Thread: What is a good gps chip or gps tracking software for a laptop?

You need more than a GPS receiver, but a transmitter that sends the location somewhere.
There are systems that send this information via a cell network, but there are fees associated with it, usually monthly.

There is also a LoJack for laptops that tracks location when the laptop connects to the internet. If that never happens and they can't recover your laptop within a certain timeframe, it will wipe your data and they will reimburse you an amount to offset the cost of the replacement.
This is NOT GPS based. It uses IP addresses to determine location.

I don't think any GPS-based tracking module is going to be small enough to be hidden inside the laptop, though.

The actual GPS receiver chip is very tiny. The antenna takes a fair amount of room as does the backup battery. You could definitely fit one in a laptop.

Actually while searching for a pic of the inside of a BU353, I found this: http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=191096

Somebody put a GPS puck inside an eepc.

Now like DP said, GPS receivers do not transmit they only receive. If you want to transmit that info for tracking, then you need an alternate form of connectivity. Cell cards, or make a log file and dump it everytime it is connected to the web. Keep in mind the GPS puck will still be visible in the OS, and anyone could just disable the hardware. Also it will take a USB port, so unless you do some rewiring like adding a USB hub chip running off of port X's d+/d- lines and then run a hub'd port back out to port X as well as the GPS chip, it is obvious it is there. Also it will not work if someone plugs something into the same USB port externally. Like if someone plugs in a thumbdrive to the same port externally, neither device will work.

Originally Posted by Delmarorio

I am looking for a gps tracking program for a laptop, so if my laptop was stolen i could find it. All i want it to do is give me the location of the laptop, nothing else is needed, but if it was the same price that would be good. If anyone knows a gps chip that i could put in a laptop case or somewhere on the laptop and can track it from another computer.

Hey, there are various laptop GPS tracking systems available in the market. Just Google it you will find list of thousands. Using gps tracking systems for laptop is a very good money saving decision. I appreciate that.

This was a good read.

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

The actual GPS receiver chip is very tiny. The antenna takes a fair amount of room as does the backup battery. You could definitely fit one in a laptop.

Actually while searching for a pic of the inside of a BU353, I found this: http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?pid=191096

Somebody put a GPS puck inside an eepc.

Now like DP said, GPS receivers do not transmit they only receive. If you want to transmit that info for tracking, then you need an alternate form of connectivity. Cell cards, or make a log file and dump it everytime it is connected to the web. Keep in mind the GPS puck will still be visible in the OS, and anyone could just disable the hardware. Also it will take a USB port, so unless you do some rewiring like adding a USB hub chip running off of port X's d+/d- lines and then run a hub'd port back out to port X as well as the GPS chip, it is obvious it is there. Also it will not work if someone plugs something into the same USB port externally. Like if someone plugs in a thumbdrive to the same port externally, neither device will work.

Don't know whether there is any such device for laptop but also trying to get your point. Will try this one.