How to Find People's IP Addresses
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique set of four 3-digit numbers separated by periods that identifies computers and devices on a computer network. IPs are either static (non-changing) or dynamic, meaning they are assigned to the computer from a pool of numbers issued through your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Don't confuse IP with the MAC (Media Access Control) address, which is the hardware address number of your network's device.
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Instructions
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Vista and Windows 7
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1
Open the Windows Start menu and click Control Panel to open the settings window. Depending on your selected view, click "View network status and tasks" under the Network and Internet Group or "Network Sharing Center." Next, from the menu on the left, choose "Change Adapter Settings."
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2
Right-click the chosen network ("Local Area" if the computer has a cable connection, or "Wireless"). From the network sub-menu, left-click "Properties."
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3
Click the "General" tab. If "Use the following IP address" is set, then the IP numbers appear in the IP address box. If the computer was set to "Obtain an IP address automatically," then the IP can change at any time and is not viewable.
Windows XP
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4
Open the Control Panel from the Start menu. If Classic View is set, double-click "Network Connections;" in Category View, double-click "Network and Internet Connections" and then left-click "Network Connections."
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5
Right-click either "Local Area Connection" or "Wireless" (depending on the type of active connection) and then left-click the "Properties" button.
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6
Left-click "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and then left-click "Properties." The Internet Protocol Properties window opens. If the computer has a static IP, the address appears in the IP address box.
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Tips & Warnings
Make use of free online services that offer geographic location spotting of IP addresses.
The Internet Protocols window also displays, if available, DNS information. Dynamic Name Server is a user-friendly method, using words instead of numbers, to identify IP addresses.
References
Resources
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