Does a person IP address change every time they get online?

Question

I am on my computer and i see Ip addresses i do not recognize at all my ip address usually never changes when i log into gmail but i see different ip addresses though am i just paranoid or has my account been compromised i tracked all the addresses and they say they are form the same state i am in so maybe i am wrong can someone clear this up for me?

Answer 1

Depends ,  IP can be Dynamic or static

I beleive you would not have static IP as they cost a lot...generally Networking Companies buy static IP to host their network into subnetworks

Most of the clients(users like us) are on cable or ADSL/DSL we get IP assigned by DHCP server of the ISP for a lease of 7 (or more) days, then it gets renewed, but some DSL/ADSL users get new IP everytime they Login, so no need to worry.

just check of your IP lies in these classes

CLASS A  =  1-126    

CLASS B = 128-192  

CLASS C= 192-223

for eg your ip is  117.1.2.3  then the first octet 117 signifies the class so you lies between 1-126 so its CLASS A.

So just check which class your IP is in and then check if your IP changes everytime you login.

Now one thing to note is that everytime you login the Network ID should not change. Let me explain , an IP is divided into two parts

1. Network ID

2. Host ID

now everytime you login the network ID should not change, but ofcourse Host ID will change

lets says   an IP    1.2.3.4

each number corresponds to an octet

1-  First octet

2 - Second octet

3-  third octet

4-  fourth octet

CLASS A - first octet makes the Network ID and other octets make Host ID

CLASS B- First and Second octet make Netwok ID and 3rd and 4th octet make Host ID

CLASS C- 1,2,3 octet make Network ID and 4th octet makes Host ID...

so like my ip is a class B

172.56.x*x.x*x

so everytime i login my ip changes ie Host ID changes (x*x.x*x) but not the network ID ( 172.56)

hope you get this as its very hard to tell you these without using Networking Lingo.

Answer 2

Yes, your IP address should change once in a while.  It's what is known as a dynamic IP address and internet service providers (ISPs) use them for a number of reasons.

One is security, having your IP address change periodically means that if someone does compromise your system they will only have access for a limited time until you get a new IP address.

Another reason is to discourage users from running servers on their computers, which is usually a violation of the terms of service with your ISP.  If your IP address changes you can't run a web server and register a web address to your computer.  There are services that provide a work around to this known as Dynamic DNS which will update every time your IP address changes.

One more reason is address availability.  If an ISP has 1000 IP addresses available to them, using dynamic IP addresses allows them to have more than 1000 customers.. As long as they don't all go online at the same time ;-)

The opposite of a Dynamic IP address is a Static IP address that will never change.  You usually only get a Static IP address with professional or business class service from your ISP which costs a lot more.

The reason all the addresses you "tracked" say they are all from the same state is because your ISP purchases a certain block, or range, of IP addresses.  The IP addresses they assign you are from within that block.  If your ISP owns 192.0.0.1 - 192.168.255.255* then your IP address will be somewhere in there but it won't always be the same.

* IP addresses that start with 192.168 are reserved for local networks and aren't actual unique internet IP addresses (so there might be thousands of computers that have an IP address of 192.168.64.64 for example).  I just used those for the example so I'm not inadvertently using someones IP address.

[edit] DIY Experiment!

If you're using Windows then try this:

1) Open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> Type "cmd.exe" -> Click OK)

2) When the window opens type

"ipconfig /all"

without the quotes and press enter.

3) Look for the line that says "Lease Expires", that is when your computer will renew the IP address and you'll probably get a different one.  Mine looks like this:

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, August 11, 2008 9:55:04 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, January 18, 2038 11:14:07 PM

Your IP address will probably expire sooner then mine.  The reason mine doesn't expire until 2038 is because I'm on a local network and that's for my local static IP address.  My actual internet IP address that is assigned to my router and not my computer expires in about 17 hours.

