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IP Addresses


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#1
boomercj

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Yes, I admit. A lot of times I need these internet things explained to me in "ID ten T" terms.

I have noticed in a few web sites I've visited there is a section which indicates my IP address and a whole bunch of numbers and dots and dashes impressively displayed. Your IP Address is... I guess I'm supposed to be awed and I would be if I knew what it all meant. All I really know is that an IP address identifies this computer to others and that it is something that I'm supposed to hold onto as if it was my virtue. (Too late for that) So why is it so important to display my IP address in a website? Is is pretty much "Look what I can do" thing on the part of the site author? Should I be concerned? Is someone taking my IP address and then watching me scratch my butt through the computer? Am I making too much out of this (I'm pretty sure the answer to this is - probably) Are software such as Anonymizer any good? worth the money? necessary? Am I the only one in the world that doesn't understand this whole IP address issue?

If you can shed a bit of light on this, I would appreciate it. After, of course, you stop giggling about me.
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#2
Johanna

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The IP address is specific for your computer, and every website you visit "knows" this info, or it couldn't offer it's site to you to view. Every website you visit can tell your browser, your operating system, your ISP name, your screen resolution, your length of stay, the pages you visited, and maybe, depending on your settings, whether you have Java enabled and the link you clicked on that brought you to that site (called a referrer link). None of this is very important information, except to the webmaster, who might tweak the site to better suit the visitors the site has. I do like your polka-dotted underwear, though, you look terrific! ;-)
Johanna
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#3
boomercj

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Thanks. I sorta knew that the website gathered all of this information for traffic stats. It just unnerved me to see this info displayed at me on a website that I'm visiting. I don't understand the need for a webmaster to put that feature on the site. It could very well be the latest and greatest in web design and I'm just not "with it" so to speak. So, if there's no cause for concern, I won't be concerned. Most importantly - thank goodness I'm not wearing my underwear with ruffles and 'FRIDAY' stitched on it!
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#4
dsenette

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I don't understand the need for a webmaster to put that feature on the site.

I guess I'm supposed to be awed

there you go...that's why they do it
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#5
boomercj

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So, in their guestbook should I put "AWE!!!"? :whistling:
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#6
dsenette

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hehehe
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#7
Johanna

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Not to hijack this thread, but I am getting a little irritated with people using dynasig to display this same info in their post signatures. It scares people with less computer experience, and it provides waaaay too much info to dynasig for free about user's browsing habits.
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#8
dsenette

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and to hijack it even further...we've technically got a policy here at G2G forbidding such sigs...so if you've got one of those sigs and you're posting here...remove it from your signature
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#9
boomercj

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As I had mentioned before, I never had a reason to really know, care, understand IP addresses and such. I use the internet for research mostly - irs and other tax authorities sites, (now that the boss isn't looking... shopping), relevant message boards and those things. I'm not big into gaming or care to be. Now that I found GTG, I check out the the forums. I like to check out web sites in the critique area. I have made a website or two - admittedly very amatuer (homework projects) - and like to see what others are doing. Those sites are where I first started coming across the IP address info being displayed. And yes, it did take me by surprise because it comes across as if to say "Look what I know about you and there is nothing you can do about it, so there!" Yes, I'm old and old fashioned. Yes, I'm an internet stick in the mud. Yes, I know enough about these things to know that I don't know enough. Yes, I over-react. But at least I can admit it, and admitting it is the first step toward recovery.
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#10
Johanna

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Well, the IP addy just tells the website where to send the info requested, it would be the FBI talking to your ISP, with all appropriate paperwork, to find out the name and physical address of the person with that IP number. If you have broadband (cable or dsl) your IP addy doesn't change much. If you use dial up, or worse, AOL, your IP addy changes every time you connect. (AOL will skew the most carefully crafted website statistics, because each link clicked on can generate a new "visit") People can also use public Internet services to hide their real identity, or proxies, so it is prudent to be careful. Never release any personal information to websites you don't trust, or to people you don't know.
Johanna
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#11
danielandpenny

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Yes, I admit. A lot of times I need these internet things explained to me in "ID ten T" terms.

I have noticed in a few web sites I've visited there is a section which indicates my IP address and a whole bunch of numbers and dots and dashes impressively displayed. Your IP Address is... I guess I'm supposed to be awed and I would be if I knew what it all meant. All I really know is that an IP address identifies this computer to others and that it is something that I'm supposed to hold onto as if it was my virtue. (Too late for that) So why is it so important to display my IP address in a website? Is is pretty much "Look what I can do" thing on the part of the site author? Should I be concerned? Is someone taking my IP address and then watching me scratch my butt through the computer? Am I making too much out of this (I'm pretty sure the answer to this is - probably) Are software such as Anonymizer any good? worth the money? necessary? Am I the only one in the world that doesn't understand this whole IP address issue?

If you can shed a bit of light on this, I would appreciate it. After, of course, you stop giggling about me.


I appreciate this question and would like to add this: can anyone find my IP address to somehow know from their own computer what sites I've visited, what I've typed, etc.? I know the webmaster of each site I visit can do SOME things but let's just say some average joe who wants to know things....could they find out? Thanks!!
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