Ip address locator how does it work

While the WHOIS system works well to find and contact owners of websites, it is not effective for geolocating the site's servers or users. Several online services allow you to search for the geographic location of an IP address by entering it into a simple web form. Two popular services are Geobytes and IP2Location. Each of these services uses proprietary databases of addresses based on internet traffic flow and website registrations.

The databases were designed for use by web site creators and can be purchased as a downloadable package for that purpose. A company named Skyhook Wireless built a geolocation database of a different kind. Their system is designed to capture the Global Positioning System location of home network routers and wireless access points , which may also include residential street addresses. The Skyhook system is not publicly available. Thousands of wireless hotspots serve public connections around the world.

Various online databases find Wi-Fi hotspots by mapping the hotspot location including its street address. These systems work well for travelers seeking internet access. However, hotspot finders provide only the network name of the access point and not its actual IP address. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. And your internet service provider ISP also has a record of that visit. But ISPs keep a record of IP address activity, which means that, in rare cases, they can share that information with others.

And while your IP address only provides limited information to the servers your network communicates with, it does give them some data about you. Why does anyone have to track your IP address to begin with? But there are three main instances where that information will be used or accessed by a third party. IP addresses are how we as a society identify people who commit illegal activities online in order to hold them accountable. This ranges from small offenses to large. When someone downloads media or software illegally, the company that holds the copyright can find out and track the action to a particular IP address.

IP addresses are also used in identifying the offenders behind spam and phishing emails. If a person sells or distributes something illegal online or talks about committing a crime on an online platform, law enforcement can demand their personal information from your ISP. Most internet service providers have strict privacy rules they abide by, so the average person asking for information is unlikely to be successful.

But a law enforcement representative or copyright lawyer that comes equipped with evidence will be treated differently. In some legal cases, an IP address can be tracked back to a specific individual. When it comes to marketing uses though, IP tracking is more anonymized than that.

IP addresses do reveal your geolocation, but not your precise location like a home address and never your name, phone number, or other precise personal information. Instead, IP addresses might reveal your city, ZIP code, or area code of where you are connecting to the internet at that moment — this is why IP addresses change every time you connect from a new location or using a new router. Sure, these internet-connected devices share their IP address with your router, but your router uses its own IP address to grant your device access to the World Wide Web.

Finally, to put your mind at ease, we have answers to a few common IP address FAQs regarding what information an IP address reveals about you:. Remember, IP addresses are like your membership card to the internet and are required to enter any website and webpage on it.

This includes social media sites , internet forums, chatrooms, and blogs you comment on. All of these platforms can view your IP address. Authorities, including, law enforcement or fraud investigators, can also use subpoenas to contact your ISP and get your IP address. When it comes to others trying to find your IP address, some might have malicious intentions, such as to track you. Others, however, might be watching out for you, such as a well-intentioned bank confirming a transfer request is being submitted by you.

Finally, just because someone knows your IP address does not necessarily mean they will wind up on your doorstep. Still, you might want to take measures to protect your IP address. The simplest and most straightforward way to protect your IP address is to use a virtual private network VPN because this anonymizes your online activity using encryption.

It also changes your IP address completely, placing your geolocation hundreds or maybe thousands of miles from where you actually are accessing the internet. After all, being informed is a best practice when it comes to protecting our online privacy.

The way the IP-based geolocation works is simply by checking which IP range is used by which area, using an IP-to-location database. So, you can find the information like the country and the city that your users come from, just by knowing their IP address. But this is also the reason why IP location is so useful. Once they connect to your site you already know their IP address, so just by using the Users Insights Geolocation module, you can find their location.

IP-based geolocation is the most used technique for tracking the user locations for a reason.