IP Address

[Guest rohale]

A topic of conversation came up a few nights ago at dinner and that is would you be worried if some person made it clear that they have access to your IP address. Would you be bothered by it or not really care one way or the other?

[gcursor]

What? where?

 

I am guessing that you aren't using any type of anonymizer software. Then the question has to be asked: what were you doing and who has your IP address? I mean it's a pretty wide-open field for the answer depending on your responses.

 

gc

 

A topic of conversation came up a few nights ago at dinner and that is would you be worried if some person made it clear that they have access to your IP address. Would you be bothered by it or not really care one way or the other?

[+ deej]

If you're worried about someone having your IP address, tighten your tinfoil hat and unplug your computer from the outside world. Never go online again. The only way to stay completely anonymous online is not to go online at all.

 

Once you are online, every site you visit has logged your IP address before the page is even displayed.

 

IP addresses are the lingua franca of the web. It's how computers recognize each other, much like dogs sniffing each other's butts.

[Guy Fawkes]

The important thing to know is that your not anonymous when your on the internet. Given a IP address, a knowledgeable person will have a fix on your general location.

 

In most parts of the country down to the City. In metropolitan areas, down to the neighborhood. In high density urban areas, can be down to the block or building (NYC, SF mostly)

 

If it's a legal matter, all it takes is a court order to trace back to a specific location. If your on a DSL or Cable Modem trivial. If your on a dial-up more work and multiple sessions would be needed to confirm.

 

Going through a anonymizer is like sending up a flare and many sites routinely block them.

 

A topic of conversation came up a few nights ago at dinner and that is would you be worried if some person made it clear that they have access to your IP address. Would you be bothered by it or not really care one way or the other?

[gcursor]

a caveat

 

I am sorry but I will disagree slightly with daddy. There are ways to use anonymous software like TOR and others. These allow you another higher degree of privacy when you use the internet. I do agree that it is impossible to hide your tracks completely but the use of anonymizer software is meant to confuse people to the point of where they feel that it isn't worth their time.

 

Depending on the type of private surfing software that you use, the traffic is typically encrypted only from the website you are surfing back to your ISP. The data coming back from your ISP will be traceable however. Again it depends on what type of privacy software that you use and the skills that you use them with.

 

Also one must be careful as well because although you may feel your IP address is protected, if you surf the web then your browser can leave tracks depending on what (if any) type of modules you have activated.

 

The important thing to know is that your not anonymous when

 

your on the internet. Given a IP address, a knowledgeable person will have a fix on your general location.

 

In most parts of the country down to the City. In metropolitan areas, down to the neighborhood. In high density urban areas, can be down to the block or building (NYC, SF mostly)

 

If it's a legal matter, all it takes is a court order to trace back to a specific location. If your on a DSL or Cable Modem trivial. If your on a dial-up more work and multiple sessions would be needed to confirm.

 

Going through a anonymizer is like sending up a flare and many sites routinely block them.

[Lookin]

A topic of conversation came up a few nights ago at dinner and that is would you be worried if some person made it clear that they have access to your IP address. Would you be bothered by it or not really care one way or the other?

As others have said, your IP address is rarely a secret from any site you visit. In fact, some sites like the Speakeasy Speed Test site actually display it for you.

 

However, if your question was whether or not I'd be concerned if someone went out of his way to tell me that he had access to my IP address, I guess I might be a bit spooked, depending on the context of the admission.

http://www.outsourcingtranscriptionservices.com/images/investigation-transcription.jpg

[Guest rohale]

I very much appreciate the varying answers to the original question. I did actually go through this a couple of years ago with one particular person as he and I were at loggerjams over a particular issue. One day he informed me that he had obtained my IP address and he certainly didn't reveal what his intentions were and in turn I never asked him except to wish him the best of luck and hoped he would find whatever it was that he was looking for and that was the end of it at least from my end. At the time my attitude was to hell with it as I really couldn't be bothered about it and nor was I that interested. It's certainly not the best way of handling things, but that's the way it was at the time. A couple of nights ago over dinner my opinion was asked over this topic and I expressed what I would do differently today. With this in mind I just it might be an interesting topic to bring online and again I do appreciate the various responses.

[gp0560]

How do dynamic addresses and static addresses figure into this discussion? If at all.

[bigvalboy]

Lookin...you just freakin crack me up. I was trying to compose a question, and your pic got me to laughing and I just can't think.

[Guy Fawkes]

Most ISPs use DHCP to allocate your iP address. For DSL and Cable they tend to issue them for 30 days at a time. The pool that they assign them from is usually has some multiple of 256 IP addresses.

 

That means the bottom part of your IP address changes periodically. For example: 10.0.0.58 to 10.0.0.93

 

Some ISPs give you the option of a static IP (usually for a small up charge) but mostly they are used for office@home type of situations.

