If your IP address changes everytime you log onto the internet, how can some sites identify you?

Question

sorry better clarify-some sites, particularly message boards, seems to be able to identify you by your IP address. But I was under the impression that everytime you log on a different session on the internet, your IP address changes?

Answer 1

What a really good question!

If you use a dial-up connection to the internet, then your IP address changes every single time you log on.

If you use an "Always-On" (High-Speed?) connection, then you may keep the same IP address for days, weeks, or even months!
(Even if you re-boot!)

Or, you may even have a "Static" IP address, which always stays the same.

But most sites don't use your IP address to identify you.
Most sites, like hotmail and e-bay, use a small text file called a "Cookie". When you go to their website, they install this small, usually harmless, file onto your comuter called a "Cookie".
When you come back to thier site, they search for their "Cookie" on your computer and, when they find it, they know who you are.

You can disable Cookies in your browser, but many sites will tell you that you must have cookies enabled in your browser to access ther web site.

You can clear your cookies after each web session
(Launch Internet Explorer, then on the top bar, click on "Tools - Internet Options - Delete Cookies - OK)
Then the next time you visit the web sites that use Cookies, they won't know who you are until you tell them by signing on.

Answer 2

Cookies

It does change on most non-server boxes, with each logon. Your computer asks for an IP address and a DHCP server says "here you are". For broadband, it's the ISP's server that does that.

Websites, meanwhile, store a cookie (a short little file) on your hard drive when you visit them. When you go back, the first thing the site looks for is any cookies that may be there. It reads the cookies and figures out who you are and what you were up to.

Needless to say, cookies need careful handling, as they're a powerful tool for hackers. If your gear is properly protected, you're OK though.

Answer 3

Some net users do have static IP addresses, and some have dynamic ones. It depends on your ISP really.

But anyway, the answer to your question is Cookies.

Not biscuits, but a small text file which the website saves to a designated cookies folder on your computer, allowing it to identify you the next time you visit the site.

Answer 4

Most websites use "Cookies" for this purpose.

Cookies:
HTTP cookies, sometimes known as a web cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a web browser and then sent back unchanged by the browser each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for authenticating, tracking, and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences and the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The term "cookie" is derived from "magic cookie," a well-known concept in UNIX computing which inspired both the idea and the name of HTTP cookies.

Cookies have been of concern for Internet privacy, since they can be used for tracking browsing behavior. As a result, they have been subject to legislation in various countries such as the United States and in the European Union. Cookies have also been criticised because the identification of users they provide is not always accurate and because they could potentially be used for network attacks. Some alternatives to cookies exist, but each has its own drawbacks.

Answer 5

By using cookies.

When you log into a web site that uses cookies, the site instructs Internet Explorer (or whatever browser you are using) to write a tiny text file onto your hard drive (into C:\documents and settings\\\\cookies). This contains a signature.
Then when you log back in to the site, IE reads the cookie and sends the data back to the site, so allowing it to recognise you.

Answer 6

some IP's do change, some dont. for people to say yours dont means they have way more knowledge of your setup then is healthy. its probably more like their own experience.

as for webpages remembering you, they don't. the computer remembers you visiting the page before and writes a cookie that includes your login information and any other pertinent information that it is told to remember.

f you want to have a look its in the cookies folder on your drive. they are all txt file based.

to change your options, go to Tools>Internet Options and then the security tab. you can set your own security settings from there

Answer 7

It doesn't. Most ISP's let you keep your address for at least 3 days. And if you have cable or DSL you probably have a permanent address. If you have (snicker) dial-up, your program would have to log in each time you changed your IP to give your new address to whatever you're logging into.

Answer 8

Each web site places a cookie on your computer with an identifiable variable which id's you. In most cases it might be the username (like Yahoo) and in other cases its the identifiable var which id's you.

Answer 9

They use Cookies.. a string of text left on your computer by their site for later verification

Answer 10

It doesnt run ipconfig from 'run' on the start bar