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Feature Request - user editable location field instead of location based on IP address [fixed]

edited March 2022 in KiwiSDR Discussion

In the KiwiSDR window there is an edit box for "your name or callsign". Whatever is entered here by users shows up in the "users" sub window along with information about the users location and what frequency and mode they're using. In my case it might look something like this ...

"VK2AAK" (Sydney, Australia)

7091.17 kHz lsb z6 0:07:12

This is fine except for the location. The location is obviously obtained from the users IP address and unfortunately it is often wildly inaccurate. Here in Australia it sometimes gives my location as "Sydney", other times it might say "Adelaide" which is where my ISP is based. In the case of Sydney the error from my actual location is a few hundred kilometres. In the case of Adelaide it's wrong by a few thousand kilometres. This is a constant problem here with amateur radio users of my KiwiSDR when they assume that the location displayed is where the user actually is ... when in fact the user might be thousands of kilometres away in a different state.

Would it be possible to consider changing this? Either by having an admin option to allow/disallow the automatic location or preferably by adding an additional edit window where users could manually enter their location. A "Location" field adjacent to the existing "your name or callsign" box would be ideal. This could be arranged such that if the field was left blank the location would be automatic and based on IP address as it currently is, but if the field was non-blank it would override the automatic location and display whatever the user entered.

Comments

  • Sorry, but why do you need this function? I think this feature will only give you fake users from "alpha centauri". But if you want to parse the log files, you can ask your KiwiSDR users to add their location in the "Name" field with his name/callsign.

  • In today's VPN world, this function with providing user data online is completely redundant. This panel could be a place for other functions, e.g. for people using mobile devices, a nice thing would be larger programmable buttons from either the admin level or the user himself +/- frequencies, volume, filters, fast memory cells, etc.

  • I'm happy to do away with the IP based location function altogether. In my opinion no information is better than misleading or inaccurate information.

  • Please!!! at least give us the option to not display user locations!

    I'm watching a nearby user on the KiwiSDR. The panel shows him as being in Adelaide South Australia, several thousand kilometres away from where he actually.

    Just give admins the ability to turn location off PLEASE.

  • edited March 2022

    Just сomment out this function in kiwi.js file.

    function kiwi_geo()

    {

    //return encodeURIComponent(geo.geo);

    }

    Location will be "undefined" always.

    Or in kiwi.min.js file. I have no KiwiSDR and can not test it.

  • And you can show users IP like on my http://msk.swl.su:8073 😀

  • Fixed in v1.496

  • Thank you! Very much appreciated :)

    Not sure there's actually any need to display (no location). just blank would be fine, or even the IP address if something has to be displayed.

  • edited March 2022

    In this context, it should be taken into account that not every visitor may agree with the unasked publication of his IP or the (more or less precisely "guessed") location in a kiwi's user list, as it may compromise his anonymity.

    If we think, for example, of users in Ukraine, where allegedly in one case (long before the current confrontation) even the use of a simple RTL-SDR dongle led to imprisonment by russian forces, then the public display of location or IP - even more so together with the observed frequency - may have the potential to put users in danger.

    If a visitor leaves the name/callsign field empty, I think this should be considered as an indication that he wants (or needs) to remain as anonymous as possible, so I find it problematic to display his IP or location in this case without his explicit consent - even more in the current world situation.

  • Just to be clear, the IP address is only ever shown on the admin connection. Never to any user connection or any other user-accessed API.

  • edited March 2022

    WebSDR show users IP for all, but for privacy (in current situation) we can show user country only, without city and region.


  • Good idea; that should be okay in any case.

    BTW; you seem to have already changed your own Kiwi accordingly. Yesterday, I saw it still listing the user's IPs. That's a great gesture, respect and thanks!

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