An IP address is essential to online activity. But what data does it contain? Should I worry about someone finding me with my IP address?
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Can Someone Find Me With My IP Address?
People are concerned with finding me with IP address simply by someone and the following outlines how this is not possible. However only with one exception that this may happen.
Someone has my IP address, can they find me?
When you connect to the internet through your Internet Service Provider(ISP) you are assigned an
IP address. Your IP address is similar to your mailing address, but for your computer, on the internet. The IP address routes internet traffic to your computer. To clarify, it does not reveal your location. If someone was able to get your IP address they could learn a bit about your internet service, such as which provider you use to connect to the internet, but they really can't locate you, your home, or your office.
In some circumstances they may locate the city you are in, or perhaps a nearby city, but they will not have your physical address. Once they trace you back to your ISP they will lose your trail. While strangers may not be able to find you, your ISP knows where you are. ISPs will generally go to great lengths to protect you and your privacy but they do keep logs of your connections.
To clarify, with one big exception found. If you were to participate in illegal activities then a law enforcement agency can get a court order and submit it to your ISP to request your information. One way you can be found is with the involvement of law enforcement.
In the end, the simple answer is no. If someone was to get your IP address they can not find you. There are other ways you can be located but this isn't one of them. Posting your name and town online to social media would more likely tracked than by your IP address.
More about IP Addresses:
Every web site you go to will retrieve information about your computer. Information such as your IP address, the type of device you are using such as a Mac computer or a Samsung phone, etc. This information is used to provide you with a better formatted experience when displaying the web pages and content on your device. Your IP address will be used to determine which advertisements you will see. It may also determines which region and country you are in. For example, Netflix will use your IP address to determine the shows to allow you to watch and YouTube may use your IP to determine to block content that is not permitted in your country. The same IP address will be shared with your Internet providers other customers and is not unique to you. IP addresses that can have access to the internet are not cheap so the internet providers will share the IP addresses across many, possibly thousands, of it‘s customers.
To better explain this, you may think of your IP address as the number of the bus or transit stop. Other people may see you get on and off the bus, but that does not tell them how far you need to walk or where you live. It also does not tell them if you got off to transfer to another bus or a train, or if you are even going home or going to a coffee shop.
When you are not at home, your IP address information will be that of your internet provider or the internet provider of the wifi location you are using. For example:
- A coffee shop or restaurant with WIFI will show you are using the IP of that establishment.
- Your mobile phone may use a data plan which will show the IP address of your mobile provider. This can be from any region your mobile phone is routing you through so it could be very far from your location at the time.
- If you are using the WIFI from your work location or you are using your computer at work, your IP may show the company you work for, but not necessarily the same office location.
