How To: Get a Better GPS Lock on Your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 So You Never Get Lost Again


Driving in your car can cause a pretty spasmodic GPS connection on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Making a lot of turns, speeding past large buildings, and going underneath trees and highway underpasses can all disrupt your GPS signal, making it difficult for the satellites (in the sky) to get a good lock on your location.

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According to them, you're in that blue circle. Somewhere. Probably.

With the GPS unable to lock—and you being in a hurry—trying to get to your location may become two cups of difficult and one large cup of annoying as shit.

That street that you were supposed to turn left on? You missed it a few minutes ago, all because your GPS couldn't get a good lock. Now you're off course and sort of lost.

How can you prevent this from happening?

Step 1: Download & Install TopNTP from Google Play

TopNTP, a free Android app by developer Zappa, uses data from Derek Gordon's NTP server and aGPS almanac and creates a customized gps.conf file for your Android device. This file replaces your old one and is used to lock in to your location when using GPS. With a custom file, your GPS should get a much better, faster lock on satellites.

NOTE: This does require your Note 2 to be rooted. If you're not already rooted, you can check out my rooting guide for instructions. Also, make sure to back up your Note 2 before continuing.

Step 2: Create & Install Your Custom GPS Conf File

To create your custom gps.conf file, open up TopNTP and dismiss the popups. From there, you have a few settings that you can configure, from the location to the type of file you want. I set a specific location, but you can leave it at global if you want. I left the other two settings as is (Generic, Google).

Once you're ready, you can tap on Install to reboot your device so that your customized gps.conf file can replace the old one. If you want to restore your old settings, go to Settings and choose Restore your backup to go back to your ROM default files or Reset your custom profile to setup the app again from scratch.

And that's pretty much it. If you ever change or update your ROM, this patch will likely be overwritten, so just make sure to redo the patch if you're experiencing GPS problems after that.

How Well Does It Work?

Once my Note 2 restarted, I definitely noticed a difference in my GPS lock. What would previously take seconds (or sometimes even minutes) was now instantaneous. Test it out for yourself and see what kind of results you get.

Did it speed up your GPS lock? Let us know!

Map images via Geckolandmarks

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Hi! I did what was instructed and still my gps cant get a lock on. What should I do?

Yes of course I am rooted. Does it have to do with the country location? I just redid mine now and still wont work. Settings is Asia then Philippines, Generic and google. Still did not work

While there's not one specific answer, I'll break it down into three possibilities of what might be the issue---

1) ROM issue. For most people, it works on stock. Could backup and reflash your ROM if not a big deal.
2) Other GPS configuration tweak or app could be blocking this app
3) Keep messing with the settings

I doubt it's an issue about country location. You could try global instead of specific country as well and see if that works, if not, keep messing with Generic and Google.

hi! It doesn't work on my Note 2.Read the reviews and another Note 2 user can't get it work also. any tweak to the setting?

What did you put the region to? I know you can set Asia->Malaysia (looks like you're from there). If that doesn't work, tinker with it or just leave it at Global. You can also mess with the other two settings: Generic and Google.

You're also rooted, correct?

Worked like a dream. Very acc irate, even indoors!

The description in the App Store says you need to have root on your device. Is this a must? Sorry for the inane question, android n00b here.

Yeah, you need to be rooted. There's a guide here you can check out for instructions.

Very impressed, much faster response time.

Everything that is posted on drippler is for rooted phones, I don't even know why I follow drippler, FYI, not every one roots their phones. Drippler is stupid..

It's worked very well on my Note 2, GPS locate fast and even the direction to where I'm facing..
just you need to set your location and you're good to go.

i use gps status from the market almost like this but you dont need to be rooted

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