 

Static address are easy to track. DHCP less so, but still traceable as the IP block is usually assigned on a fairly local area (i.e. Neighborhood level )

 

How do dynamic addresses and static addresses figure into this discussion? If at all.

[gcursor]

so proud

 

makes me feel proud to be a part of this forum when we can come together and disperse information like this

gc

 

DHCP[/url] to allocate your iP address. For DSL and Cable they tend to issue them for 30 days at a time. The pool that they assign them from is usually has some multiple of 256 IP addresses.

 

That means the bottom part of your IP address changes periodically. For example: 10.0.0.58 to 10.0.0.93

 

Some ISPs give you the option of a static IP (usually for a small up charge) but mostly they are used for office@home type of situations.

 

Static address are easy to track. DHCP less so, but still traceable as the IP block is usually assigned on a fairly local area (i.e. Neighborhood level )

[Lookin]

Lookin...you just freakin crack me up. I was trying to compose a question, and your pic got me to laughing and I just can't think.

Glad to be of service, mon ami. My current take is that thinking is often overrated. http://shtf411.com/images/smilies/smiley40.gif

[+ honcho]

DHCP[/url] to allocate your iP address. For DSL and Cable they tend to issue them for 30 days at a time. The pool that they assign them from is usually has some multiple of 256 IP addresses.

 

That means the bottom part of your IP address changes periodically. For example: 10.0.0.58 to 10.0.0.93

 

Some ISPs give you the option of a static IP (usually for a small up charge) but mostly they are used for office@home type of situations.

 

Static address are easy to track. DHCP less so, but still traceable as the IP block is usually assigned on a fairly local area (i.e. Neighborhood level )

 

Uh, I beg to differ with Daddy about the details. My provider (which will easily be seen to be Covad, although it is OEMed through somebody else)

changes my address at least once a day on the average, and sometimes a fair bit of the IP address changes.

 

Here's my history of visiting my work computer for the last month. (name changed and only DSL IP's provided):

 

% last honcho | tee xx

honcho ttyp1 67.101.218.171 Mon Nov 21 23:28 still logged in

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.174 Mon Nov 21 12:22 - 12:59 (00:37)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.174 Mon Nov 21 09:05 - 09:37 (00:31)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.159 Mon Nov 21 00:27 - 00:30 (00:03)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.159 Sun Nov 20 22:44 - 23:04 (00:19)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.159 Sun Nov 20 18:32 - 19:28 (00:55)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.159 Sun Nov 20 10:14 - 10:39 (00:24)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.126 Sun Nov 20 00:41 - 01:13 (00:32)

honcho ttyp2 68.164.185.219 Sat Nov 19 16:47 - 17:58 (01:11)

honcho ttyp2 68.164.185.219 Sat Nov 19 16:00 - 16:12 (00:12)

honcho ttyp2 68.164.185.219 Sat Nov 19 15:07 - 15:33 (00:26)

honcho ttyp2 67.101.209.124 Sat Nov 19 10:56 - 11:17 (00:21)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.4 Fri Nov 18 22:48 - 23:44 (00:55)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.4 Fri Nov 18 22:27 - 22:43 (00:15)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.149 Fri Nov 18 14:38 - 14:38 (00:00)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.149 Fri Nov 18 14:15 - 14:35 (00:20)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.149 Fri Nov 18 12:47 - 13:13 (00:26)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.223.248 Fri Nov 18 11:36 - 11:59 (00:23)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.223.248 Fri Nov 18 10:45 - 11:26 (00:41)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.223.248 Fri Nov 18 09:41 - 10:13 (00:32)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.131 Thu Nov 17 23:30 - 00:03 (00:32)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.209 Thu Nov 17 00:01 - 00:33 (00:31)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.223.107 Wed Nov 16 10:12 - 10:44 (00:31)

honcho ttyp1 67.103.38.171 Tue Nov 15 23:21 - 23:28 (00:06)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.249 Tue Nov 15 09:50 - 10:30 (00:39)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.158 Mon Nov 14 23:18 - 23:46 (00:28)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.11 Mon Nov 14 10:34 - 10:34 (00:00)

honcho ttyp2 67.101.213.79 Sun Nov 13 23:38 - 00:15 (00:37)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.79 Sun Nov 13 20:13 - 20:27 (00:13)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.79 Sun Nov 13 12:58 - 13:14 (00:16)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.79 Sun Nov 13 11:09 - 11:13 (00:03)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.79 Sat Nov 12 22:28 - 22:53 (00:25)

honcho ttyp2 67.101.213.79 Sat Nov 12 18:10 - 20:13 (02:02)

honcho ttyp2 67.101.213.79 Sat Nov 12 13:25 - 13:26 (00:01)

