How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre!
A lot of carriers now offer the ability to track your kid’s cellphones to track where they are. Well,you can do that on the Palm Pre too.
Here’s how you can setup a “website” on your Palm Pre and secretly track your Palm Pre, whereever it is in “real-time”.
First, you will have to setup SSH and dynamic DNS on your phone so you can setup a simple HTML page that will show you the exact location of your Palm Pre via Google Maps.
Next, do steps 1, steps 5 through 8 on my previous post on how to install/run a Wordpress blog on your Palm Pre. These steps will install Lighttpd, which is basically needed for serving web pages on your Palm Pre. Since you don’t need MySQL database, you can skip the other steps.
Now, browse to your web root directory typing the cd command below:
cd /opt/share/www/
Next, use the following command to enable writing on your Palm Pre linux filesystem:
sudo mount -o remount,rw /
Next, let’s create a new file called track.php by typing the command below:
sudo vi track.php
We are almost done, simply copy and paste the code below by hitting “i” and Shift-Ins inside the VI editor:
Hit Esc key and “wq!” to save the file and exit.
Now, browse to your Palm Pre website on your computer browser by typing the following where my.blogdns.com is the dynamic DNS you setup earlier.
http://my.blogdns.com:9999/track.php
You should see your location pop up via GoogleMaps like this:
And anytime you need to find the location of your Palm Pre, simply browse to the above URL.
This can come in very handy anytime you lose your Palm or it gets stolen. And yes, you can secretly install this on your kid’s Palm Pre and track where they are at.
Next hack, I will show you how to “tweet” your GPS location to Twitter so you can also track your Palm Pre via Twitter.
(Thanks to WebOS-Internals.Org for the hack!)
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August 22nd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
this is so hard i need help i have been doing doing this all night.
August 22nd, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Yes,, please ask questions, I am here to help. The hardest part is really SSH and setting up the dynamic DNS. Once that's over, everything else is pretty easy plus you can implement more hacks in the future.
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
This is great info and very well stated I think. We just keep advancing forward and integrating till one thing can do it all. Technology rocks.
August 23rd, 2009 at 8:15 pm
[...] Home About RSS Follow @PalmPreHacks on Twitter « How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! [...]
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
no i have done all that.
August 23rd, 2009 at 7:31 pm
wow got it this is amazing
August 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
told you so, now go try the twitter hack, i am telling you, it's awesome! hahaha.
August 25th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Is there a way to make the location open directly in googlemaps instead of the frame? My wife and I would like the ability to check each other's locations on our pre and it would be much nicer if it went directly to googlemaps.
Thanks
August 27th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I am having a problem with step 5… this is what I get:
C:Program FilesPalmSDKbin>novacom -t open tty://
root@castle:/# ←[Jsudo mount -o remount,rw /
sudo mount -o remount,rw /
/bin/sh: sudo: not found
root@castle:/# mount -o remount,rw /
mount -o remount,rw /
root@castle:/# sudo ipkg-opt install lighttpd php-fcgi
sudo ipkg-opt install lighttpd php-fcgi
/bin/sh: sudo: not found
root@castle:/# ipkg-opt install lighttpd php-fcgi
ipkg-opt install lighttpd php-fcgi
/bin/sh: ipkg-opt: not found
root@castle:/#
August 27th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Wow, glad you got it working!
August 27th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Great to hear.
August 27th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
woo hoo, got it workin'… man that was a long hack…. thanks for putting it in easy to do steps…
Question 1. How often does it send info?
Question 2. How is this on battery life?
August 27th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Having an issue connecting via ssh, I am using secure CRT as my client, it has ssh1 and ssh2, but I try to go to both using port 222 and I can not connect, what ssh client are you using?
– Sent from my Palm Prē
August 28th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Hi there, I am using secure CRT ssh2 and port 222. You need to use your username as ID set when you installed Optware.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:23 am
ok.. i have done all the steps. it gives me a The connection has timed out error.. now funny thing is it does this even if i go directly to the ipaddress:9999 of the phone….. i also am not able to ping my phone… any ideas ?
