COmputer question and IP addresses

[Generic MALE]

I don't know alot about computers. Is it possible for, or how easy is it for someone to find your IP address and who you are from the posts here. You don't need to prove it to me, but can someone track you from a simple post you make here?

 

[thx9000]

The MOD's and people with admin access can get your IP. Determining who you are will take a lot more effort. This would require that someone had you IP AND access to you ISP's DHCP logs AND access to your ISP's account DB to associate your IP to your ISP uname to YOU. Don't worry about it...

 

[MarthaStewart]

The mods can see your IP address.

It depends on what sort of connection you are on, proxies that you are behind, and how large a group is behind a firewall (if any) that you too are behind.

Frequently you can at least tell what region in the world they are from - and frequently if they are in the states, you can tell what region of the states.

If it is coming from a company network, depending on how large your company is and if they have their own web presence, then that also might make it easier to narrow it down.

It also depends if you are worried about someone on here figuring out who you are from your IP (not likely unless you have a very unique system or your own dedicated T1 line that you don't share), or if you are worried about your employer seeing something.

If it is the latter, then the IP address that shows up here to mods is the last of your worries.

If you are really paranoid about this and would be willing to sacrafice a speed drop - look for an anon proxy service.
You connect to them, they connect to elite and relay the info back to you.
Elite just sees the proxy server's IP address - which if it is in another geographical location and has many users, would make it that much harder for people to figure it out.

 

[Generic MALE]

Wow. This is a busy board. I can't believe how fast you guys answered this. Thanks.

By the way Martha - sweet picture.

 

[Dial_tone]

All Your Computer Are Belong To Us!

 

[out_at_sea]

The mods can see your IP address.

It depends on what sort of connection you are on, proxies that you are behind, and how large a group is behind a firewall (if any) that you too are behind.

Frequently you can at least tell what region in the world they are from - and frequently if they are in the states, you can tell what region of the states.

If - which if it is in another geographical location and has many users, would make it that much harder for people to figure it out.

Can be pinpointed to what city one is typing from? Or just the state?

 

[MarthaStewart]

Can be pinpointed to what city one is typing from? Or just the state?

It depends.

If you are subscribing to a service at home and get your net connection that way, then you go through many of their servers.
When you hit other sites, it is likely you are going through your provider's servers, and then going out to the site that you hit, and then back to your computer through your provider.
As a result, when the site traces you, depending on how your provider is naming their systems, it might look like newyork1234.attbi.com and that means that you live close enough to the new york region that they sent you through that server.

The more narrow view of it where you can get really spcific is at universities.
I can remember my machine in college had an ip that would map to student99ess.williams.edu or something very much like that.
That points directly at me and makes it very clear who is looking - but again, it doesn't mean that it was me at that machine - it just means it was my machine.

There are many ways around it.

the short answer is that Joe User can't find out too much. The mods can find out a little.
If the FBI really wanted to, then they would simply get the paperwork to get George's servers, go through the IPs, then go to your service provider and do the same.
Service providers are notoriously helpful in finding people (their customers) for large government agencies.
They are notoriously not helpful for random Joe Users find their customers.

 

[out_at_sea]

It depends.

If you are subscribing to a service at home and get your net connection that way, then you go through many of their servers.
When you hit other sites, it is likely you are going through your provider's servers, and then going out to the site that you hit, and then back to your computer through your provider.
As a result, when the site traces you, depending on how your provider is naming their systems, it might look like newyork1234.attbi.com and that means that you live close enough to the new york region that they sent you through that server.

If the FBI really wanted to, then they would simply get the paperwork to get George's servers, go through the IPs, then go to your service provider and do the same.
Service providers are notoriously helpful in finding people (their customers) for large government agencies.
They are notoriously not helpful for random Joe Users find their customers.

So a mod can find out where are you from--city--based on your connection?

 

[Upper-cruster]

It depends.

If you are subscribing to a service at home and get your net connection that way, then you go through many of their servers.
When you hit other sites, it is likely you are going through your provider's servers, and then going out to the site that you hit, and then back to your computer through your provider.
As a result, when the site traces you, depending on how your provider is naming their systems, it might look like newyork1234.attbi.com and that means that you live close enough to the new york region that they sent you through that server.

The more narrow view of it where you can get really spcific is at universities.
I can remember my machine in college had an ip that would map to student99ess.williams.edu or something very much like that.
That points directly at me and makes it very clear who is looking - but again, it doesn't mean that it was me at that machine - it just means it was my machine.

There are many ways around it.

the short answer is that Joe User can't find out too much. The mods can find out a little.
If the FBI really wanted to, then they would simply get the paperwork to get George's servers, go through the IPs, then go to your service provider and do the same.
Service providers are notoriously helpful in finding people (their customers) for large government agencies.
They are notoriously not helpful for random Joe Users find their customers.

Which one would be harder to be traced? AOL, MSN, Earthlink, NetZero or a DSL broadband connection?

Why?

 

[discussion]

where can I find an anonymous proxy? a free one btw.