IP address questions

[45DAVID1]

How can I tell where an email is originating from based on IP address?

I think my ex's mom is sending me emails from the ex's account. If there a way to trace the IP back to the originating address it was sent from?

Thanks!

[Dark Paladin]

You will need to look at the SMTP headers in the email itself to determine point of origin, which SMTP servers it passed through, etc. Without the headers, there's not much you can do.

Once you have determined the point of origin, whether by IP address or by FQDN, you can look it up online via ARIN to determine which network it belonged to. From there you could contact the network owner to determine which user the IP address was leased to at the time the email was sent. . . although they may require a court order / warrant to give you that information. . . . privacy laws and all that happy stuff.

[odysseus]

What's the header info on the emails telling you? All internet email contains certain routing header information in it to assist you in tracing. Not all of it is perfect, but it is a start.

[45DAVID1]

I have the two different IP addresses from the headers but am just curious as what physical address they were both sent from.

[DoomeD]

The email headers wont tell you what physical address they came from, it will tell you what servers it was sent from.

[45DAVID1]

The email headers wont tell you what physical address they came from, it will tell you what servers it was sent from.

is there a way to tell the area they were sent from?

[Dark Paladin]

is there a way to tell the area they were sent from?

Sort of. Like I said earlier, plug the IP address into ARIN.

You can also try using this: http://geo-location.com/

[odysseus]

The email headers wont tell you what physical address they came from, it will tell you what servers it was sent from.

Depends on the server and the client. Some append the client IP address to the header log.

[45DAVID1]

what is ARIN? Im not so good with computers.

[Dark Paladin]

what is ARIN? Im not so good with computers.

Try this instead: http://geo-location.com/

[dem0critus]

depends heavily on what was used to send the email. If the subject in question was on gmail, then no you wont be able to pull an IP from the header. If they sent thru some different server using something like outlook, that's a different story. If they're sending you email from a cell phone or mobile device, the IP is going to do nothing for you.

Either way, what do you plan on doing with the IP address? You wont be able to get anything definitive without a court order.. Why not just block the damn emails?

[JDay]

How can I tell where an email is originating from based on IP address?

I think my ex's mom is sending me emails from the ex's account. If there a way to trace the IP back to the originating address it was sent from?

Thanks!

You can do a whois lookup on an IP but at most that will reveal what region it is registered in. You cannot get anymore information short of having the police get a warrant for the ISPs logs. Beware that most webmail services hide the originating IP and will give the mail server as the originating IP.

I have the two different IP addresses from the headers but am just curious as what physical address they were both sent from.

That is information you are not going to get.

[Hoop]

is there a way to tell the area they were sent from?

If you have the IP addresses just Google them or download Whois and run them through that. Both should give you information on internet service provider and probably the region of the country they are coming from. It isn't perfect but if the Ex is in one state and Mom is in anoother it should be obvious.

[JDay]

If you have the IP addresses just Google them or download Whois and run them through that. Both should give you information on internet service provider and probably the region of the country they are coming from. It isn't perfect but if the Ex is in one state and Mom is in anoother it should be obvious.

I would take the geographic location associated with an IP block with a big grain of salt. I've had IP addresses that geo-locate back to NY.

[dem0critus]

I would take the geographic location associated with an IP block with a big grain of salt. I've had IP addresses that geo-locate back to NY.

I've experienced the same exact thing. Bottom line is that you're not going to get anything important without going the legal route.