September 1st, 2009 at 3:37 am
Oh, please try it on your computer to the domainname:9999. It won't work on your phone I think due to loopback….
September 1st, 2009 at 3:45 am
I have tried it from my computer, it wont ping the phone ipaddress or anything.. its like there is no server running off my phone..
September 1st, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Quick observation, is that the Google GPS locator will “NOT” function when you are using the Pre phone functionality. I was under the impression that since the Pre's OS is based on Linux, that it would be truly multitasking in nature, but this could be a limitation on Sprint's EvDO service.
September 2nd, 2009 at 3:56 am
I gots an issue.
I can log in through Putty with my free DNS stuff, but I cannot ping it from windows CMD nor I can I access the GPS module. Any ideas?
September 2nd, 2009 at 5:28 am
Could it be your firewall for pinging?
September 2nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
According to a couple of port scanners, ports are closed on both my PC and my Pre. <.<: What did I fudge up?
September 2nd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
o_O Some how I got it to work. No idea on what I did though. I did go from port 9999 to port 14567 though. No idea why that would change anything.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
It could be your firewall, try disabling your firewall as a test.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Great to hear, yes, might be the firewall blocking port 999.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
[...] do something that low tech when you can do this… How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! | Palm Pre Hacks Blog! and have a website that folks can go to at any time and see your location on a [...]
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:08 pm
[...] I used these directions…and it works consistently.. How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! | Palm Pre Hacks Blog! [...]
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I GOT IT TO WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I Changed the port number to 14567 and it Works !
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Anyway to add both ur 1x and evdo address?
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
TOO Bad my pre is with Bell in canada, I got it on 27 that days and subsequent days was ok I was getting an External Public IP on their EVDO network so I was able to ssh connect trought it with also a dyndns service but dunno when but Bell screw US they put a Proxy-Gateway and now we are getting private 10.x adressses wich I cant get in my PREN anymore from the outside world, also I have found that their EVDO network is slower than before, so they are throtling us…. Im gonna call them and see if I can get in touch with someone that know something…….
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:20 pm
WOW, really? That sucks, my condolences to you my friend, Bell is EVIL! I am sure there's a way around that, wait awhile, I am sure someone will come up with a solution. It should still be possible to SSH though, you simply have to figure out which port is “open”, try checking which ports are open first for a start, maybe I will find some solutions for ya!
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Probably some kind of port problem, yes you can use practically any port though. Great to HEAR!!!
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
They should be the same since Pre only can be on 1X or EDVO at one instant…
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
They should be the same since Pre only can be on 1X or EDVO at one instant…
September 4th, 2009 at 3:18 am
one other question.. on a CEL line the IP changes rapidly, What can be done about this ? I am Driving to L.A from Tennessee starting on Sunday.. Its going to be really annoying for me to have to text the new Ip address every 15 min to who ever wants to see where i am at. get my point ?
September 4th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Great question, that's the point of setting up DDNS, then you can access your website like http://my.dns.com:9999/track.php
That way, your Pre is ALWAYS accessible via a simple domain name.
Read the part on DDNS here:
http://palmpre-hacks.com/palm-pre-hacks/how-to-...
September 4th, 2009 at 3:41 am
yeah I just found that and did that.. lol sorry guess i need to read a little more.. But.. what i am not understanding… ok you click on my services, then my domain, service type “host with IP” then I stick in my current address to my Pre ? well when my ip changes on my phone it does not change on the site ?.. seems like i have to keep logging on to change my ip address on Dyndns.com… I thought it some how updated itself when my ip changed…. I know nothing about this so if I'm asking a stupid question please give me the right answer LOL!
September 4th, 2009 at 5:04 am
You need to install the Dynamic DNS on your phone so it will update it to Dyndns.com, don't choose “host with IP”… let me see if i can update more details tomorrow. getting late here 3AM!
September 4th, 2009 at 8:43 am
This looks really cool, and its killing me that I can't get it to work.
DYNDNS is set up and works, The SSH works fine, I use Putty to connect at will, from anywhere.
