Can you get the name of the owner of an IP address

[tyamany]

Hey, I really need to find out as much information as I can about someone but I only have their IP address. It's really important that I get this information and any help is wanted. I did do a little research online, but the most I can get is the details of ISP that owns the IP address.

Please help and thanks

This is not a HIGHLY TECHNICAL issue.

AnandTech Moderator

 

[f95toli]

First of all, this is not HT.

And the owner of an ip-address IS the ISP (I guess you refer to the name you get if you check with internic), if you need to know how is using that particular address you should just ask the ISP and maybe they will tell you (if you have a very good reason).

 

[jensenja]

If it's a legal issue then you can probably have the police or something contact the ISP for that sort of information. If not, then you're probably out of luck.

 

[jagec]

www.arin.net

 

[tyamany]

I still can't get any further than the ISP and information about the ISP using arin.net.

 

[f95toli]

Of course not. What you are asking for is impossible, it would require some sort of central register of who is using what ip-address. There is no technical reason for having that sort of register (there might be "Big Brother"-reasons but that is another question).

As I have aldready written: Legaly the ISP IS the owner of the IP-address, it is the responsibilty of the ISP if someone is using their IP-address for something illegal.

 

[tyamany]

I understand that the ISP is the owner of the IP-address but they must keep records of who they are letting use their IP-addresses and there must be some way to access that information, legal or not.

 

[jensenja]

Okay, let me spell it out for you:

The ISP WILL NOT give you records for the owner of an IP address. It's a legal issue and a privacy issue. There's no way they will give the information to you without a legitimate LEGAL reason.

 

[f95toli]

Why would there even need to be a record? Most companies (but not all) do keep record of which computer is used by what user, but you can write that information down on a piece of papaer and keep it in a folder.
Even if you decide to write the information in a database there is no reason why you would have that database connected to the internet.

Commercial ISPs keep record in order to know where to send the bill but that is all, but again I doubt they have that information in a internet-connected database. Again, there is no technical reason for doing so.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: tyamany
I understand that the ISP is the owner of the IP-address but they must keep records of who they are letting use their IP-addresses and there must be some way to access that information, legal or not.

Yeah, they keep records of who is paying the monthly bill, but (a) that may not be indicative of who is actually using it and (b) it's pretty darn illegal to divulge that information without a court order.

 

[Description]

Can you get the name of the owner of an IP address

Just call them up and ask.