Learning how to track IP addresses can tell you where someone is and which internet provider they use. Every device that connects to the internet needs a unique identifier to work correctly.

Your IP address, or internet protocol address, works like a string of numbers that identifies your network or device on the internet. The web wouldn’t work without IP addresses - you couldn’t browse websites, watch videos, or even send emails. IPv4 originally provided around 4.3 billion unique IPs. But the huge number of devices connecting to the internet means we’ve hit ‘IP address exhaustion’.

People track IP addresses for many good reasons - from catching scammers to locating stolen devices and responding to security threats. This piece walks you through the process step by step, whether you want to find someone’s IP address or need to track hackers’ IP addresses for security.

You’ll find different ways to track IP addresses in this piece. The methods include command-line tools, email headers, online services, and mobile devices. You’ll also understand IP tracking’s legal side and ways to protect your digital footprint.

What is an IP address and what can it reveal?

Your IP address works like a digital fingerprint in the online world. Unlike a physical street address, it consists of a series of numbers (such as 192.158.1.38) that uniquely identifies your device or network on the internet. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) mathematically produces and allocates these addresses instead of random generation.

You should know what information an IP address reveals before tracking it. Your approximate geographical location shows up most prominently, usually accurate to the city or region level, not your exact street address. Industry data shows IP geolocation is 99.8% accurate at the country level but drops to 80% accuracy for state/region identification in the US. City-level precision becomes nowhere near as reliable, with accuracy dropping to 68% within a 50-kilometer radius.

An IP can also reveal your Internet Service Provider and connection type, residential, business, or mobile network. Security professionals find this information helpful while investigating suspicious activities and tracking someone’s online presence.

Many online IP lookup tools can tell if someone connects through home WiFi, public WiFi, or mobile data. This difference becomes especially valuable when tracking IP addresses of potential scammers or hackers.

Using command-line tools to track IP addresses (ping, tracert, nslookup)

Your computer comes with command-line tools that enable you to easily track IP addresses. These native utilities give you network information without extra software.

The ping command is the simplest tool for tracking IP addresses. It sends data packets to a target IP address to check connectivity and measure response time. You can use it by opening Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux) and typing:

ping 8.8.8.8

This command sends packets to Google’s DNS server and shows if the target can be reached. The results also show the round-trip time, which tells you about connection quality.

Tracert (Windows) or traceroute (Mac/Linux) is a great way to get more detailed network path information. These commands show you the complete route packets take from your device to their destination:

tracert 8.8.8.8

The output shows each “hop” along the path, including intermediate routers and their response times. Tracert achieves this by changing the Time-To-Live (TTL) value in packets. This forces routers to send back ICMP Time Exceeded messages that show their locations.

Nslookup helps you translate between domain names and IP addresses, while ping and tracert check connectivity:

nslookup www.example.com

Nslookup works in both interactive and non-interactive modes. To cite an instance, see how to find specific DNS record types:

nslookup -type=MX example.com

These command-line tools have several practical uses:

  • Network connectivity troubleshooting
  • Network path bottleneck detection
  • Website IP address discovery
  • Router-specific delay identification

These built-in utilities might not match specialized IP tracking software, but they give you quick answers to simple IP tracking needs without external tools.

How to trace an IP address from email headers

Hidden information exists in every email message’s headers that helps track its origin. These headers work like a digital passport. Each server stamps the passport as your email moves through it and creates a trail of valuable tracking data.

Email headers have several key parts. You’ll find the “From” address, “To” address, subject line, date, and most importantly, the “Received” fields. The “Received” fields prove especially useful because they record the server IP addresses that processed the email. The last “Received” entry usually shows the first server that handled the message, often closest to the sender.

Gmail users can access email headers by opening the suspicious email and clicking the three dots in the top-right corner, then selecting “Show Original.” Outlook users should go to File > Properties to find the information under “Internet Headers.” Yahoo Mail offers this through More (three dots) where users can select “View Raw Message” or “View Full Header.” Apple Mail users need to choose View > Message > All Headers from the menu. Mozilla Thunderbird makes it available through More > View Source.

The sender’s IP address appears in lines starting with “Received:” in the header. These entries appear in reverse chronological order, with recent ones at the top. The final “Received” entries reveal the originating IP.

Webmail services like Gmail or Yahoo might only display the email provider’s server IP instead of the actual sender’s IP address.

