We all possess a means of identification. It could be a name, house or work address, social security number, gender, or nationality.
Whatever the case may be, these means of identification allow us to be distinguished from others.
In the same light, we, as internet users, also possess identities on the web. These identifications are known as IP addresses and are used to differentiate us from other web users.
Living in this modern and tech-orientated world, there is no doubt that you may have come across this term before.
An IP address is simply an Internet Protocol address, and it is our unique online identity allocated to us by our Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
This address makes it easy to identify the physical location of a data center, locate a return address for mails, know the source and destination of data packets, and many more.
In addition to these, IP addresses are also helpful in tracking online criminal activities.
Knowing this, if your online security concerns you, in this article, you will learn some interesting facts about IP addresses and how you can find someone’s IP address on Facebook.
The IP Address, its Function, and How it Works
Before going further, it is essential to know how internet protocol addresses work and the purpose they serve.
The IP address is usually a numerical label like 192.0.2.1 connected to a computer that uses the internet protocol for its communication. An IP address is how a group of computers in a network communicate with each other.
Now you may wonder just how vital these addresses are to access the internet. To use the web, your computer needs first to be connected to the internet, and then, it needs to have a form of permission actually to access the internet.
This “permission” is the IP address. It is a specific group of numbers given to every internet-connected device by your ISPs.
The fantastic thing about these numbers is that they are precise; therefore, no two devices have the same IP addresses.
For this reason, you can say that there are as many IP addresses in the world as there are internet users!
The internet protocol address has two primary functions: to provide identity to the internet user or, more specifically, their network interface with an identity.
The other function is to provide the location of the user in the network. As a result of these functions, you can quickly look up “some best restaurants in the neighborhood” and get a helpful result.
Now that you know what an IP address is and its functions, you should also know some basic things about this virtual address.
This is to ensure that your online activities are safe at all times. Below are some of the facts about Internet Protocol addresses:
It Cannot Reveal Intimate Information About You
While your IP address can be used to know your current geolocation, it cannot reveal detailed information about you.
This address cannot disclose your name, phone number, email, house address, and the likes, but it can display your city, zip code, and area code.
Regardless, don’t let this bother you, as it often reveals the location of the nearest server of your ISP and not your actual site.
This happens when you use a router. Although your PC and other internet-connected devices have IP addresses, it is your router’s IP address that is revealed.
You Can Know your IP Address with a simple search
Since the internet knows your IP addresses, it can also send this information to you when you need it.
All you need to do is to search up “what is my IP address.” However, do not get used to the result as it is bound to change at some point in time.
Why is this so? As mentioned earlier, the IP address is more like a unique identity given to every internet user.
If their ISPs assigned each unchanging user number (static IP addresses), it might be expensive to maintain.
There will be billions of IP addresses in the world. Because of this, your ISP assigns to you dynamic addresses that could change when the need comes.
In the same light, you can say that your IP address is not yours but was leased to you as soon as you go online.
Your IP Address Does Not Go Where You Go
As mentioned above, your IP address can be used to determine your geolocation, and it can change if the need be.
Having these in mind, you should also know that your IP address does not go where you go. If by any chance you relocate to another area, your IP address automatically changes.
If you used multiple wifi networks in the course of your trip, your IP address changes as you connect to these networks.
It Can Be Hidden
Another essential thing to know about IP addresses is that they can be hidden or masked. This is done by connecting your computer or mobile device to a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
By doing so, you can circumvent restrictions on certain websites due to your geolocation, protect your data and from a third party, keep your web activities Private from your ISP.
All in all, a VPN is supposed to mask your original IP address with another, so it could appear that you are browsing the internet from that region.
The Danger of Someone Knowing Your IP Address
Knowing how vital IP addresses are, you must have also wondered if there are any risks associated with someone knowing your unique web identity.
Generally, someone knowing your IP address poses little or no threats since it does not reveal sensitive information about you. Nevertheless, it can still pose a danger depending on who knows it.
Some people who would likely be interested in your IP address are the authorities, retailers, hackers, criminals, advertisers, and blacklist databases. Using a VPN is one of the ways to protect yourself from these threats.