I tried the default port (9999), someone else mentioned a different port and I made up a third, it just looks like lighttpd isn't running maybe?
any help would be appreciated
September 4th, 2009 at 10:58 am
what is the code?? when i click on the link it opens up a google map page
September 4th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Don't know what I did, or how I did it (aside from changing ports, 'cause I tried that as I mentioned), but its working, and this is one cool app. thank you.
September 4th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
right-click on the link, then “save-as” a text file. then open the text file in notepad (or whatever you use), select all and copy. continue as above
September 7th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
so how often does this script run? is it based on cron?
September 11th, 2009 at 9:53 am
It only 'runs' when you visit the web page that calls the map, this one doesn't work like the twitter hack. So it doesn't do anything until you visit your phone via the web and this web page.
September 14th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
[...] all the more reason for me to set this up… How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! | Palm Pre Hacks Blog! [...]
September 14th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
take out the embed tag in the iframe url for google maps.
also, this doesn't work if you're using wifi.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Question: I have followed all the directions, but when i try to go to the track.php page, it gives me an Internal Server Error 500. Any help?
September 15th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
anyone?
September 16th, 2009 at 10:39 am
couldnt have written a better guide myself. Thanks for your hard work, and saving me time!
September 16th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Did you get any response on this? I'm thinking of getting a Pre but I'm in Canada and only Bell has the Pre on their network…
September 16th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
For pre Owener in Canada with bell you cant get access directly to your pre
from outside world because they use a reverseProxy Gateway your pre wil not
get an External Public IP but something like 10.x.x.x, so when you knock at the door ( a port ) you knock ath the door of a gateway not your pre, but I have found
something that can help to track your pre with the GPS the apps is called
longitude here is the link
http://forums.precentral.net/homebrew-apps/1972...
gimme a shout And ill setup my server on my side to give you a web adress for
your pre you wont need a php server or google api key, you will just need to
install the small app on pre, im gonna give you a site like this http://www.thevtek.com/thenameyouwant
September 16th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
For pre Owener in Canada with bell you cant get access directly to your pre
from outside world because they use a reverseProxy Gateway your pre wil not
get an External Public IP but something like 10.x.x.x, but I have found
something that can help to track your pre with the GPS the apps is called
longitude here is the link
http://forums.precentral.net/homebrew-apps/1972...
gimme a shout And ill setup my server on my side to give you a web adress for
your pre you wont need a php server or google api keys, you will just need to
install the small app on pre.
ill give you an adress to check your pre on the google map, it look like this http://www.thevtek.com/pre
September 18th, 2009 at 10:42 am
i was wonder if i could track a different phone from my palm..?
September 19th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
[...] not easy to set up. If you want to read step by step instructions on how to do this, check out this post. I would recommend you first watch the video, then go through each step one by one. If you feel [...]
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:13 am
I don't see the problem I'm experiencing listed below, so maybe I've just over looked something. I've completed the guide and double checked my port settings… all are nogo. I was having zero luck on 9999 so I changed it to 14567 both in the config file and the start up file (three places in total). Still no luck on multiple computers and browsers. I keep getting “Problem Loading Page”. This is on Windows 7 x64 and Windows Vista 32-bit.
It's been a long time, so I'm quite rusty, but I tried restarting Lighttpd (which is successful), restarting the pre and I've verified that php 5 is loaded. Now the kicker is that if I goto my.dns.com:14567/track.php on my hosting palm pre phone it takes awhile, but it does load. Oddly, a couple times it's put my location about a mile away, but I'm not to that bridge yet:)
Any ideas why it is not working outside of the realm of my phone? Thanks for this awesome guide and I look forward to getting it to work!
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:20 am
Also worth mentioning… I've reviewed the access.log and it only shows the communication mad locally with my pre. So something is preventing the pre from accepting the outside requests, but not documenting it in either access/error logs.
Sleepless in Austin
October 1st, 2009 at 9:31 pm
[...] trash your battery because they are getting gps coord and uploading them every couple minutes. This link has a really poorly written how to that starts by telling you to complete various parts of other [...]
