IP address

[MikeyC]

Just a thought, all desktop PC's have a 'fixed' IP address when the internet is accessed from them, but whats the case with laptop PC's? Do they have a fixed IP address also or does this change everytime the internet is accesses?

[firg]

nonono, All PC's are assigned an IP address when you connect to the internet, so, if you have an always on (eg NTL cable) connection, then your address doesnt change (unless the cable gets disconnected due to downtime etc), but if you have a dial up 56k then your IP address is always changing because you are constantly connecting and disconnecting.

hope that helps,
Loz

edit:

The dial up IP is usually only in a certain range assigned to that ISP (eg 81.100.3.0 - 81.100.5.255)
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[menzic]

Why were you wondering? If we know why we might be able to offer some advice. You can check it yourself each time, just open up a command prompt and type 'ipconfig' then hit return.

[MikeyC]

it's interesting, a mate of mine wants to send an email to someone but doesnt' want to be traced, so was thinking whether it would be better to send from a laptop rather than a desktop to avoid being traced via IP address

[menzic]

Arhhh covert stuff. I assume he is sending via a brand new Hotmail, Yahoo or some such thing. I don't know how good these companies are at matching sent emails to IP Addresses. If they do capture them then they can then be traced back to his ISP, then from his ISP to the account that was used to dial up ie His.

Not condoning this kind of activity but the best way is to go to an internet cafe, create a new account on yahoo / hotmail etc and send it from there. Can't see how that could be traced.

[MikeyC]

well this is what I thought, online accounts such as hotmail are proper hard to trace, hence my laptop vs desktop question, wonder if there's another way other than internet cafe...?

[firg]

Well, its pretty hard to do that, cause even if you use a dial up account, they can just ask the ISP who had that IP address at that specific time...

And please, lose the idea of laptops having different IP's to desktops, its the connection type that counts, not the computer size. After all a laptops just a small PC.

It just used to be more commen that laptops would dial into telephone lines cause theyre available everywhenre, whilst high speed cable isnt. (although, with the advent of mass wireless networking, this is likely to change in the near future)

edit: Just seen latest post. Internet cafes have CCTV to stop people stealing stuff. and they like to have a name when you buy time. It depends how far this person is willing to go to find out who sent the email...
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Ex-'96 Bandit 600S -> '99 Bandit 600 -> K7 V-Strom 650

[menzic]

You could search for a pay as you go ISP. Some don't require any information from you, you just pay for the phone call. However it depends how much they want to trace you. As if the IP address could be traced back from the email to the ISP, they might have a record of the number that dialled... although using 141 or whatever it is these days to block it might work.

I'm sure someone will come up with a fool proof idea.

[Beechy]

Guys,

The art of covert email sending is all to do with relaying via someone's SMTP server.

SMTP servers send emails throughout the internet. For instance if you have a hotmail or yahoo account when you click send the email you've entered is sent to their SMTP server which then forwards it on to another STMP server, and another and so on until it reaches it's destination.

When you look at an email header it's the transmission path you look at to trace it.

Sooooo, if you use an SMTP server that you wouldn't normally use (i.e. a freeserve one if you haven't got a freeserve account etc...) you can tell it to send a message from whoever to whoever and you'll not be able to be tracked.

(Well, this isn't strictly true but as long as what you're sending isn't illegal no-one will be bothered to investigate it and I seriously doubt the recipient would ever determine who it was really from.)

So, there you go - it's at this point where I invite you all to use my SMTP server at chrisbeech.com but as I don't want lots of people moaning at me saying they've received lots of spam email from my server I've locked it down - sorry!!

That's another thing, particularly with dial-up accounts ISPs generally prevent access to their SMTP server unless you're on their sub-net. This is a security measure to avoid their SMTP servers dishing out shed loads of emails from people outside of their concern.

Be good now....

Chris

P.S. I in no-way condone sending dodgy emails, spamming or the such (cos it's really really really annoying and I HATE spam). There's no denying it can be amusing watching a work colleage sweat when he thinks he's had an email from the boss telling him he's fired although this is really naughty and you shouldn't do it...capisch?
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Just face it, some days you're the pigeon and others the statue...
https://www.chrisbeech.com

[carvell]

Laptop's and PC's are exactly the same in every way, the both have the same insides and they both work in exactly the same way, only its all crammed onto a smaller circuit board in a laptop and it uses a physically small hard disk drive etc.

Sending an e-mail via a laptop is exactly the same as sending it via a PC.

As someone said, the best way to anonymously send an e-mail is to bounce it off another SMTP server. Or, create a local SMTP server on your machine, and set the mail client to send it through your own SMTP server, straight to the recepitants e-mail hosting company.

You will find some anonymous mailers on the internet which will work using the PHP 'mail' command - these cannot really be traced.

No matter how you send the mail, it can be traced. If it contains information relating to highly illegal activities or terrorist things, it can and will tracked down to you. (even by using a cyber cafe, you may pay for the time on debit card, CCTV, etc.)
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Yamaha TDM 850

[cagiva gezzer]

How about if i set up a yahoo/hotmail account in a internet cafe and only use the account via a pay-as-you-go WAP phone?
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[Mrs Kickstart]

If you are sending it from a wap phone it will be traceable to the phone. So for it to work you need a phone with no connection to you (not even ever bought credit for with a card).

ISP record information on whose dialled in on what IP address and sending email so It is hard to get round.
Also even if I knew a foolproof I would not publish it here it would encourage too much spam.

If you are over 18 at NOT at work then try the search engine www.astalavista.box.sk