Question about IP addresses.

[Slickrick77]

Here goes, So i have DSL in my home, not comcast cable, so therefore i have a static IP address right, one that does not change evertime i log on line, correct? my understanding is that an individual with a cable internet hookup in their home has a different IP address frequently, it keeps changing or something? Can someone break it down to me? So can a friend of urs that has gotten ur IP address thru an email or something, can they tell when you log off and online? just cause they have ur ip address, what does that mean, can they tell if ur on AIM can they know ur online somehow?

Just by knowing an IP address, is it possible to tell if someone is online? could they hack into things of mine like AIM or my buddy lists?

[Tigerblade]

knowing your IP is next to meaningless. You want mine? I'll give it to you if you want. There's not much you can do with it. If you're desperate, you might trace it to the provider (I have SBC Yahoo DSL) but beyond that there's not much information connected to it.

No one can tell if you're on or offline, if you're logged into AIM or not, nothing. Your IP is just a way for the network to know which computer to send information to, like a mailing address for your computer. Think of it like this, just because you know your friend's phone number doesn't allow you to know when he's leaving his house or making dinner. Same principle.

If you're worried about someone hacking into your computer, even though the chances are minimal, make sure you have a good firewall running. I've got two basic firewalls -- the one provided by my router, and the one provided by my antivirus protection suite. i could install a few more if i wanted, but there's not really a need.

edit: if you want to check your IP address periodically (to see if it is in fact changing) you can use this site: Current IP Check

[Slickrick77]

if its meaningless, then why are some people all into getting their buddies IP adds. thru IM's and all, if u cant do nuttin with it? Your saying its simply a network thing, its numbers for use by the networks? Although it is said that AIM buddies can get ur IP by chattin' wit ya right?

do ip addresses play any kind of role in AIM?

By the way, uve answered all my messages today Tigerblade, and i really appreciate it, uve made me feel a bit safer especially with the whole AIM away message tracking questions, thanks man you really know ur $hit.

[Tigerblade]

Some people like to pretend they can hack into your computer simply by knowing your IP, and they like scaring people who don't know better. There's not much more of an explanation for it than that. It's just a network thing, just a way for one computer to communicate with another. Your computer uses its IP to let other computers know where to send information back -- like I said, think of it like a mailing address for your computer.

I'm not sure if you can get someone's IP by chatting with them. I imagine it's possible, but I think you might need to be directly connected (meaning, opening a direct IM connection like you'd be sending files or something) for that to work.

As far as I know, the only role IP addresses play in AIM (or any IM network for that matter) is as I mentioned above, as an address so the network knows where to send the data.

And no problem man, that's what we're here for.

[Slickrick77]

Ok, so if an ip address is simply a way for computers and networks to communicate and know where to send mail and all, then whats te point of firewalls? obviously they are to prevent bad things, but what kind of bad things? because i watch my firewall block hundreds of events per day, and it shows the attempted port penetration and the ip address where it comes from as well as the hostname....but what are all these companies/hackers trying to accomplish?? is it all negative stuff?? what are the deal with ports? I believe Tigerblade, you told me that IP address are no real biggy, but it sure seems like many people want at my comp as well as all the other millions of people with firewalls in this world. Is it because when we're online we have a direct connection and anything can filter in, therefore a fireall blocks that? when we chat on AIM, we are not chatting directly correct? we type a message, it goes through a sever and then is received by our budyy right? so its not like we really even have a direct connection with our buddy unless we open one volunatrily.

just what exactly are these people trying to do, these people that my firewall is blocking, cause i trace the events to see where they are coming from and its all over.

0103hrs.(et)

[Slickrick77]

can an aol subscriber or AIM member grab ur ip thru a convo?

[Tigerblade]

unless you're directly connected, not really. i'm not all that savvy when it comes to the network connections involved -- that's more up Dave or Spike's alley -- but as far as I know you can get the other person's IP through a direct connection, but not through a standard conversation.

[Slickrick77]

what the difference betwn the two, a direct connection and an AIM chat wit a buddy?, doesnt the AIM convo wit a buddy go through a servr before it goes to them, the server acts a middleman correct? but yet a DC skips the middleman(the server)?

[Slickrick77]

anyone?

[Tigerblade]

I'm pretty sure that's how it works, yes. Normal conversations are routed through the AIM servers, but direct connects are exactly that -- direct connections between your computer and your friend's computer.