Can i track an IP address down?

Buymesome · 10-15-2006, 04:29 PM

Someone stole my laptop last night. It has wireless on it and i need to know is there any chance where i can track it down by IP address or serial number?

jumpenjuhosaphat · 10-15-2006, 04:58 PM

Internet IP addresses are usually doled out by the internet service provider, so tracking it down by it's IP probably isn't going to happen. If you have the serial number, you should make a police report, that way if the theif tries to sell it at a pawn shop, you'll be able to recover it. Other than that, there really isn't alot that you can do to get it back.

Buymesome · 10-15-2006, 05:25 PM

thanks a lot

Katey · 10-15-2006, 08:18 PM

Hi there,

Unless you took out insurance, I really wouldn't try that hard to retrieve it, things like that are hard to trace...sorry to tell you that.

You have to remember some people only steal laptops for financial information, and fraudulent reasons. It will then be destroyed by the thief's.

Hope you get this resolved.

Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

thegermantruth · 10-16-2006, 08:10 PM

I am not an expert in that feild but I can tell you this. I am a U.S. Soldier and about 3 years ago while I was deployed we received a lot of laptops and even had the internet. We found out that a soldier had takin it with him right before he went on leave to the states. The army tracked it down by the i.p. address, so I was told. Allthough the military isnt poor and it may have been expensive I would say there is hope. Dont give up. I hope you catch the (*&^&(*^*^%

Katey · 10-17-2006, 12:08 AM

Hi there,

Well people can be tracked by their I.P. as each ISP owns sets of them, so people can have a good idea of where they are...a bit like a mobile, police can check them and find which masts they are in between.

But this can take time, money and effort, and may not be worth it. If you can find out the I.P. (but I don't know how you will), then download some I.P. Tracer software.

Regards,
Kieran Taylor.

Intripita-MH · 10-17-2006, 02:45 AM

If you know the IP, try pinging it to see if it's online... I'm sure there are ways you can find out if it's ON... and if it's on, you can send net msgs to it... pretty simple process I believe.

UnKnown · 10-17-2006, 03:21 AM

Buymesome, i wouldnt drive yourself crazy about.
The best thing to do is report the serial number to the police and
cross your fingers and hope a Crackhead or young kid stold it.
If that is the case you will more then likly get it back for the simple reason that kids talk to much and a crackhead needs money for the next fix.
If he had the product key to the os and reported it to microsoft as stolen could they help him if the theif decided to update the os?
I know that they have a genuine advantage validation tool for xp operating systems that they force you to install before you can update. If it dont pass the validation process it disables the os. That would cause them a headache anyways.
Just an idea

Intripita-MH · 10-17-2006, 08:06 PM

Oh - did you have anything personally identifiable (SS Number, PINs, passwords stored in Firefox) on your laptop? You may want to change all your passwords ASAP, including the one here and on other sites like PayPal, etc.

smokingredone · 10-18-2006, 01:53 AM

How old is the laptop and who makes it... some of the newer laptop have a ant-thief chip buildin so that the tracking company can trace it once online down to the ip. it would have to be turn on in the bios and the bios secure with a password no sure if you can turn the service on after the fact.

Buymesome · 10-18-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smokingredone

How old is the laptop and who makes it... some of the newer laptop have a ant-thief chip buildin so that the tracking company can trace it once online down to the ip. it would have to be turn on in the bios and the bios secure with a password no sure if you can turn the service on after the fact.

it is very new brand of toshiba bought it about a month ago..

LadyHoldem · 10-20-2006, 07:16 AM

I can't help ya get it back, or track down an IP, but I know that my puters are both super important to me, and gosh ... that sux.. I'm sorry it happened to yoU :/

Cathy

Intripita-MH · 10-20-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buymesome

it is very new brand of toshiba bought it about a month ago..

I hope you realize there are 5 other helpful replies you ignored...

10-15-2006, 04:29 PM	#1
Buymesome Smurf Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: USA Posts: 40	Can i track an IP address down? Someone stole my laptop last night. It has wireless on it and i need to know is there any chance where i can track it down by IP address or serial number? __________________ FACELOT.COM Park your face!.