Online tools like IP lookup services can translate the IP address into geographical information. Free tools such as EonVPN, IPLocation, or Google’s Admin Toolbox MessageHeader analyze the header data and show details about the IP’s location.

Sophisticated senders can manipulate headers to hide their true origins. Forged headers often appear in spam and malicious emails, making this tracking method helpful but not foolproof.

Using online IP lookup services

Online IP lookup services make tracking IP addresses easy without requiring technical expertise. These web-based tools show information about any IP address instantly, which makes them perfect for quick checks.

You can track an IP address easily with these services. Just head to any of these websites and type in the IP address you want to check. The service shows you all the details about that IP address in seconds.

Most free IP lookup tools show you:

  • Geographical location (country, region, city, postal code)
  • Internet Service Provider (ISP) information
  • Hostname details
  • Connection type
  • Time zone information
  • Approximate latitude and longitude coordinates

Premium services give you extra data, including ASN (Autonomous System Number), organization details, and security insights like proxy/VPN detection.

These services vary substantially in accuracy. IP geolocation works best at the country level but gets nowhere near as accurate for cities and regions. This happens because IP lookup services depend on databases that need regular updates to stay accurate.

MaxMind stands out as a popular choice that handles IP geolocation through downloadable databases and web services. IPinfo processes about 40 billion API requests monthly with 99.999% uptime over five years. IPstack, IPWHOIS.io, and IP2Location are other reliable options, each offering unique features and pricing plans.

Free services are enough for basic checks. In spite of that, businesses that need better accuracy or extra features might want to look at premium options. These paid services update their databases more often and include advanced features like bulk lookups and detailed analytics.

Your specific needs should guide your choice of service. A free tool works well if you just want to check a suspicious email sender. Companies that monitor website traffic or set up security measures might get better results from subscription services with better reliability and more detailed data.

How to track IP address from phone or mobile device

Your smartphone makes tracking IP addresses quite simple through its built-in settings menus. The process works much like computers, but each device has its own specific way to access this information.

Android devices require these steps to find an IP address:

  1. Open your device Settings
  2. Tap on “Connections” or “Network & Internet”
  3. Select “Wi-Fi”
  4. Tap the settings gear icon next to your connected network
  5. Look for “View more” or similar option
  6. Your IP address will be displayed in the network details

iPhone users can follow this straightforward process:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Tap on Wi-Fi
  3. Select the information icon (i) next to your connected network
  4. Find your IP address under the IPv4 Address section

Many mobile applications exist specifically to track and analyze IP addresses. These apps provide features like:

  • IP address lookup and location tracking
  • GPS coordinate identification
  • Network scanning to detect other devices on your network
  • WHOIS information retrieval

In spite of that, mobile IP tracking comes with certain limitations. These methods can show general locations but don’t deal very well with pinpointing exact positions. Your device’s IP address changes whenever it connects to a different network, which makes continuous tracking difficult.

Privacy-conscious users can find protection in both Android and iOS settings. The iCloud Private Relay feature on iPhones encrypts traffic and routes it through separate internet relays, which stops websites from seeing your exact IP location. You can select between keeping a general location or using just country and time zone information to make your location harder to track.

Android devices also include tracking limitation options in their privacy settings, though different manufacturers place these controls in various locations.

Note that mobile networks’ IP tracking usually gives less accurate location data compared to fixed broadband connections because mobile carriers assign IP addresses from wider regional pools.

Use cases of IP tracking

IP tracking has many real-world uses that go beyond just understanding how it works. Let’s look at some important ways people track IP addresses for security and business needs.

How to track IP address of scammer

Dealing with online scammers starts with finding their IP address to help authorities take action. The first step is to contact law enforcement since they have special tools to recover stolen property. You can look through email headers as we discussed earlier to spot scams. While using IP grabbers like Grabify might seem like a good way to catch scammers, sophisticated scammers often utilize VPNs to hide their real location. Law enforcement ended up being the best option because they can get court orders that make ISPs reveal who users really are.

Tracking a lost or stolen device

Apple device owners can use the Find My app to track location through IP addresses. The app lets you pick Devices or Items and shows your device on a map. You’ll see options to get directions, make sounds if you’re close by, or set up Lost Mode with a passcode. The Find My network uses millions of Apple devices to send location data securely to iCloud, even if devices are offline. People with other devices can use Android Device Manager or other tracking tools.

