IP Weirdness

Nick_oliveri

Ok so i was browsing wiki earlier looking for random stuff, as you do, when i noticed that i had a message. Me, not being registered found this weird and clicked into the alert.

This is what it said:

User talk:86.41.101.1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thank you for experimenting with the page The Red Hot Chili Peppers (album) on Wikipedia. Your test worked, and it has been reverted or removed. Please use the sandbox for any other tests you may want to do. Take a look at the welcome page to learn more about contributing to our encyclopedia. Sciurinæ 13:39, 23 December 2006 (UTC)

Please do not add nonsense to Wikipedia, as you did to The Red Hot Chili Peppers (album). It is considered vandalism. If you would like to experiment, use the sandbox. Thank you. Alf melmac 13:40, 23 December 2006 (UTC)

I didnt see that date at the time and replied to his (alf's) user discussion page. Then somebody else picked that up and wrote this on my user page some 5 minutes later.

I know this is none of my business but I saw the message you left under mine to Alf - and as he hasn't been active the last few days I think he's on holiday so thought I'd reply on his behalf. The edit Alf was referring to was this one URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Red_Hot_Chili_Peppers_%28album%29&diff=96099596&oldid=96099499"]1[/URL - I notice you are editing without an account so its entirely possible that someone else posted this using your ip (particularly if this is a shared ip address). To avoid this confusion in the future you might consider registering an account, its free and only takes a couple of minutes to do. Also when you leave a comment on a talkpage can you sign the comment by inserting 4 "~" (there's a reminder a couple of lines below the button to save the page) that way it's easier for other users to see who left the message and reply. Happy editing. Kelpin 09:45, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:86.41.101.1

It was then that i checked the time of the supposed edit with my ip address: 86.41.101.1

The article was edited in December 2006. So im wondering, How often are IP's given back out? And how are supposed to know if some pedo used the IP we are using now lets say...two years ago, he slips through the cracks, someone cops it later and you or I get busted??! I thought IP's were supposed to be unique. Its either that or the wiki time systems wrong and i was sleep editing.

Just something i thought i would share.

Kimbot

IP's are unique at the time they are used. For Dial up you can have the same IP for about a month and then it moves on as far as I remember!!!

BKtje

How long you keep you ip depends on your isp. Most IP "leases" are a generally a couple of months long but you would usually be given your old ip back at the end of said "lease". That said it's totally up to your isp and your lease could be as short as an hour up to infinitey.

For more information go to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Host_Configuration_Protocol.

..yes i see the irony of sending you to wiki

Edit: i think that on dial up you generally get a new ip every time.

Nick_oliveri

Ahh i was wondering what that lease bollix was in me router. Thanks.

Edit: I feel IP dirty now. Whats to stop any of us being banned off boards (IP Blacklist) one day until we renew the IP? And if the cookies are stored and we are logging in with our Usernames..could be a permban. (This is not paranoia, im just asking about the probability of this)

BKtje

I'm not sure what your question is.

Are you asking what's to stop someone else getting their ip banned and then you getting their ip and not being able to access boards? As far as i know the answer is nothing but the admins could answer that better than i ever could (i imagine its pretty unlikely though).

watty

IPs are not always unique. "3" uses a proxy and lots of people share the same IP at the same time.

There are ISPs that give you a static IP. Most broadband and all dialup is dynamic, you can get a different IP. Some ADSL detects idle and disconnects the circuit, thus you get a fresh IP when you access something again.

Lots of companies and home users have NAT or Proxies so their one Public IP (dynamic, static or shared) can in turn be shared by 2 to 2,000 people!