honcho ttyp2 67.101.213.79 Sat Nov 12 13:08 - 13:25 (00:16)

honcho ttyp1 68.164.185.206 Fri Nov 11 09:20 - 10:03 (00:42)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.249 Fri Nov 11 00:50 - 00:51 (00:01)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.249 Thu Nov 10 23:38 - 00:31 (00:52)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.249 Thu Nov 10 22:59 - 23:30 (00:31)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.249 Thu Nov 10 10:17 - 11:02 (00:44)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.249 Thu Nov 10 10:13 - 10:17 (00:03)

honcho ttyp1 68.164.185.250 Wed Nov 9 22:41 - 23:44 (01:02)

honcho ttyp2 68.164.185.250 Wed Nov 9 18:05 - 18:53 (00:47)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.243 Wed Nov 9 09:47 - 09:52 (00:04)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.223.249 Tue Nov 8 03:42 - 04:17 (00:35)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.223.126 Mon Nov 7 09:51 - 10:59 (01:07)

honcho ttyp2 68.164.185.102 Sun Nov 6 23:14 - 23:24 (00:09)

honcho ttyp1 68.164.185.102 Sun Nov 6 20:07 - 20:16 (00:08)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.214.31 Sun Nov 6 13:37 - 13:43 (00:06)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.212.115 Sat Nov 5 21:59 - 01:15 (04:15)

honcho ttyp1 68.164.185.108 Sat Nov 5 11:34 - 12:15 (00:41)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.68 Fri Nov 4 11:02 - 11:08 (00:06)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.172 Thu Nov 3 09:31 - 10:00 (00:28)

honcho ttyp2 68.164.185.8 Wed Nov 2 23:50 - 23:50 (00:00)

honcho ttyp1 68.164.185.8 Wed Nov 2 23:36 - 00:12 (00:35)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.101 Wed Nov 2 10:40 - 10:57 (00:17)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.213.101 Wed Nov 2 09:38 - 10:07 (00:28)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.154 Tue Nov 1 21:16 - 23:42 (02:26)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.154 Tue Nov 1 20:12 - 20:53 (00:41)

honcho ttyp1 67.101.209.154 Tue Nov 1 11:22 - 13:08 (01:46)

 

wtmp begins Tue Nov 1 11:22:31 PDT 2011

[Guy Fawkes]

Which part of "Most" didn't you get? The Lease time is configurable and there are tradeoffs setting it high or low.

 

In your case it appears that they have two pools of IP address:

 

Pool 1 Chicago, Il

67.101.208/20 (67.101.208.0 - 67.101.223.255 4096 entries)

 

Pool 2 San Franciso, CA

68.164.185/24 (67.164.185.0 - 67.164.185.255 256 entries)

 

My guess would be your laptop via a dialup.

[+ honcho]

Oh, I'm sorry , you did say ``Most ISP's'' rather than ``Most users of ISPs will experience ... ''.

 

[the point being that a couple of really big ISPs like Covad or Concentric could have many more subscribers than the sum total of subscribers of

the potential larger number of independent ISP with much smaller pools]

 

My apologies, Honcho

[Guy Fawkes]

There is at least one ISP that allocates all their IPs from a central server... All I can say is: "Glad that I don't work there!"

[Guy Fawkes]

Sorry... Watching reruns of "Ironside" brings out the cranky in me! (OMG, I grew to become an Ironsides Clone.. That makes so much sense... Ask any of the kids that I've lectured!)

 

Oh, I'm sorry , you did say ``Most ISP's'' rather than ``Most users of ISPs will experience ... ''.

 

[the point being that a couple of really big ISPs like Covad or Concentric could have many more subscribers than the sum total of subscribers of

the potential larger number of independent ISP with much smaller pools]

 

My apologies, Honcho

[gp0560]

DHCP[/url] to allocate your iP address. For DSL and Cable they tend to issue them for 30 days at a time. The pool that they assign them from is usually has some multiple of 256 IP addresses.

 

That means the bottom part of your IP address changes periodically. For example: 10.0.0.58 to 10.0.0.93

 

Some ISPs give you the option of a static IP (usually for a small up charge) but mostly they are used for office@home type of situations.

 

Static address are easy to track. DHCP less so, but still traceable as the IP block is usually assigned on a fairly local area (i.e. Neighborhood level )

 

Thanks, Dad! One of the clearest answers to a computer question I've gotten in some time.

[gcursor]

very easy

 

Damn it...I lost out again. next time I'm using crayons and fingerpaints to explain a concept. Bet that will win me some points.

 

Thanks, Dad! One of the clearest answers to a computer question I've gotten in some time.

[gp0560]

Damn it...I lost out again. next time I'm using crayons and fingerpaints to explain a concept. Bet that will win me some points.

 

Large print, please. Color helps, too. lol