Location fetch of a website via Firefox while mobile hotspot is ON throghTOR

Question

I understand that for best security Tor needs to be used along with Tor browser. Sometimes I do not use Tor browser and I configure Firefox to use SOCKS5 proxy. The following happened while I was using Tor via a SOCKS5 Proxy with Java scripts etc enabled. I do this only when I am not concerned of my privacy.

I had given my PC a wifi hotspot through my mobile phone and I visited this Microsoft Maps link refereed by a Facebook page.

https://www.here.com/directions/mylocation/Bayleaf-Restaurant:6.909295,79.871307?map=6.909295,79.871307,12&ref=facebook&link=directions&fb_locale=en_US

In this link was a request by Firefox that asked if I like to allow my location to be shared with this particular webpage. This webpage was supposed to provide me directions to a dining place.

I curiously pressed "allow" and surprisingly the exact location of my home was pointed out. I would still like to emphasize the fact that I was using Tor as a SOCKS5 proxy with DNS too routed.

My laptop does not have a GPS device but my phone which offered the Wifi hotspot did. But effectively, my mobile hotspot which was powered by mobile service provider Dialog has given away my true location to my PC. I am keen to know how this transfer has happened.

Thank you.

P.S: I also found out my mobile Wifi hotspot leaks its location to Firefox on laptop via a location service provided by Mozilla as well. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/geolocation/ I was able to precisely get my location (pointing right to my home) from this.

P.P.S: I believe this situation is more specific. The mobile phone gets location from a method called cell tower triangulation. I want to know if my mobile phone can leak out its location (which is figured from cell tower triangulation) through its hotspot to Firefox.

Let me please prove my view point that Andriod Wifi Hotspot has leaked my data. 1. while being in the same place, I used my home Wifi routers accesspoint to locate my self via Mozillas Geolocation service. The perimeter of my area pointed was extremely large!

2. Then I did the same while through my Wifi hotspot of the andriod device keeping the home routers Wifi ON. It was pin poiting right at my home.

Is this proof that Andriod Wifi hotspots leak location information via Cell Tower Triangulation?

Answer 1

It gets your location from nearby wireless network names (ssid). The "How does it work" section on https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/geolocation/ explains it:

How does it work?

When you visit a location-aware website, Firefox will ask you if you want to share your location.

If you consent, Firefox gathers information about nearby wireless access points and your computer’s IP address. Then Firefox sends this information to the default geolocation service provider, Google Location Services, to get an estimate of your location. That location estimate is then shared with the requesting website.

If you say that you do not consent, Firefox will not do anything.

Answer 2

the exact location of my home was pointed out.
..
I am keen to know how this transfer has happened.
..
mobile Wifi hotspot leaks its location to Firefox on laptop

If you regularly use your phone as a mobile hotspot in the same place (like your home) that network gets associated with that location.

Chances are that if you go somewhere else (maybe somewhere with no other wifi networks around?) and you use your phone as a hotspot, it will still point at your home.

Alternatively it could just be from other wifi networks in range than your phone, but there is no transfer or leakage from your phone to your laptop.