- Other positioning systems installed in the vehicle (leading to data collision)
- GPS Jammers, which are not legal in North America but are sometimes still obtained by individuals intent on criminal activity
- Rarely: Device issue (such as GPS module failure or firmware issue)
Best practices
Never install your GPS unit underneath any kind of metal.
Locate GPS units as far away as possible from radios or other electronics, though this may be difficult in today's electronics-driven world. The majority of electronics however should not interfere with global positioning or cellular data transmission.
If you suspect electrical or signal interference in the vehicle (including Jamming):
- Confirm with the vehicle vendor what types of electronics are in the vehicle
- Inspect the vehicle for newly installed equipment
- Check with drivers what they may be using on a daily basis, such as hardware connected via USB or Cigarette Lighter Adapter that is in-use while driving
- Have another person drive the vehicle for 24 hours. If the interference is only present when one particular person drives the vehicle, this will help narrow down the source.
In some cases, certain GPS devices are more robust at cutting through interference, so if you've tried everything but the problem persists, our Support Team may replace your device with a different model, or a model with a separate, movable antenna.