October 2nd, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I'm having a similar problem. I am not very familiar with Dynamic DNS. I have done everything step by step and it has worked, except that I cannot connect to my host that I created. I also don't see it updating my IP address in my DNS Account.
I also happen to be in Austin. Did you figure this out?
October 6th, 2009 at 10:42 am
hello
i got this from the browser
Failed to Connect
The connection was refused when attempting to contact http://my dyndns.com:9999.
Though the site seems valid, the browser was unable to establish a connection
please help
.
. * Is your computer or network protected by a firewall or proxy? Incorrect settings can interfere with Web browsing
October 7th, 2009 at 9:57 am
i think thats my problem too i dont see lighttpd running when i use top
October 9th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
i got it working now but shows my location in kansas and i am in new york
October 9th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
its working now but shows me somewhere in kansas but i am in new york.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
When you just use the GPS on the Map software does it know where you are? It (this hack) uses the same thing? this is weird?
Try the map software to make sure the phone knows where you are, then see what it does.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:00 am
now its right .the phone gps wasnt working
October 10th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Try in a different location, sometimes it won't work until you change location, just for the first time i think.
October 11th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
its working fine now the problem was the location service was set to off
October 13th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
-sh: http://mysite:9999/track.php: not found
it doesn't work. I don't know why I disabled my firewall and everything.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
type in your browser: http://mysite:9999/ to check if your lighttpd is running
October 21st, 2009 at 1:23 am
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October 22nd, 2009 at 4:01 am
Is there a way to track, a Palm pre, via Text message?
I Had a windows Mobile phone, that had a cool aplication that when i send it a specific message “Where is my phone?”, the cellphone answered me automatically with the coordinates of the phone via text message. Thats in case that he phone has no internet at all.
So is ther any way to do something like this, or is ther any app for this?
Thanks
November 1st, 2009 at 10:41 am
I am trying to do this first I did the ssh/dynamic ip tut. For some reason that updates my wifi addr not the evdo which is a problem because on public wifis the proper ports are not forwarded so this can be an issue. The ssh works but this does nothing. I install it and when I visit my domain or ip address on port 9999/track.php there is nothing there. Neither the evdo or local ip work. I have done the http server install and this one twice and every time I get a page load error.
November 1st, 2009 at 10:57 pm
5th time is the charm. The problem was with the litehppd I made different pages and not one would display. (yes I did change the port to 9999 in the conf file but still did not work even with dmz to the pre) Did the whole install again now it works. Also when I disconnected from wifi the evdo ip got updated. If anyone knows a way to update the evdo and only the evdo ip addr I would preffer this. If you lose your phone and you run the php script but someone connected to public wifi there will be no ports forwarded so you will just get a page error. The evdo is different as its the only device on that ip no forwarding needed.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Try dynamic DNS, that will update your edvo IP.
November 10th, 2009 at 2:25 am
ok i still cant figure this out…. i want to track my pre …so i have to go back to how to ssh but first how to tether…
can we have once single document on how to track from a to z…isntead of having to open another page and a previous page and a previous page?!!!!
so far i think i finally installed the tether which cists now 14bux then i think i do ssh…bt from there im lost…
my email is carlos@fitnessmonsters.com any help will be appreciated
November 20th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Mine is working like a champ…even using default port 9999. Question….if for some reason i need a replacement palm pre, how can i make sure the old phone gets completely wiped clean…full erase?
December 4th, 2009 at 1:38 am
I'm trying to do this with my palm pixi but im getting an error.
root@palm-webos-device:/# /opt/bin/ez-ipupdate -c /opt/etc/ipupdate.conf
ez-ipupdate Version 3.0.11b7
Copyright (C) 1998-2001 Angus Mackay.
ioctl(SIOCGIFADDR): No such device
could not resolve ip address for ppp0.
December 8th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Hi. I have it all working except for a small problem. I can't see the page from my computer.
Dyndns is working, the server is working, I can load the page on the pre's browser. I can even ssh into my pre while it's on the cell network. I just can't get to the webpage. I've tried changing ports and restarting the server on the phone but it doesn't help.