How to find someone’s IP address on Facebook
Facebook is a social media platform with millions of users, and it is possible to know the IP address of each of their users.
Although web services no longer make this feature available, you can still employ some command lines and social engineering tools to achieve this, especially when the Facebook user is not so tech-inclined.
If you are wondering why you would ever need to find out someone’s IP address via Facebook, it is one of the ways to protect yourself against cybercriminals.
For example, a Facebook user may pose like he was chatting from a European country or the US, chatting from somewhere else.
You can tell if the person is honest by using their IP addresses. It is also helpful to report the user when they have misbehaved towards you or your business.
Here, their IP addresses allow you to track their online activities easily.
Methods For Finding Someone’s IP Address on Facebook
As mentioned earlier, web services do not allow you to check out someone’s IP address. However, you can employ specific tools to achieve your goal.
If finding out someone’s IP address on Facebook is something that piques your interest, below are the three most effective methods to do so:
- Using a Facebook IP logger
- Creating a custom Facebook IP puller
- Using the command line prompt
Using A Facebook IP Logger
What an IP logger does is to reveal the IP address of a Facebook user as soon as they click on a specific link.
You can send them a link to a website they find interesting only for you to get their IP address in the process. This is one of the easiest methods of getting a Facebook user’s IP address without detecting it.
There are many IP loggers today, but one of the most popular is the Grabify URL logger and shortener. Once you visit this IP logger website, you add the URL that the Facebook user may likely find interesting.
After this, a shortened URL, as well as a tracking code, will be provided. The tracking code is to help you access the logged IP addresses.
When you have successfully gotten the Facebook user to click on the URL, they are redirected to the intended website but not before their details are logged.
This is to prevent any form of suspicion as them being redirected to an empty webpage could raise eyebrows.
After this, you can go back to the Grabify website, enter the tracking code you copied earlier then click on it.
This provides you with the necessary logs associated with that tracking code, including the IP address, ISP, geolocation, mobile device, and many more.
Create a Custom IP Logger
Instead of using an already made IP logger, you can go ahead and make your own if you have web development knowledge.
A “custom” IP logger is simply a website that stores visitors’ information as soon as they log onto the site.
For this to be possible, you will need a domain name and a website filled with content the target Facebook user may find appealing.
After this, a function that will query IP addresses from a request should be created using your favorite programming language.
Once this is done, you can host the website using a plan you find most suitable. The next is to employ social engineering to get the person to visit your site.
If this is done successfully, you can then have access to their IP address.
Using the Command Line Prompt
While many people would fall for your social engineering techniques, others won’t, and this is where the use of the command line prompt comes in.
Surprisingly, this method doesn’t require you to have advanced tech knowledge but just the idea of how to use a command-line tool or utility tool for Windows and Mac, respectively.
This method does not require you to create a website; however, it requires you to initiate a conversation with the Facebook user.
As this goes on, you then open the command-line tool and type “netstat- an.” This automatically shows you the IP address of the Facebook user if they are online and active.
When using the command line prompt, you would have to close every other tab apart from your chat. This is to prevent the IP address of the other sites from being recorded.
Is Finding Out Someone’s IP Address Illegal?
The honest and straightforward answer to the question is no. It is not illegal to know someone’s IP address.
Web services and websites have access to the IP addresses of an individual because it is meant to be public.
Therefore, there is no difference when a fellow internet user knows it. However, what makes this illegal is when it is used to carry out malicious activities.
How To Protect Yourself
Knowing that it is possible to get someone’s IP address from Facebook, you must wonder if there is a way to prevent falling victim to this.
There are two ways of preventing IP tracking. The first is by masking your IP address by using a VPN.
The other is by using proxies. Some VPNs that can give you the protection you need are NordVPN, SurfShark, or ExpressVPN.
Lastly
The ability to get people’s IP addresses from Facebook has nothing to do with its lack of respect for its user’s privacy.
On the contrary, this social media platform is known to respect the privacy of its users. Therefore, you cannot get users’ IP addresses from them unless you work for the government.
Regardless, people’s IP addresses are still being gotten through the methods listed above. The best course of action is to enlighten yourself on online privacy and safety not to fall victim.
