Question about IP's (sort of)

[Xaqaria]

Okay, I'm fairly adept with computers but I know next to nothing about networking. My question is, if I am picking up internet from a wireless router in a neighbor's house; how difficult is it to trace my activity directly to my computer? Is the trail going to end at their house, or is their some way to find where I'm connecting from, and if there is; is it something that will still be findable after I disconnect from their network?

[Ynot]

the only way to geographically fix a wireless connection is via triangulation Someone will need to isolate the stream of packets between you and your neighbour's router, and then using 3-4 receivers in different locations, try to triangulate your position *edit* sorry, I think I've misunderstood what you're asking you mean, if you are leeching a torrent and someone is spying on the leechers can it come back to you? in this case, no, it'll end it the router

[Kushna Mufeed]

Not sure for certain, but I'd guess they'd be able to trace it to the router, but they won't be able to trace it to your computer unless you're connected to the network. Such a strange question... Naughty naughty...

[Ynot]

Naughty naughty... I often hop on my neighbours network just to see what I look like in torrent swarms, etc from other people's connections nought wrong with that I equate it to using the loo in someone's house as long as you don't leave a horrible mess after you, no problem

[Deus Ex Machina]

Well I won't be shy and admit I have done some of my leeching from neighbors wifi, I even brought an SRX 400 attenna for the bigger pc At first it was cause this place had no phone connection or cable installed to begin with, so I didn't wanna pay. But now I'm a law abiding citizen Anyway, they won't figure out it;s you, tho they might call there ISP and ask whats wrong with there cnnection, then the isp could tell em well if you're using a router someone could be spooning off it and then they'll just turn off the router/modem when not in use @.@

[Ne-yo]

Can you say "Network Sniffer?" It would be a cakewalk to figure out who it was if you happen to check email. ISP_A can call up E-mail Provider_B and usually find out what account the person logged in with if they suspect something was up and with most ISP's all connections are logged. Also the wireless router should be logging the MAC address of the card, which uniquely identifies your computer. However tracking directly to you at the keyboard is a tougher feat, but by no means is it difficult to trace someone's activity on the network.

[Captain Sleepalot]

Also the wireless router should be logging the MAC address of the card, which uniquely identifies your computer. That's really probably all that you need to know, Xaqaria. There are ways to mask that I would imagine...if you don't know how, though, just keep what Ne-yo said in mind.

[Rakjavik]

but by no means is it difficult to trace someone's activity on the network. If they are a computer a geek then this is true. Considering he is tapping into a neighbor's wifi and then saying he doesn't know networking (which means cracking WEP or WPA is out of the question), I think it's safe to assume that the neighbor is not using encryption, and therefore is a computer noob. And computer noobs are not going to be monitoring or logging their traffic. I think he's safe.

[Xaqaria]

Okay, I've got another question. Is it possible for me as a normal user to find the IP address of someone else who is using a forum?

[Ynot]

Okay, I've got another question. Is it possible for me as a normal user to find the IP address of someone else who is using a forum? no only possible if you control the forum (ie. admin or whatever)

[Ynot]

I know I've mentioned this before, somewhere but all you really need to do, is set a webserver up (you can even do it on your home machine if you have a static IP) plonk an image on it, then PM the image to your "victim" once he reads the PM, bam, his IP is in your server log