Is my internet history when on a wireless network saved somewhere if so where?

Question

I work in a small office, seven computers, which all use the same internet connection through a router (my computer is wireless, some aren't). Does my internet history get recorded somewhere, and if so where and how can I get rid of it? If I take the computer home (it's a laptop) and use a different ISP is the history still recorded?

Answer 1

Generally, the internet history is only recorded on your own computer. However, it is possible that your employer has a computer attached to the router that records everything that gets accessed on their network. A number of government agencies do this routinely. Generally, they have to tell you that they are doing it, though.

If you use your computer at home, again, it will be recorded on that computer. Clearing your cache, cookies, and history, as well as temp files and file history should take care of most of it.

Next time, don't use your work computer to look at porn.

Answer 2

Here are the places your browsing history is -- or at least can be -- recorded:

1. Your machine. By default, your browsing history is tracked locally on your machine. The steps for getting rid of that history are varied, depending on the operating system you have, and whether or not your employer has installed additional items on your machine (keyloggers, a batch file that sends your history back when you connect, or what have you.)

2. The machine(s) behind the wireless access point you connect to. That might be the router portion of the wireless router you use, it might be another gateway machine that you do/do not know about. Just about every network-connected device out there has the ability to keep detailed activity logs, provided someone understands how to (a) turn the logging on, and (b) parse the logs for useful information.

3. The ISP that the company uses. Sure, it might not be information available without a warrant (one would hope) but your surfing information -- tied to your employer's account, anyway -- is there.

4. The web sites you visit. Each one most likely keeps as much information about each visitor as they can. They may not have your name or your machine's IP address, but they'll certainly have the IP address your employer is connecting to the ISP with.

You have a certain amount of control over option 1, almost no control over the rest -- and for 2-4, it's preventative actions, not retroactive actions, that would keep your privacy secure. If you haven't been surfing through a privacy proxy, for instance, you're out of luck.

So now what? Well, either you've already used your work computer to surf somewhere inappropriate, and now you're just holding your breath to see if anyone notices -- or you're about to turn in your laptop (for an upgrade, or because you're leaving the company) and you don't what anyone to know what you've done.

Assuming the latter (that you're turning the laptop in), your safest bet is to replace the drive with a new, equal-size blank one, and tell 'em "I sometimes use my computer for non-business purposes, so I wanted to make sure that data wasn't floating around."

You could use a disk-wiping program to accomplish the same goal, although you had better make sure it's a good one (a high-level format won't cut it; the links to the files will be gone, but the data will still be there and can be recovered.)

If you can't admit that you've wiped the machine...well, there's always "wipe the machine, then drop the laptop off of a table until it's damaged, then claim the drive died when it happened" -- but I strongly advise against it. Worst case, you'll end up having to pay for the laptop AND people will get the idea that you were trying to hide something. Far better to simply appear like you're looking out for your -- and the company's -- best interests by wiping the drive thoroughly and turning the computer in that way.

The moral of this story: never, ever use your work computer for non-work activities, and vice versa. If you're too cheap to buy your own laptop, then use a cheap desktop for your personal activity.

Answer 3

The Internet History is recorded on your laptop no matter what ISP you use.

If the network at work is set up to track employees activities then it could keep track of your Internet History, since all Internet traffic could pass through it. If there is no computer running the network then each computer is responsible for tracking it's own Internet History. However, most routers only have 4 channels for wire input and another for wireless input. Since the transmission lag is so short though the router can control the network and Internet network for several computers. The choke point is the speed at which the the computer can absorb the information. Since transmission speeds are faster than this choke point one router can control more than one computer.

You need to talk with your IT professional or who installed and set up the network to find out how it was done and which computer keeps track of Internet activity.

Answer 4

Logs are all saved to the router: http://192.168.1.1 (default) That is the router's default IP address. However to get in you might need a user name and password so if it is a companies router they might change the routers IP address.

All routers have a log inside of them, when you get home you should be able to use the link, feel free to poke around your router so you can see where the log is. The log history is good only for a few days because the router can only store so much, but it is up to the tech peopel to clear it or it will override it manually..

The router logs are very.. lets just say vague it might say JohnPC01 www.advertisment.web.com nothing else really. Unless there is some activity like someone trying to access the router or ping the network then the log will be more detailed.

Answer 5

Your internet history is recorded in:

C:\Documents and Settings\[Your Name]\Local Settings\History. For cleaning up things like this from your machine I recommend CCleaner (www.ccleaner.com)

As for you connecting at work - provided the connection is You > Router > ISP it is not likely that your internet activity is recorded anywhere else. Although it is possible depending on the software installed on the machines by your IT Administrator.

Answer 6

Possibly in the router logs

Answer 7

its recorded in my history and in some hidden places on the computer to clean those places you can use this ccleaner google it and download it .