Question Virus? Location and ISP always incorrect on websites

[azocarbo]

Using a retail website I select the "use my current location" to find my nearest store. The result is never correct, often London, sometimes Edinburgh, even Bulgaria.

If I do a google search for "whats my IP" and look at any of the website they show my IP as being in a different location and with a different ISP.

I've run a scan with MBAM which found nothing.

I use Firefox and have NordVPN installed but rarely open it and when I do I have to manually connect.

Is this a Firefox feature or should I be more worried?

 

[COLGeek]

This sounds more like a VPN issue than anything else. Does this behavior happen when using other browsers?

 

[azocarbo]

This sounds more like a VPN issue than anything else. Does this behavior happen when using other browsers?

Good question - I should have tried that.

All browsers give the same IP. The ISP is correct in Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Only in MS Edge did I get the correct location on 1 website telling me my ISP. In Chrome they were all around London (1h+ away from me).

 

[Ralston18]

Will add another comment.

Do you use "Remember my location"?

I do not and often see websites using some default store location that is not really the "nearest".

Also a matter of the website databases and algorithms being used to determine the "nearest" store.

 

[USAFRet]

Also, many sites use the ISP physical address....the entity that 'owns' your IP address.

Frequently, a site will think my work PC is 700 miles away, because that is where the entity that grants the IP address is located.

 

[azocarbo]

Yes - thanks, these are definitely possible causes.

It may be unrelated but I am lagging on an online game these last 10 days or so, where I never used to lag before.

Is there a way I can check what is using up bandwith on the network or a further test I can run beyond MBAM please?

 

[Ralston18]

You can use commands such as "ping", "pathping", and "tracert" via the Command Prompt.

https://www.lifewire.com/tracert-command-2618101

The results may reveal a problem located within your network, within your ISP's purview, or beyond your ISP.

You can do little to nothing at all with respect to any problems found the latter two.

And do not go by or react to the results of just one test.

Do multiple tests at different times and from multiple devices if available.