Aspects of the disclosure provide a method. The method includes storing a database of positioning data. Each positioning data can associate position information of a location with an identifier of a wireless station for providing wireless connection at the location and a characteristic of a wireless signal received at the location. Further, the method includes receiving a position request from a wireless device that receives an identifier and a specific characteristic of a wireless signal from a specific wireless station, identifying the specific wireless station using the identifier to retrieve a group of positioning data from a database, selecting a subset in the group of positioning data using the specific characteristic, and determining position information of the wireless device using the selected subset of positioning data.