Do IP Addresses Change?

I've just purchased a new laptop from Tesco and it was all in its original factory condition when I opened it as I expected it so I went through all the set up procedure, etc.

This was 4 days ago and I've started to get used to my new laptop. Anyway, I've gone onto Wikipedia and it had given me warnings for vandalizing articles with my IP address. I went onto contributions from my IP address and there were 2 contributions to the one page. I looked at these contributions and they spoke about people getting their willies out and windmilling and really childish things like that. I checked the date and that was June 2013. There was another form of vandalism in November 2010 on another page. I looked at what had been posted and it was my IP address editing the article writing "stupid prick".

I'm quite worried that this has given my IP address a nasty name. I only got this laptop brand new on Thursday from Tesco and I am almost certain that this laptop wasn't even available in 2013, let alone 2010. Nevertheless, it has still concerned me so I wondered how I have picked up this IP address?

Reply 1

34908seikj

Eh. Correct me if I'm wrong here, I'm no expert.

Basically you can have a dynamic IP and a static IP; you have a dynamic IP, this basically means that the IP that is assigned to you can change, like if you were to turn off your router for 5 or so mins you'd be allocated another by your ISP.

Now what I assumed has happened is you've been given an IP from your ISP that was previously used by a Wikipedia vandal. Or if you have kids in the house it could have been them.

Reply 2

LGBTvoice

Original post by 34908seikj

I have a basic understanding of IP's but like you, I am no expert. I don't know, maybe I have been given a random one from my router. I have been turning it on and off recently because the internet has been ****ing up. I don't think anyone in my household would have done it, especially all those years ago.

Reply 3

sharansingh

You can change your IP address with various methods. If you have dial-up broadband connection, then make your modem restart with 1-2 minutes gap.If you have not dial-up connection then you can use proxy sites that will help you to change your IP while surfing internet.

Reply 4

Xaue

Yes there are 2 IPs, one a private one assigned to your computer that doesn't change(internal) and one the internet sees(external). The external one changes when you reset a router, and is randomly assigned so yeah, someone else had it before they also reset.

Reply 5

Wendykiller12

Original post by Xaue

Just like to mention that your internal private IP can change if it is issued via DHCP on your router and you've not set it to static. The IP is leased for a duration (typically 24 hours), and if you don't reconnect in that time the IP is reallocated on the next request to yourself or anyone else internally (first come, first serve).

In regards to your external IP - households have dynamic IP's and these will change (as already mentioned). You can get your ISP IP static, but you usually have to pay for this to happen (businesses, for example, would need this if they were to remote in to their internal servers).

(edited 7 years ago)

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Articles for you

The Student Room Group Privacy Notice

What is an LLM and how could it benefit your career?

Powerful questions business students forget to ask their career advisers

Why I chose a law degree and what studying law was like