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IP Addresses for Session Tracking

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 3:25 pm
by musashi
I realize that IP addresses can either be dynamic or static. Most often the dynamic IPs are seen with dial-up people vs. the static enjoyed by DSL and Cable modems, and so on. My question though has to do with an established connection. To my knowledge, IPs, dynamic or not, do not change and are specific to one computer during an established connection to an ISP (if you are a dial-up). Meaning, if I have a dial-up connection and I visit a site, my IP won't change unless I am disconnected and forced to log on again. I think this should be the case whether or not I have a proxy server, since the data being sent from the web server to me must have an address that identifies me, and only me.

Bottom line, is an IP address enough information to maintain a session identity (not a secure one, mind you, just one for identity purposes)?

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 5:00 pm
by superwormy
No, IP addresses are not reliable.

AOL users ( which there are still unfortunately a lot of ) constantly jump from one IP to another, because AOL uses some sort of wierd @$$ proxying for their subscribers.

In addition, for anyone behind a Proxy server ( for instance a business ) EVERY PERSON BEHIND THE SERVER WILL APPEAR AS A SINGLE IP ADDRESS.

Same thing with many routers, every computer behind it appears as a single IP address.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2003 8:59 pm
by Stoker
as already mentioned, a lot of business and any proxy using service such as the extremely expensive and crapy AOL serrvice will appear from the same ip.. as well as home/cable/dsl users that have a router/gateway, usually called a "NAT" gateway (Network Address Translation), meaning the gateway takes care of all outgoing connections, so it appears to the world this is the only host connected...