Summary: Getting someone's name and address from their IP address has some legalities.
I have the IP address from someone who's causing me some problems. Can I get their name and location from that?
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Yes and no.
But mostly no.
I get this question a lot, so let me explain.
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As I've discussed in previous articles, there are common services on the internet that will return information about an IP address. Services like ARIN, PlotIP and others will return information about the ISP or hosting company that owns the block that the IP is a part of. Typically that will include the name, address, phone number of the ISP.
At that point your only option is to contact the ISP and ask them. They do know which of their customers the IP is assigned to. The problem is that ISPs will not give this information out to just anyone. Typically it will require legal actions, as part of some kind of police or court proceeding, to get the ISP to release the information.
So can you get a name an address from an IP? Yes ... if you have the legal backing to go get it. Otherwise, if you're a regular person just trying to track something down on your own, you simply cannot get the information.
Related:
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How do I figure out who owns an IP address? While you cannot find the specific owner of an IP address, you can find their ISP using a WHOIS search.
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What can people tell from my IP address? People can tell very little from your IP address. They cannot, for example, tell who or where you are. How much they can tell varies a great deal.
Article C2438 - October 16, 2005
I am working for an IT security training project.Is there a way to get web site address and phone number by IP Address?
Posted by: nelaon.a at June 6, 2007 9:53 AMI found this site:
Posted by: auntypizza at June 7, 2007 4:46 AMhttp://www.auditmypc.com/anonymous-surfing.asp
which told me my EXACT CORRECT suburb, with a map.
Will be looking into how it's done.
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You must live close to your ISP's point of presence, because it's still only
information ABOUT YOUR ISP that these services can return. They CANNOT go
further, unless your ISP makes the information public.
In my case, they're 300 miles off.
Leo
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Posted by: Leo A. Notenboom at June 7, 2007 3:51 PMduw18f/KUjcsOS/v8JnHcLM=
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my computer got hacked into by someone who keeps changing they're name on yahoo. but seems to keep the same area in mind from [email address removed] to [email address removed] which is just recently. well here's my problem, they have managed to not only hack my computer but also my razor phone and sent everything from my txt's and instant messanger conversations to my spouse and all his friends. this person claims i know who it is but when i get the emails it keeps changing from i to we and they wanted me to just leave my husband for them..i feel like i'm on a lifetime movie. i don't know what to do..can anyone help and what really sucks is all this started when i started to talking to a friend who is in the Navy..apparently IT's have a whole new way of life in the military.
Posted by: Patricia at August 15, 2007 3:24 PMI'm closing comments on this article.
Please read How do I find out who's at a particular IP address? for more information on tracing IP addresses, and what it takes to do so.