So yeah, the ssh works from my computer, but the webpage wont. Weird right? Why would the ssh work but not web server?
December 8th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Got it working. My problem (I think) was that I didn't set up the script to be run at startup. I figured I would just start the lighttpd process manually to test it out, but I think that start up script tells the pre to allow port 9999 or something. I'm not a httpd expert though.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Hi all- I almost have this working, but can't access it from a web browser on my computer.
I have DynDns working, can ssh through my domain name (via evdo) and can see the webpage on my Pre. Not working from the browser on my computer though.
Can anyone suggest something?
December 28th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
check step 7 in the wordpress blog to see if you have the same port number in the last lines of the lighttpd script.that happened to me too.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
yup– same port numbers: 9999 (tried 14567 as suggested and some other ports too).
January 11th, 2010 at 1:20 am
This blog was a great read! I couldn’t have said things better myself.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Hi, good day. Wonderful post. You have gained a new subscriber. Pleasee continue this great work and I look forward to more of your great blog posts.
February 10th, 2010 at 5:43 am
I didn’t know that the Palm Pre required Data plan ( I usually don’t get into things involving fonz that I don’t have ) I guess I should have been more specific.
This function would be useful on many phones w/GPS, however it would be much MORE useful if the data was tweeted through SMS, lots of people have unlimited text, and I know that @ least on the iphone, you don’t need a data plan to take advantage of the GPS. Also the Cell network is much more far reaching than 3g or wifi
February 11th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Have everything set up just as it should be and all is working well aside from the gps location, i’m not in kansas but yet it seems to want to put me there everytime. any suggestions?
February 11th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Good stuff. I’ve thought about that myself at times. Thanks for writing.
February 14th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Below is the post that got me up and running. I originally had my location service set to off and I would be prompted anytime an app requested my location, but apparently that was causing http://my.dns.com:14567/track.php to not pull up at all. As soon as I set the location services on the pre to “on”, the webiste pulled up on both my pre and on my pc browser. Sweetness!
“ferchope Says:
October 11th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
its working fine now the problem was the location service was set to off”
February 14th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Question?
Now that I have this working … when I open up google maps on my pre and search for directions to a location, will the blinking blue dot (me) move as I drive toward my destination? I’m just trying to figure out more useful uses of this than just finding my pre’s location when it’s stolen and such.
Thanks.
February 16th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
[...] How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! | Palm Pre Hacks Blog! Something like this? It makes a URL that you just put into a web browser to see the phones location through google maps. I used this when I went on a road trip recently… despite being 23 my parents worried about me. I gave them a URL so they could check my progress on the way to my destination. __________________ My pre is like caffeine. If I don't have it in the morning I think something is wrong with me, and I need it all throughout the day to make it To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. [...]
February 16th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
[...] Posted by caferacer How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! | Palm Pre Hacks Blog! Something like this? It makes a URL that you just put into a web browser to see the phones [...]
February 28th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
[...] 4. Family fone finder ($1.99 per month for one family unlimited phones) 5. Hack with dynamic DNS (How to Set Up Google GPS Tracking on your Palm Pre! | Palm Pre Hacks Blog!) (Free but requires root [...]
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:25 pm
[...] enough to look right at the camera in confusion as to what the phone is doing. There is some great GPS tracking info (not the stuff in the app catalog either) out there and so I was wondering if one of the brilliant [...]
March 5th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Has anyone found a solution to the Pre showing up in Kansas? I’ve seen it mentioned here a few times by different people but no one has a comment on it? I’m having the same issue. It will show me Kansas and at my previous location but not my most current location. And each of these locations is more than 300 miles apart. Is there anything I need to do?
Thanks for the guide. It really is great. Nice instructions too.
March 6th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Can you make this so it can update google latitude?
March 8th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Yes, you can. I don’t think there’s a Pre app for it but you can do it easily using Google Latitude API thru XML or JSON. If you want I can try developing the code for that.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Hmmm, that is weird, try resetting your phone, that could fix it.