[masraum]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

How do I find out where the DNS server is?
Whenever a web site (Home Depot etc) recommends a store near me it's way up by Cleveland - 200 miles away. I'm assuming HD is getting what it thinks is my location from the location of the DNS server.

We use a smart phone and iPad to connect to the internet when the power goes out. Other people I know who have Frontier DSL don't have the DSL go down in a power outage. I'd like to get what I'm paying for out of Frontier.

Originally Posted by KC911

Not your DNS ... they are basing it on your IP address. I keep all location services, etc. disabled ... on my cell phone .... they usually think I'm in Charlotte, but it could be anywhere the cell towers take it.

Right, they base it on your IP and that is not a good way to determine location. That'll usually get you in the right metropolitan area, but if you're in the country, it may not even be that close.

It is probably something like this.
Frontier has a big building in Cleveland, and they have a bunch of IP addresses associated with that building. Then that building connects to smaller buildings in every direction for 200 miles. And each of those buildings may have a small group of the IP addresses being used, but Frontier only advertises the big group out of their building in Cleveland.

The stuff that you see int he spy movies where they can tie a single ip address back to a room in a hotel or a specific house is not realistic, at least, not in most of the world or not without very special access to the ISP networks.

DNS servers are likely no where near you and aren't used to locate you.