How to track IP address of hacker

Finding hackers means looking through your network logs carefully. Website owners should check their hosting logs and analytics to spot strange IP addresses. Regular computer users can run NetStat to see who’s trying to connect. After getting the IP, you can run traceroute commands to find the hostname or use online tools like GEOIPTool to see where they might be. This helps you report problems to authorities or hosting companies.

How to track IP address of website visitors

Server logs automatically show visitor IP addresses to website owners. You’ll find Raw Access Logs or Awstats in cPanel, while VPS/dedicated servers show Apache/Nginx logs. Tools like Leadfeeder can tell you which companies visit your site and what pages they look at. This information helps create better marketing campaigns and improve how you target specific accounts. IP tracking APIs like ipstack are also easy for developers to set up.

Legal questions about tracing IP addresses vary substantially based on location and context. Your jurisdiction, purpose, and methods determine what’s legal at the time of tracking.

Many countries classify IP addresses as personal data. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) specifically labels IP addresses as personal data. Businesses need explicit consent before they track users. California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) also defines IP addresses as personal information. These regulations can impose heavy penalties for tracking without consent, up to €20 million or 4% of global annual revenue under GDPR.

There are other standards under which law enforcement can be used to track IP addresses. The Canadian Supreme Court ruled that the police should obtain a warrant before they can access the IP address information of an individual through the private companies. This decision recognizes the fact that individuals achieve a state of reasonable privacy in their IP addresses. The court acknowledged that IP addresses have the potential to provide personal information that is extremely personal to a subject and their activity on the internet.

It is also about the ethical side. The approach of tracking IP of a person without their consent is highly unethical in terms of privacy and consent regardless of whether it is technically legal or not.

How to protect your own IP address

After you realize the tracking mechanism, you must hide your IP address. The right tools will help you hide your digital footprint and stay private online.

Using a VPN to hide your IP

A VPN establishes an encrypted connection between your equipment and a VPN server. Your internet traffic goes through an encrypted tunnel when you connect to a VPN. This masks your actual IP address and protects your data from prying eyes. The VPN server assigns you a new IP, and this information makes your actions appear as though they are originating elsewhere.

VPNs not only hide your IP, but they also encrypt all the traffic on your internet to provide you with total security. Nobody can figure out your data even if they intercept it. Your ISP won’t see what websites you visit or track your downloads anymore.

Other methods: proxies, Tor, mobile networks

Proxy servers work as middlemen between you and the Internet. They replace your real IP address with their own. These servers are nowhere near as secure as VPNs because they don’t encrypt your traffic by default. They’re faster but less secure.

The Tor Browser adds another privacy layer by sending your traffic through thousands of relays. Your data gets encrypted and bounces through three relays in the Tor network. This makes it hard to trace your activities back to you. The trade-off is that Tor makes your connection much slower.

Mobile networks are a simpler option. Your IP address changes every time you connect to a mobile network, which hides your previous location. This method only provides simple anonymity without encryption or ongoing protection.

You’ll get the best protection by combining different methods. Using a VPN with Tor will enhance your security by filling in any weak spots.

Conclusion

IP address tracking has become a crucial skill in today’s digital world. This article demonstrates to you how to trace IP addresses - both with command-line utilities and with web-based services. Additionally, it explains what IP addresses actually represent. They disclose geographical position, which is at a city level, and the ISP information, but not the street addresses or the identity of a person.

IP tracking has so much more to do than general curiosity can stretch to. Security teams use these methods to spot potential threats. Businesses leverage the potential of IP tracking to prevent fraud and safeguard their networks. Despite that, your tracking must be guided by the legal provisions. The IP address is classified as personal data according to GDPR and CCPA, and therefore, adequate consent will be required to track in most circumstances.

Your digital privacy needs similar attention. VPNs are a great way to get protection by encrypting traffic and hiding your real IP address. You could also use proxy servers, the Tor network, or switch between mobile networks for different levels of anonymity.

FAQs

What information does an IP address reveal?

An IP address is usually sufficient to determine the approximate geographical location (typically at the city level), the Internet Service Provider (ISP), and the connection type. It does not give street addresses or individual identities.

How can I protect my own IP address?

One way to keep your IP address safe is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which encrypts traffic and hides your actual IP address. Alternatively, one can use proxy servers, the Tor network, or switch among mobile networks, but these options provide varying levels of security.

How do companies use IP tracking responsibly?

Responsible companies use IP tracking for cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and improving user experiences. They implement transparent policies, obtain user consent when required, anonymize IP addresses where possible, and conduct regular compliance audits to ensure ethical use of IP data.