Question to the experts...

[Jayce]

I can't give any details into the situation for this all to make sense, but I basically need to know one thing:

Based on the available network tools that are "readily" available on the internet, is there any way you can trace somebody's IP address to their HOUSE? I know about tracert and I know you can pinpoint the general city of where the IP originated from, but is there any way to BAM! They live on 23 blossom drive!

I'm not asking HOW to do this. I'm not asking for any malicious help. But this question was brought to me from a very serious situation and I wasn't too positive myself.

Any input?

 

[oldskool]

I could be wrong, but I don't believe there is a single piece of software available on the internet that will do that. Law enforcement use a number of tools to figure out a location when looking for criminals for example, and I'm not implying criminal activity here, but even so, I am sure they aren't using one piece of software or technique.

*Disclaimer: I'm no expert, but thats my .02 worth.

 

[Jayce]

Thanks for your input. Yeah this isn't in any regard asking on HOW to do this, I was just looking to find out how possible it was to be accomplished by the average skilled computer user.

It's just a nasty situation that sprouted between extended family members and one side is obviously at fault but claim they "traced" the other side to being the one that landed the nasty blog/email/post/whatever. The question just came to me due to the fact I'm the only "computer guy" in the family and although I was 99% certain this is typically impossible, I still wasn't "positive" so I was trying to just find out from anybody here if they knew it was possible in a way I wasn't aware.

I honestly think it's just a pathetic situation with very bored people who are acting extremely immature but they "claimed" to have had an expert do the trace, and since I don't know who it is (if they exist) I didn't want to be all ego-loaded and say aww naw there's no chance it's all good etc etc if there really was a chance.

 

[kmote]

No. It's not possible without information from the ISP.

 

[Lexluethar]

It can't be done.

If you trace anyones IP address (which you can do) it will only show you where the origin of the IP is, not the persons actual location. I checked mine and it shows that there is a substation within about 20 miles of my house which is where my IP is originating from, but without information from your ISP people cannot get where you live off of your IP.

Even law enforcement have to go this route, they get your IP, find out your ISP, then get with your ISP in order to find out who you are and your mailing address, etc. So i guess techincally if you got someones IP, hacked their ISP to find information on billing, you could find out where someone lived.

Sounds like a bunch of BS to me.

 

[Jayce]

That's exactly what I thought. But I always assume someone out there is smarter than I am with tech stuff so I didn't want to be like "oh it's not possible at all" when I didn't know personally as a cold hard fact whether or not it was.

Thanks, guys, for helping me clear this up. Much appreciated.

 

[oldskool]

It can't be done.

If you trace anyones IP address (which you can do) it will only show you where the origin of the IP is, not the persons actual location. I checked mine and it shows that there is a substation within about 20 miles of my house which is where my IP is originating from, but without information from your ISP people cannot get where you live off of your IP.

Even law enforcement have to go this route, they get your IP, find out your ISP, then get with your ISP in order to find out who you are and your mailing address, etc. So i guess techincally if you got someones IP, hacked their ISP to find information on billing, you could find out where someone lived.

Sounds like a bunch of BS to me.

Yeah, thats kinda what I was saying, it takes multiple approaches to achieve this sort of thing. Glad we could help, mate.