Online anonymity lets users gets nasty

[AnimeSpirit]

Originally Posted by joepole

>Your IP is a number on your computer that distinguishes your computer from others on the Internet.

It's not necessarily on your computer, it could be on a router several spots up the chain. We're working with an ISP in Alabama that gives all of their customers private IP addresses. There's not a public, traceable address anywhere in your house, it's all 10.x.x.x. An end user would know your ISP, but that does them no good.

>For most ISPs, this number constantly changes on your computer.

For most cable and dsl users it changes rarely, if ever. I've had the same address for years at home. For dialup it obviously changes every time you get a different modem.

I'm not suprised. There may be some ISPs that offer private IP addresses, but most people like us will use the local services that offer the brand of Internet service most ordinary users need. Most people who are not seasoned on the Internet are too unaware of the functions of IP addresses to seek out a service like the one you have mentioned.

I've got Bellsouth DSL at home and have had it for years. My IP changes every night at midnight. I have watched it happen numerous times. I can't speak for cable modems though because I've never had one, but I believe they remain the same unless they drop the connection for whatever reason. Aside from that, they are considered dynamic. However, I do know that ISPs have become infamous for selling static IPs as an additional service for people who run servers of some kind. A static IP address from Bellsouth is $14.95 per month in addition to your DSL service bill, unless you have their DSL Xtreme service that comes with a static IP for free.