How to Trace Stolen Laptops

If your laptop is stolen and you need to trace it, you can use a free, open-source solution to track it down--using the IP address. If you know the IP address of your stolen or missing computer, you will know where it was last connected to the internet. This information is invaluable in tracking the physical location of the computer because IP addresses can be resolved to locations anywhere on the globe. This mechanism can be used to help law enforcement officials to recover your computer.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access
• Laptop computer
• Additional computer

Instructions

1. Download Adeona, a free, open-source laptop tracing software program onto the computer that you want to trace.

2. Open the AdeonaSetup.exe program. Double-click on it and proceed through the automated installation process. When you reach the screen that asks you whether you want to install the client software, recovery tools or both, choose the client software option only. You will be asked to enter a password and then to save a .OST file. Save this to a safe location on a different computer that you will use to trace your laptop.

3. Proceed through the installation process again. Use a different computer that you will use to trace your computer. In this situation, you will want to choose the option to only install the recovery tools on the computer.

4. To test or use the retrieval system, open the recovery tools on your computer. Open the .OST file that was saved during the set up of the client software. Input the date and time range desired to search for the laptop as well as how many locations should be searched for. Enter the password that was defined during the client software set up process.

5. The recovery process may take several minutes to finish. Once it is done, there will be a new folder on your desktop that contains detailed location information on your computer, including time, date and IP address information. This information can be taken to a law enforcement agency and used to find and recover your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• Never try to recover a computer yourself. You should always contact a law enforcement agency so that you don't put yourself into unnecessary danger.

References

• Adeona