10-15-2006, 04:58 PM	#2
jumpenjuhosaphat Forum Admin Contributor Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Denver Posts: 4,459	Re: Can i track an IP address down? Internet IP addresses are usually doled out by the internet service provider, so tracking it down by it's IP probably isn't going to happen. If you have the serial number, you should make a police report, that way if the theif tries to sell it at a pawn shop, you'll be able to recover it. Other than that, there really isn't alot that you can do to get it back. __________________ Storage Sheds Lost Forum

10-15-2006, 05:25 PM	#3
Buymesome Smurf Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: USA Posts: 40	Re: Can i track an IP address down? thanks a lot __________________ FACELOT.COM Park your face!.

10-15-2006, 08:18 PM	#4
Katey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hull, United Kingdom. Posts: 317	Re: Can i track an IP address down? Hi there, Unless you took out insurance, I really wouldn't try that hard to retrieve it, things like that are hard to trace...sorry to tell you that. You have to remember some people only steal laptops for financial information, and fraudulent reasons. It will then be destroyed by the thief's. Hope you get this resolved. Regards, Kieran Taylor.

10-16-2006, 08:10 PM	#5
thegermantruth Newcomer Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2	Re: Can i track an IP address down? I am not an expert in that feild but I can tell you this. I am a U.S. Soldier and about 3 years ago while I was deployed we received a lot of laptops and even had the internet. We found out that a soldier had takin it with him right before he went on leave to the states. The army tracked it down by the i.p. address, so I was told. Allthough the military isnt poor and it may have been expensive I would say there is hope. Dont give up. I hope you catch the (&^&(^*^%

10-17-2006, 12:08 AM	#6
Katey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hull, United Kingdom. Posts: 317	Re: Can i track an IP address down? Hi there, Well people can be tracked by their I.P. as each ISP owns sets of them, so people can have a good idea of where they are...a bit like a mobile, police can check them and find which masts they are in between. But this can take time, money and effort, and may not be worth it. If you can find out the I.P. (but I don't know how you will), then download some I.P. Tracer software. Regards, Kieran Taylor.

10-17-2006, 02:45 AM	#7
Intripita-MH Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 280	Re: Can i track an IP address down? If you know the IP, try pinging it to see if it's online... I'm sure there are ways you can find out if it's ON... and if it's on, you can send net msgs to it... pretty simple process I believe. __________________ Intripita :: web hosting \| development \| conferencing Business-Grade Web Hosting, Professional Conferencing, Effective Web Development by Intripita

10-17-2006, 03:21 AM	#8
UnKnown Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,145	Re: Can i track an IP address down? Buymesome, i wouldnt drive yourself crazy about. The best thing to do is report the serial number to the police and cross your fingers and hope a Crackhead or young kid stold it. If that is the case you will more then likly get it back for the simple reason that kids talk to much and a crackhead needs money for the next fix. If he had the product key to the os and reported it to microsoft as stolen could they help him if the theif decided to update the os? I know that they have a genuine advantage validation tool for xp operating systems that they force you to install before you can update. If it dont pass the validation process it disables the os. That would cause them a headache anyways. Just an idea __________________ Webmaster Resources & Forums / Webmaster Tools & Forum / eCommerce Shopping Basket / Scene Releases Last edited 10-17-2006 at 03:36 AM.

10-17-2006, 08:06 PM	#9
Intripita-MH Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 280	Re: Can i track an IP address down? Oh - did you have anything personally identifiable (SS Number, PINs, passwords stored in Firefox) on your laptop? You may want to change all your passwords ASAP, including the one here and on other sites like PayPal, etc. __________________ Intripita :: web hosting \| development \| conferencing Business-Grade Web Hosting, Professional Conferencing, Effective Web Development by Intripita

10-18-2006, 01:53 AM	#10
smokingredone Smurf Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: alexandria, va Posts: 46	Re: Can i track an IP address down? How old is the laptop and who makes it... some of the newer laptop have a ant-thief chip buildin so that the tracking company can trace it once online down to the ip. it would have to be turn on in the bios and the bios secure with a password no sure if you can turn the service on after the fact. __________________ http://singlesnmotion.com - singles networking and dating service http://wwcos-webhosting.com - affordable webhosting packages 99.9 percent up time Read the signature rules

10-20-2006, 07:16 AM	#12
LadyHoldem Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 103	Re: Can i track an IP address down? I can't help ya get it back, or track down an IP, but I know that my puters are both super important to me, and gosh ... that sux.. I'm sorry it happened to yoU :/ Cathy __________________ Online Poker News

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