BeaconDB

Massive shoutout to AVee for making some huge optimisations in BeaconDB's map generation code, not only fixing map updates (it was crashing on the new server) but cutting down processing time from ~1 hour to **a few minutes**!

> https://beacondb.net/map

You […]

[Original post on mapstodon.space]

As part of some infrastructure changes, I'm beginning to direct requests to BeaconDB's API to a new server. The new server is ready to answer location queries, so there *should* be no downtime as part of this change.

You can continue uploading new data as usual, but it will not be processed […]

Scratch that- they've brought the server back online.

No idea what's happening at this point, they haven't contacted me with an explanation.

I'm glad the server is back online, I just hope it stays up long enough for me to have a new server ready to move to.

> if further reports are received […]

netcup has made it incredibly clear they do not care about people abusing their abuse system to permanently take down any server they host with just an email.

Unfortunately, BeaconDB will remain offline for the next 16 hours. I'll continue to download the server's disk overnight, and plan to […]

netcup will be giving me rescue access to the server shortly, as for some frustrating reason, if a server has received an abuse claim it can only be started in working hours of their timezone.

I'll then be taking a disk image to ensure all data is safe and working with netcup to try and prove […]

Hi all, it's been a while 😅

Just posting here to let you know that BeaconDB has been down for nearly 20 hours due to what appears to be a fraudulent abuse claim.

Someone has contacted netcup with a few MB of logs that show the IP of BeaconDB's server being used to scan ports. netcup has […]

Release 2.0.0 · mjaakko/NeoStumbler NeoStumbler 2.0 🥳 TipNew to NeoStumbler? Check out the user guide to get started! New features Collecting network data is now easier than ever – enable passive data collection in the settings and...

NeoStumbler v2.0.0 has been released, featuring passive data collection, options to reduce uploaded metadata for your privacy, and a new interface for browsing collected data.

More info here: https://github.com/mjaakko/NeoStumbler/releases/tag/2.0.0

@beacondb the AirPort Utility app has a share sheet button for access point details if you enable the wifi scanning feature in its settings, including full data which no other app on ios to my knowledge actually has full access to lol

think i mightve just done the first submission to @beacondb from an iphone (without jailbreak too, without a custom app, entirely from a shortcut lol)
Definitely not convenient, at all, but it is possible kinda!

Maps and GNOME 48 In a few days it's time for the GNOME 48 release. So it's time to make a wrap-up with the last changes in Maps for the next release. ## Redesigned Route Markers One issue that has been addressed was that the old markers we used to mark the start and end locations for routes, being filled and hollow circle icons respectively could be hard to tell apart and actually see which is which. So now to mark the start we show a marker containing the icon representing the mode of transportation. The “walk” icon is also used for start of “walking legs” in public transit iteneraries, so this way it's getting a more consistent look. ## Redesigned User Location Marker This was already covered in an earlier blog post, but it might be worth mentioning especially now that we once again have WiFi- and Celltower-based positioning again thanks to BeaconDB (it's already enabled by default in Fedora 41, and I think some other distros as well). We now have the redesigned location marker, using the system accent color. ## Transitous Public Transit Routing Migrated to new API Furthermore the Transitous support has been migrated to the MOTIS 2-based API. This has also been backported to the 47.x releases (as the old API has been retired). Also public transit routing in Finland will start using Transitous from 48. As Digitransit has slated the retirement of their old OpenTripPlanner 1.x-based API from late April it seemed appropriate to start using Transitous for that region now. ## Transitous Talk at FOSDEM 2025 When mentioning Transitous I also want to mention that the recording of mine, Felix Gündling's, and Jonah Brüchert's FOSDEM talk around Transitous is now available at: https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-4105-gnome-maps-meets-transitous-meets-motis/ So, please enjoy this, and all the other improvements in GNOME 48 when you grab it! 😎

Blog post on Maps and the upcoming GNOME 48 release

https://ml4711.blogspot.com/2025/03/maps-and-gnome-48.html

#gnomemaps #gnome #mapstodon #transitous

@sim6 has written a patch that should help remove outliers and increase the reliability of both WiFi and cell tower based estimates! ❤️

If you notice that BeaconDB seems to be returning an IP-based estimate when you expect it to have enough data to give a more accurate WiFi based estimate […]

Network Survey | Wireless Protocol Survey Explore the depths of wireless connectivity with the Network Survey Android App – your essential tool for detailed Cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GNSS surveys. Effortlessly log, analyze, and stream comprehensive network data. Elevate your understanding of the networks that surround you with precision surveying at your fingertips.

@craxiom's open source Network Survey app has added built-in support for uploading to both #OpenCellID and BeaconDB!

If you're looking to do some comprehensive local data collection, give it a try: https://www.networksurvey.app/

Screenshot of BeaconDB's statistics, showing we are 12 thousand wifi networks away from 25 million unique networks, and less than 500 beacons away from 800 thousand total bluetooth devices.

👀

20,185,957 networks 649,362 beacons 1,078,242 towers 153 countries

20 million!?!?!!!

we just hit 19 million wifi networks and 1 *MILLION* cell towers??!?

Graph displaying amount of cell towers in BeaconDB's database over time. The graph shows that historically the database would increase at a rate of around 3.5 thousand cell towers per day, but throughout December that has been a jump in the amount of cell towers being discovered. Over the past week there has been an average of 10 thousand new cell towers per day, 3 times last month's average daily increase.

We just hit 800k cell towers?!? This jump in new cell towers being discovered is actually crazy. Thanks everyone ❤️

Graph by @pinguin: https://beacondb.derpingu.in/cell.svg

15M networks!!

1M new networks submitted in just the past week, that's insane

You can check out the new homepage + map here: https://beacondb.net/

There's also been a few updates behind the scenes - BeaconDB has upgraded to a bigger VPS, completely funded by donations. If you've been waiting for the green light to set BeaconDB as a default, this is it. More info here […]

BeaconDB just hit 14M WiFi networks!! 🎉 There's also been some new features implemented recently:

- automatic map updates! tiles are now regenerated every 12 hours, so you can watch your submissions brighten up the map 🗺️ 👀 - thanks @derekmorr!
- the geolocation API now supports IP-based […]