Steps to Install GPS Car Tracking System

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Steps to Install GPS Car Tracking System
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Is it complicated to install GPS Tracker?
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Key takeaways

• Guide to GPS Tracking System
• How does Tracker work?
• Hardwiring GPS trackers to your vehicle
• Plugging in GPS trackers to the OBD port
• OBD Port versus Hardwiring GPS Trackers
• Pros and cons of both.

Things to discuss
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Guide to GPS Tracking System
A Guide to Installing Tracking Devices on Vehicles
Installing tracking devices on vehicles is easier
than you think, given you have all the equipment
needed. In general, there are two ways to install
a tracking device hardwiring it to the vehicle
or using a plug-and-play device.
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How does Tracker work?
Tracking via GPS requires a GPS satellite, a
vehicle with a tracking device, a wireless
network, and GPS servers. The vehicle's GPS
device transmits a wireless signal through
providers like ATT. The data arrives at a
server, which allows you to access the
information from a tablet, smartphone, or
computer.
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Hardwiring GPS trackers to your vehicle
Advantage of hardwiring your tracker
Hardwired tracking devices need to be manually
connected to the cars electrical system to
function. The installation is quick and usually
takes only less than half an hour. The main
advantage of hardwiring your tracker is that you
get to establish a reliable power connection and
hide the tracker from car thieves. The best place
to position your vehicle tracking device is under
or inside the dashboard or above the pedals.
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How hardwiring a GPS tracker to your car is done

• Secure the 12-VDC power source to the red wire
  found on your tracking device.
• Start by attaching the wiring harness to the
  transceiver. Follow the poke and wrap technique
  to avoid connectivity issues.
• Remove about an inch of insulation from the wire
  with the power source.
• Take a sharp object and poke through the wire,
  creating a loop.
• Take an inch of insulation off the end of the red
  wire on your tracking device.
• Twist the ends of the red wire (tracking device)
  and poke through the loop you made on the cars
  power source.
• Squeeze loop shut, and twist the red wire around.
  Wrap in electrical tape to ensure it does not
  ground out.
• Find the vehicles ignition wire, and connect it
  to the white wire on the tracking device.
• Finally, connect both the vehicle and tracking
  device ground wires together.
• Consider using a zip tie, Velcro, or tape to hold
  it in place as you dont want your tracker to
  move while on the road. It can damage the wires
  as well as your device.

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Plugging in GPS trackers to the OBD port
Plug-in trackers require access to power. The
most reliable power source is through the
vehicles OBD port. Since this part of the car
is not used often, you can utilize it as a power
source for your tracking device and eliminate the
need to charge. You can fit your tracking
device with the use of the OBD-II port located on
your dashboard.
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OBD Port vs. Hardwiring GPS Trackers
Based on your business challenges, vehicle types,
and a variety of other factors, one of these
options will be a better fit for your tracking
needs or a combination of both. To help you
decide which, here is a pros and cons list for
both options to better understand which device is
more suitable for different scenarios and compare
them side-by-side.
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Pros of Hardwired GPS Trackers
Secure Installation
Hardwired vehicle tracking devices require a
three-wire installation of ground, power, and
ignition.
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Cons of Hardwired GPS Trackers
Installation Downtime
Professional installers of hardwired vehicle
tracking devices usually quote anywhere from
30-40 minutes on average to install hardwired
devices. It can take even longer for
self-installations.
Secure Hard to Move
Because these devices are installed by the
vehicle, they take 30-40 minutes on average to
complete without any accessories. This means that
it is not easy or simple to move these types of
vehicle tracking devices between vehicles.
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Pros of Plug-in GPS trackers
Easily Self-Installed
Plug-in tracking devices are incredibly easy to
install into any vehicle with an OBD-II port.
Automatically receive engine diagnostics
The plug-in GPS tracker automatically pulls
diagnostic information from the engine because it
is plugged into the OBD-II port. No additional
installation accessories are required to see this
type of information.
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Cons of Plug-in GPS trackers
No covert tracking
Note that most OBD-II ports are exposed. This
makes the device visible to the driver.
Vehicle Engine Data Only
The PNP device is one enclosed box, so there is
no harness to connect accessory wires. This means
that there are no options for additional types of
monitoring such as input monitoring that would
allow you to know information like snowplows
up/down, doors open/closed, seatbelt on/off, etc.
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You should carefully weigh these pros and cons
when deciding which vehicle tracking devices to
install on your vehicles. It can be a headache to
roll out devices to your entire fleet and
discover they dont meet your needs down the
road. Not to mention, you will have to eat the
cost of pulling them out and installing the right
devices later.
Make the Choice Right for Your Vehicles
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