How to Track an Email by the IP Address

When exchanging emails, sometimes a person will want to know where the original email came from. The way to track down the originating source is first to locate the IP address. Locating the IP address is not a difficult process, although the procedure differs slightly between Google, Yahoo, and Outlook email browsers. Once you have the IP address, you will have to input it into a website or program with a location lookup for IP addresses. Two of the most popular are IP2Location and GeoBytes IP Locator.

Instructions

Using IP2Location

1. Open the email and click the down arrow located to the right of the "Reply" button if you are using Gmail.

2. Click "Show Original", look through the lines of text that start with "Received from". The "Received from" farthest down is the original source of the email, and the number to the right will be their IP address.

3. Open the email in Yahoo and click the down arrow next to "Standard Header". Highlight "Full Header".

4. Look through "Received from" lines of text until you find the one farthest down, then copy down the IP address listed to the right.

5. Open the email in Outlook, then click "View" and select "Options".

6. Look through the text in the box labeled "Internet Headers", again scrolling down to find the farthest down line that says "Received from", then copy down the IP address to the right.

7. Enter the IP address into an IP locator to determine the location of the IP address.

Using GeoBytes IP Locator

1. Go to geobytes.com. Your first 20 searches on the website are free.

2. Enter the IP address you looked up to the right of "IP Address to locate".

3. Press the "Submit" button. Detailed geographical information about the IP address will come up, including region, city, and latitude and longitude.

Using IP2Location

1. Go to ip2location.com. You are permitted 20 free searches per day on this website.

2. Enter the IP address in the box provided on the web site.

3. Click "Find Location". The web site will provide detailed information about the city, state, and type of Internet provider used by the particular IP address.

References

• Online Tech Tips: How To Track The Original Location Of An Email
• Geobytes: IP Locator
• IP 2 Location: Find IP Addresses

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish