{"id":290827,"date":"2024-08-07T11:51:36","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T09:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikefinder.com\/?post_type=faq&p=290827"},"modified":"2025-10-08T10:18:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T08:18:25","slug":"understanding-how-your-tracker-works","status":"publish","type":"faq","link":"https:\/\/bikefinder.com\/en\/articles\/faq\/understanding-how-your-tracker-works\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding How Your Tracker Works"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Understanding How Your Tracker Works<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

How to change tracker modes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong>There are different modes for the Bikefinder tracker in order to locate your bike.
Read about them to understand how the tracker works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.<\/strong> Click on the tracker in the BikeFinder application<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. <\/strong>Navigate to “Modes<\/strong><\/em>” icon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/strong> Select the mode you wish to use<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"BikeFinder<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"bikefinder<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"bikefinder<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The new mode will first take effect when timer from last used mode runs out.
<\/strong>We recommend standard <\/strong>or security mode for normal use.<\/em> 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The different modes explained<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tracking mode
<\/strong>\u2022 Important: Battery life is short. It’s less than 16 hours, depending on when you charged it the last time, and the current battery level.
\u2022 Recommended: Tracking mode is only to be used when tracking your stolen bike, or while testing. 
\u2022 In this mode, your tracker will send GPS positions as often as per minute.
\u2022 Your current positions are shown in the Bikefinder application, and the older positions are shown in “History”.
\u2022 You will not<\/em> get any push notifications in the app when your tracker is put in tracking mode.

Security mode
<\/strong>\u2022 Battery life: Medium \u2013 up to <\/em>two weeks.
\u2022 Insurance is valid while in this mode.
\u2022 In this mode, the tracker will send a position every 10 minutes when movement’s detected. 
\u2022 In this mode you get push notifications in your BikeFinder application when there is 20% and 40% battery capacity left, and when the bike has been moved. 
\u2022 After giving a position, the tracker will sleep for 10 minutes, and will not react to any movement or give any notification, until the timer runs out.
\u2022 Tracker will send a position every 24 hours if there is no movement.
\u27a3 <\/a>Enable notifications<\/a> <\/strong>
\u27a3<\/a> About the movement sensor<\/a>

Standard mode
<\/strong>\u2022 Battery life: <\/em>Medium – up to<\/em> 2 weeks.
\u2022 Insurance is valid while in this mode.
\u2022 This mode is the same as Security mode, except from no push notification on movement.
\u2022 The tracker can send a position every 10 minutes when movement’s detected.
\u2022 After giving a position, the tracker will sleep for 10 minutes, and will not react to any movement or give any notification until the timer runs out.
\u2022 Tracker will send a position every 24 hours if there is no movement.

Passive mode
<\/strong>\u2022 Battery life: Long \u2013 up to<\/em> 8 weeks.
\u2022 Important: Insurance is not valid while in this mode. You must change back to a standard or security mode before theft takes place, and make sure tracker is online.
\u2022 This mode is made for disabling GPS to save battery for when you are out biking.
\u2022 Tracker only gives a GSM location every 20 minutes when movement’s detected.
\u2022 After giving a position, the tracker will sleep for 20 minutes, and will not react to any movement until the timer runs out.
\u2022 Tracker will send a GSM position every 24 hours if there is no movement

Remember that different factors may affect the battery\u2019s lifetime, like consumption and temperature.<\/em>
We advise you to read our article about battery and charging.
 \u27a3 Battery and charging<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The different signal types (GPS, GSM, LTE-M, NB-IoT AND BLE) explained<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The BikeFinder tracker uses different types of position signals, depending on the tracker mode set.
Below we provide you with a short summary of the different signal types, but feel free to read more about them here<\/strong><\/a>.
 
 GPS (Satellite signal)<\/strong>
\u2022 This is the most accurate location tracker signal. It\u2019s down to 10 meters <\/em>accuracy anywhere in the world where it can receive the signals.
\u2022 It requires that Bikefinder can communicate with the satellites in space, and therefore, obstacles like thick concrete walls will affect the signal quality.
\u2022 GPS demands a lot of battery, and therefore has sleeping cycles<\/em> in Bikefinder\u2019s Standard and Security mode to save battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


 GSM (G1 tracker) \/LTE-M & NB-IoT (Gen 2 tracker) (Cellphone signals) <\/strong>
\u2022 These signal types are useful when there are no GPS signals.
\u2022 They need Cellphone-Antennas nearby and have accuracy down to 2500 meters.
\u2022 If you need to find your bike, they will give a rough localization<\/strong>. This is not the most precise signal.
\u2022 Power consumption: high<\/p>\n\n\n\n


 Wi-Fi (radio signal<\/strong>) (Gen2 tracker only)<\/strong>
\u2022 This signal type is useful when there are no GPS signals.
\u2022 It needs a Wi-Fi router or access point nearby and have accuracy down to 5-50 meters.
\u2022 If you need to find your bike, it will give a rough localization<\/strong>.
\u2022 Power consumption: high<\/p>\n\n\n\n


BLE\/Bluetooth (Communication between your smartphone and the Bikefinder)<\/strong>
\u2022 The BLE position will automatically connect and update on your smartphone when the Bikefinder is within 60 meters. Make sure that your phone allows the BikeFinder application functions through phone settings.
\u2022 You can use the application to locate the Bikefinder using the BLE live distance counter.
\u2022 Power consumption: very low
 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bikefinder<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Move on to next step (step 5) here<\/strong><\/a>, if you have a subscription with insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n