hey, hypothetically speaking, how is an IP address traced? for example if one were to buy a new laptop and connect to the internet onto a wifi network in the neighborhood, basically you connect to free internet that someone else has subscribed to. now suppose someone wants to trace your IP, can they track down your laptop and where it is exactly? if so, how is this done? im not very technicly knowledgable in this, thanks in advance!
Tracing an IP Address
- Thread starter sony90220
- Start date
Geoff
VIP Member
They can't trace the laptop down to your exact location, however most of the time they are able to track down the the city your in, although i'm sure government organizations can find your address by the IP thats assigned to it.
Although in your case, your laptop can only be traced when you are connected to the internet. If you arent connected, then they wont know your IP. Although most of the time it's the router that has the IP, so they couldnt tell you apart from someone else on the network just by the IP.
Although in your case, your laptop can only be traced when you are connected to the internet. If you arent connected, then they wont know your IP. Although most of the time it's the router that has the IP, so they couldnt tell you apart from someone else on the network just by the IP.
oh, hypotheticalyfor example say "Joe" has internet access with Verizon DSL, and Jim, Smith, Henry, James, and John (each of these people live in different houses in the same 1-2 block radius so each can connect to Joes access point) each have laptops with wifi enabled and they all connect to Joe's Verizon IP access point. Now, say someone wants to trace James' or Henry's IP, can it be done? if so how? each of these people is connecting to the same wireless access point of Joe, thanks for your explanation
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Geoff
VIP Member
Because Joe has an AP, his IP is actually assigned to that. So James and Henry will have the same external IP as anyone on Joe's network.
can all these members be "traced" individually or not? for instance if you trace Joe's IP, and those other people i mentioned are connected to his IP, can someone trace each of these guys and figure out their street address and pinpoint their exact location?
also another hypothetical, if someone (Suzy) were to drive around with a laptop in a neighborhood and connect to various Open wireless access points through her wifi, can someone track down where Suzy is located and figure out here exact address and location? lets assume Suzy drives from location to location switching from one open IP to another, etc. once again, can Suzy have her location pinpointed?
thanks in advance for your expertise!
also another hypothetical, if someone (Suzy) were to drive around with a laptop in a neighborhood and connect to various Open wireless access points through her wifi, can someone track down where Suzy is located and figure out here exact address and location? lets assume Suzy drives from location to location switching from one open IP to another, etc. once again, can Suzy have her location pinpointed?
thanks in advance for your expertise!
Niranjan81
New Member
Dude I might be wrong here but I think u r on to something ... my advise would be not to try anything wrong/illegal ... if push comes to shove then I guess there are people out there who can track you down ... my 2 cents .. peace!
massahwahl
VIP Member
Yeah something about this post seems a little fishy...
massahwahl
VIP Member
Thats fine but it sounds like HYPOTHETICALLY your asking for another reason. Your being awfully secretive about it to be only HYPOTHETICALLY speaking. Just tells us whats up and it will make things easier.
Trizoy
VIP Member
Those are not an EXCAT location. They can easily be off by 100miles. Traceroute yourself, tell me how close it is? Does it give your address? Does it give a Lat/Long of your computer sitting in your room?
Did not think so.
Nope. Even if they go in far enough, probably the guy with the DSL.
jkyprodigy
New Member
War is Peace- 1984
If you want to see what you can find out yourself open 'run' from the start menu, type in 'cmd', click ok, type in 'tracert computerforum.com'
you'll find out that the computerforum.com host is interspeed and it's servers are in Chicago.
if you put in a friend's ip address, at most, you'll find out the city and internet provider's location. Big Brother (or the Gov't your hypothetical friends are so afraid of) can probably ask your area's DHCP server people which IP addresses are for what areas. That'll give the 'thought police' a good idea of where your hypothetical friends are. Then they would systematically go to each house using that IP provider and then you are hypothetically screwed.
If you want to see what you can find out yourself open 'run' from the start menu, type in 'cmd', click ok, type in 'tracert computerforum.com'
you'll find out that the computerforum.com host is interspeed and it's servers are in Chicago.
if you put in a friend's ip address, at most, you'll find out the city and internet provider's location. Big Brother (or the Gov't your hypothetical friends are so afraid of) can probably ask your area's DHCP server people which IP addresses are for what areas. That'll give the 'thought police' a good idea of where your hypothetical friends are. Then they would systematically go to each house using that IP provider and then you are hypothetically screwed.
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jkyprodigy
New Member
calm down
hey calm down. nothing personal. i just thought that your made up situation was a little funny. I'm saying that is a way it could be done, not that it is going to happen to you.
but were someone moving along leaching off unencrypted networks, all that could be found through IP tracing is your general area. You can block IP addresses of companies known to do this, try peerguardian 2.
But there are also various ways of tricking the unwary computer user into giving up more information about themselves than they want, for example, you could be sent a trojan that reads information about your computer and sends it elsewhere, you could be sent a fake website (or you could use gmail, look at the adds on the right and read then read your email) that sends the information you put in back to wherever (phishing). It's not always about simple tracing.
Did you try the traceroute?
PS. profanity is against the rules of this forum
hey calm down. nothing personal. i just thought that your made up situation was a little funny. I'm saying that is a way it could be done, not that it is going to happen to you.
but were someone moving along leaching off unencrypted networks, all that could be found through IP tracing is your general area. You can block IP addresses of companies known to do this, try peerguardian 2.
But there are also various ways of tricking the unwary computer user into giving up more information about themselves than they want, for example, you could be sent a trojan that reads information about your computer and sends it elsewhere, you could be sent a fake website (or you could use gmail, look at the adds on the right and read then read your email) that sends the information you put in back to wherever (phishing). It's not always about simple tracing.
Did you try the traceroute?
PS. profanity is against the rules of this forum
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adarsh
New Member
I think the "FBI" CAN trace you. Maybe at extreme conditions, they might approach the ISP (which is not hard to find out if you get hold of the IP address). Now, since ISP's have your location and access point, they can come knocking around your door. I'm not sure about other people or sometimes even the FBI finding your pin point location. That's almost impossible without contacting the ISP