Quick answer needed about IP addresses!!

caister · 9 Jun 2007 at 23:04

OK basically is it possible to steal another persons ip address and then set that ip as yours? I'm not talking about doing it over a network but over the internet.

I'm asking as somebody I know thinks that they have had this done to them but I thought that IP's were individual to each interent connection like a telephone number.

Just a yes or no will do i'm not interested in how its done!!!

Thanks

Werewolf · 9 Jun 2007 at 23:08

No

and no - ip addresses are not like telephone numbers (at least for us plebs), as most consumer ISP's don't give you a static IP address, instead you are normally assigned one from a pool of available IP addresses in your ISP's range.

However, only one connection gets to use an IP address at any one time normally (so with most isp's you are likely to keep the IP address until you disconnect).

caister · 9 Jun 2007 at 23:11

Werewolf said:
No

and no - ip addresses are not like telephone numbers (at least for us plebs), as most consumer ISP's don't give you a static IP address, instead you are normally assigned one from a pool of available IP addresses in your ISP's range.

However, only one connection gets to use an IP address at any one time normally (so with most isp's you are likely to keep the IP address until you disconnect).

Brill thanks for the quick answer

Trifid · 9 Jun 2007 at 23:20

Just to add a second no. Your IP address is assigned by your ISP (whether statically or dynamically.)

There are IP spoofer (or hide your IP) software that will make it "appear" to have a different IP address.

NachT · 10 Jun 2007 at 12:15

Trifid said:
There are IP spoofer (or hide your IP) software that will make it "appear" to have a different IP address.

Yeah I was gonna say this, that might have happened.

Uhtred · 10 Jun 2007 at 13:19

There was once a case with the isp i used to work for where 2 connections were assigned the same IP address in the database. Both connections had very odd problems for months, slow speeds, high pings, packet loss etc until i spotted it.

The only other way it could happen that i can think of is if someone gets your modem's username and password and uses your details.

Rich · 10 Jun 2007 at 14:13

Or physically breaks into your ISP. Chances of that happening = next to zero.

Augustus · 10 Jun 2007 at 15:07

Yes, it CAN happen. Not steal but have the same one assigned to two customers.

The ISP's are only as good as the people they have managing their databases.

It happens more than you would think.