Answer 3

No, your ip adress stays the same for a awhile but occasionally changes. But if your using dial-up your ip does change more often

Answer 4

u can apply ip dynamically or statically,

if ur ip changes in is allocated dynamically

go in connection properties,open tcp/ip properties and choose ur ip allocation mode

but ur gmail does not detect then ur answers shulod be NO if u have not choosen dynamic ip

Answer 5

Most of the answers above are wrong. There are two types of IP addresses:

- Static

- and Dynamic

Generally, Internet Service Providers only allow dynamic IP addresses (WHICH DO CHANGE) for customers now-a-days *unless* you request a static IP address (these DO NOT change). However, this will usually cost you. And static IP addresses sometimes are not even allowed simply because the Internet is running out of IP addresses to be perfectly honest. This is why IPv6 is being worked on.

Now with this being said, IP addresses do remain static for quite a while simply due to broadband now a days. It is quite difficult for them to change unless your modem or connection is reset and something *causes* your modem, or whatever is receiving the network signals/packets, to reset and receive a new IP address from the main network (ISP). This could be something like lightning, thus causing a power outage or shortage. Or your ISP may cycle the IP address for other reasons. Or it could be something as simple as you resetting your modem (broadband modem) yourself thus causing a new IP address to be received.

The best bet would be to simply contact your Internet Service Provider and ask them.

I do know that:

- Verizon FiOS

- Charter Communications Broadband

- Comcast Broadband

DO NOT provide STATIC IP Addresses. Only Dynamic IP addresses.

I have used all of the above and have had my IP address change. All of the above used to offer "pay a fee and get a static IP address," but no longer offer this. Now they only offer it with their business packages/services.

Answer 6

no

♥

Answer 7

yes, ip address changes every time you get online.

But its range is almost same, for eg if one isp has ranged from 110.0.0.1

to 110.0.0.100 then , this isp can alot you any ip address randomly available at that time.So if you are using broadband or dial up connection your ip address change each time you connect. I hope it helps

Answer 8

The ip address does change. It is leased from the provider's server and reassigned periodicily. Generally, if a hacker gets into your Gmail account, the first thing they do is change the password so you can't get into it any more. I doubt what you are observing is the result of hacker activity. Take a look at your sent items and deleted items folder. Do you see any messages you didn't write?

Answer 9

Even an always on connection doesn't automatically have a static IP.

Answer 10

they shouldn't...i hope no one is hacking your system

Answer 11

no every computer in your house has its own ip address but if u use a different computer everytime you log in that culd be the reason ur seeing different ip addresses

Answer 12

no, it doesnt cdhange ever, as long as your on the same computer.

Answer 13

this depend on the type of internet connection you are using

Answer 14

Depends on if you have a dynamic or static Ip address.  If you have a static Ip then you have one ip.  However a static Ip can change too if you internet provider sees fit to change it.

Answer 15

Nope, unless you go get yourself a new ip adress.  

Answer 16

Depends on the type of your internet connection: if it's always on (no password for connection) then it's a static one with a single IP, permanently yours; if you must connect everytime you want to use it (modem or similar)then it's a dynamic one, the IP changes everytime you connect (taken from a pool of addresses distributed by your internet provider's server)

Answer 17

no

Answer 18

It can only change when your network changes. There's only one thing that could possibly bring about such changes in your IP address-

You have multiple networks saved on your computer that when your computer loses one it automatically connects to another that's closest, this action in turn, changes your IP address to that of the current network.  Whenever it changes, check your network to see if it changed also.  

Answer 19

The answer depends on how you are connecting to the Internet.  If you are connecting and disconnecting from your local network, it may give you a new address sometimes if it is configured for DHCP.  If you are connecting to completely different networks (such as someone else's WiFi, like a coffee shop's) you will have a different address.  If your IP address is assigned by your ISP directly, then they may change the IP at any time (likely because they are also using DHCP) unless they have specifically guaranteed that they won't; most ISPs charge extra for the service of having a static (unchanging) IP address.