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ItDoesntMatter

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 23, 2009
29
0
Can you be tracked down by the computer you use to connect to the internet or only by IP address?
Also.
EditL If someone were to get a new computer, use it only in public wifi locations(not go to any sites that would give personal information) and lets say "download free music" as an example, would their be any chance to get tracked down to who is using the computer?
 
IP can lead you to the ISP used. Only if the ISP chooses to (usually court order) will they reveal which account the IP belongs to. That still won't show which specific computer was used in most cases, unless your ISP arrangement gives you a permanent ID that follows your computer wherever you go, which isn't likely.

For more info: https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
 
Many years ago, Intel introduced Pentium processors that were serialized for ID purposes. Consumer backlash was so strong, that they modified the BIOS setting so that the default setting was to have the ID broadcast set to OFF.

Under current technology, you cannot "ping" a MAC address of an ethernet device, but you can trace a device pretty well if it's online and you use a Netstat agent to find the IP translation.
 
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