IP addresses?

Question

Please respond to the questions below:

1) I am having trouble understanding a concept in my Computer Programming course: If an IP address is traced it is traced to the ISP. The person who that IP address belongs to is the account holder...right?

2) What is a dynamic IP address?

3) Can someone steal an IP address?

4) I have an unsecured wireless network. Can someone jack into my router?

5) If they can jack into my router, if they do anything illegal, it will be traced back to my house. If this is true (I hope not), will the IP address given to me by the ISP provider show me as the account holder?

Answer 1

here goes.

1) it is determined by the ISP themselves as to whether their customers have permanent static IP addresses, or whether their customers IP addresses may change - for example if the modem is turned off for a certain amount of time. in terms of law enforcement, when an ISP has to provide the details associated with an IP address they will check which of their customers was 'logged into' that IP address at the time and date provided to them by the law enforcement body - and of course your isp has all your details.

2) a dynamic IP address is the opposite of a static IP address, in that it (normally) changes every time a user connects to his or her internet service. this is especially applicable to old narrowband dial-up internet access, but as i mentioned in [1] even broadband IP addresses change on occasion.

3) IP addresses cannot be stolen, but they CAN be assigned to another user as in [2] as long as no-one else is using that IP address. OR they can be 'spoofed' in that people can send packets out into the internet with a fake IP address - but because the IP address is fake when the computer receiving the packets returns it to the IP address it came from, the packets are returned to the fake address instead. this IP address spoofing is often used by nefarious individuals to commit dedicated denial of service attacks - using these 're-directed' bouncing packets to flood a web server and take it offline.

4) easily. they click 'connect' and they're in. they can use your internet connection freely and view any shared information or files on your network. well, unless you have MAC address filtering enabled on the router of course.

5) yes, it will show as being from the IP address associated with your internet connection, as in [1], and yes they will see that 'you' were connected to your isp at that time and date because anyone connected to the internet via your router has the same IP address and they're logged into your ISP as 'you'.

if this answered you question, don't forget to 'accept' it.

Answer 2

1) Yes, your uniquely assigned IP address can be traced back to you through your ISP.

2) A Dynamic IP address is one that is assigned to a system each time it connects to a network by a DHCP server rather than having a specific, static IP addressed assigned and configured manually on the system.

3) It may be possible to "fake" and IP address as it is possible to "fake" a MAC address.

4) If you have an unsecured wireless network, then anyone within range can connect to your router. Then, anything they do, or anywhere they go, would appear to come from your router / network. Also, they could even change the administrator's password on your router to block you from making changes.

5) Same as 4. If someone surfs through your unsecured router, it will appear as the IP address assigned to you by your ISP.

Final note, secure your wireless network / router. Use at least WEP and WPA or WPA2 are even better. Further, I recommend MAC Address filtering so that only the specific MAC addresses you allow can connect to your network. MACs can be faked, but if you put this all in place, I expect someone would normally move on to an easier target.

Answer 3

Yes when an IP address is tracked it links back to the service provider (ISP) Your provider assigns you a unique IP address so that your computer can exist on the internet. Your router assumes that IP address and shares its access to the internet to each computer connected to the router by assigning each connection a local or routed IP (eg 192.168.0.104) So any activity by any computer connected to your router (even someone leeching onto your wireless connection) appears to come from you the customer. So if you have an unsecured wireless network someone can "jack" into your router and gain access to the net.

Pull out your router manual and follow the steps to turn on encryption, its pretty simple and a necessary step in your network security. Make sure you change the name and password of your router administrator also...

Answer 4

1) right
2) short answer - an IP address that is assigned by a router
3) not necessarily steal, an ip address can be spoofed, can be made to appear that traffic is generated from a diff. IP
4)Yes
5)Yes

Answer 5

1) Bingo ~
2) A non-permanent IP address automatically assigned to a host by a DHCP server

3) Yes, if you have a unsecured wireless router

4) not jack, but they can use your router

5) true, true, true although they must be in the area of your router

I SUGGEST YOU SECURE IT~~

~ some2else1