How easy can you be traced on a laptop?

T

textbook

Member
If you use a work laptop in a shared house with 17 people can you be traced. I mean if you posted questions on internet forums and someone wanted to trace you they would only get your IP number for router at your shared house wouldn't they= wouldn't give your name or can it be traced easily without hassle back to your individual computer? My computer has my phone number registered to Microsoft security for some reason, guy in shop when re-installed OS must have done it.

Also if you post from a phone or tablet which uses 3G, how traceable are you from these?
 
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C4C

C4C

Well-Known Member
Sounds fishy but anything can be traced. As far as your laptop goes, network traffic can be found going from the router in & outbound but can't be tied to a single computer inside the network unless the device has been phished or infected.

Use a VPN if you really are paranoid.

I know Agent Smith would cover this in a heartbeat.:p:rolleyes:
 
beers

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Why does amount of people in the house matter? You're responsible for anything on the work PC itself. If there's local machine monitoring software then they'd probably have a log of the traffic.

What exactly are you worried about? The OP is super awkward sounding, unless you're trying to steal/sell the laptop on a forum or something lol.
 
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Geoff

Geoff

VIP Member
When you say work laptop, it sounds like you are trying to hide activity from your employer. In that case, all that matters is what is done on that physical laptop, it doesn't matter who else is in the house. If you are worried about things you do on the internet being traced to your laptop from someone only looking at your WAN traffic, then sure it makes it easier to prove which device it originated from.
 
T

textbook

Member
No, just asking questions on issues (nothing serious) and wondered if I could be traced to my laptop? I guess when I own the router in own flat not shared house I definitely will be traceable as my name will be on IP, right?
 
Geoff

Geoff

VIP Member
textbook said:
No, just asking questions on issues (nothing serious) and wondered if I could be traced to my laptop? I guess when I own the router in own flat not shared house I definitely will be traceable as my name will be on IP, right?
Click to expand...
If your router is doing NAT, everything from the outside comes from the same IP address. Obviously if you are the only one there it's easier for them to prove it was you, but you could always say it was someone stealing your WiFi. There are likely some other ways to narrow it down, as depending on what you're doing they can see what sort of device you are using, such as a Windows 10 laptop running Chrome 45.
 
T

textbook

Member
If I get a flat with wifi there and I am the only one using the internet there, would the router/IP only be registered to me? And so obviously traceable to me? I guess if that's the case, use work computer for dodgy questions on forum?
 
johnb35

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
If you bought your own internet service then yes, the IP address would come back to you.
 
Geoff

Geoff

VIP Member
textbook said:
If I get a flat with wifi there and I am the only one using the internet there, would the router/IP only be registered to me? And so obviously traceable to me? I guess if that's the case, use work computer for dodgy questions on forum?
Click to expand...
The IP address is registered to your account with your ISP, which ties to your modem MAC address. Your router itself isn't registered to anyone.

If you do anything online, they can see the IP address of where it came from, and from that they can summon the ISP to provide them with the address of the customer.
 
T

textbook

Member
Just all sorts of questions about fights I got into, things when I was young, private stuff that I don't want people tracing back to me!
 
R

ReMiXeDg

Member
This thread / question is a bit weird. If you want privacy then get yourself a personal computer / laptop. Also if you want to feel more secured you can always try using a VPN. Best of luck hope this sheds some light your way best of luck.
 
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