IP posts vs. signup posts

Get help with installation and running phpBB 3.3.x here. Please do not post bug reports, feature requests, or extension related questions here.
Post Reply
RiceBadger
Registered User
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:07 pm

IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by RiceBadger »

On the forum I administrate, I have a user account whom I suspect of being a duplicate account from the same physical user, contrary to forum rules - I suspect he went over to one of his friends just in order to have a different signup IP, and then went on posting with that new account from his home with his old IP.

Is there a way to detect this kind of behaviour ?
AFAIK, phpBB only records the IP with which a user signed up, and does not record the IP of every individual post.
Last edited by Mick on Thu Oct 06, 2022 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Solved.
User avatar
Brf
Support Team Member
Support Team Member
Posts: 53398
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 7:47 pm
Location: {postrow.POSTER_FROM}
Contact:

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by Brf »

You can see the IP of the post from the Info button.
User avatar
david63
Registered User
Posts: 20646
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:08 am

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by david63 »

But bear in mind that in most cases IP address are dynamic so just because an IP address appears twice there many not be anything untoward about it.
David
Remember: You only know what you know and - you don't know what you don't know!

I now no longer support any of my extensions but they will start to become available here
RiceBadger
Registered User
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:07 pm

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by RiceBadger »

Brf wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 5:55 pm You can see the IP of the post from the Info button.
Indeed. Solves my problem, thanks a lot.
RiceBadger
Registered User
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:07 pm

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by RiceBadger »

david63 wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:22 pm But bear in mind that in most cases IP address are dynamic so just because an IP address appears twice there many not be anything untoward about it.
Really ? I presume this would not apply to users who always post from the same computer from home. If I remember correctly, my home IP address did not change even when my box broke down and was replaced. It would change only if I changed internet providers.
User avatar
Brf
Support Team Member
Support Team Member
Posts: 53398
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 7:47 pm
Location: {postrow.POSTER_FROM}
Contact:

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by Brf »

It depends on who your provider is. Some of them switch IPs every day.
User avatar
[Dimetrodon]
Registered User
Posts: 438
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2022 3:29 am
Location: Paleozoic Era
Contact:

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by [Dimetrodon] »

This extension can make viewing IPs of a poster a little easier: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... viewtopic/

That being said, if two or more users have the same isp (Internet Service Provider), that can explain having the same IP. Not only are many IPs dynamic these days, but my new isp literally gives out shared IPs, which means, IPs are constantly shared amongst several users.

IPs can be a clue, but you'd really need to find similarities in posting style, opinions, etc. that seems to imply that they're the same person.
Avatar by someone named AdmiralRA on Reddit. (No, I don't have a Reddit account)
When seeking support, please consider filling out the Support Request Template. It makes it easier for anyone trying to help.
User avatar
Mick
Support Team Member
Support Team Member
Posts: 26502
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 9:49 am

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by Mick »

And, of course, there are VPN’s.
  • "The more connected we get the more alone we become" - Kyle Broflovski©
  • "The good news is hell is just the product of a morbid human imagination.
    The bad news is, whatever humans can imagine, they can usually create.
    " - Harmony Cobel
User avatar
thecoalman
Community Team Member
Community Team Member
Posts: 5871
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 3:52 am
Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: IP posts vs. signup posts

Post by thecoalman »

RiceBadger wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:01 pm Really ? I presume this would not apply to users who always post from the same computer from home. If I remember correctly, my home IP address did not change even when my box broke down and was replaced. It would change only if I changed internet providers.
A dedicated IP on residential connection is pretty rare even if it's not guaranteed. Along with the higher upload speeds it's the primary difference between a residential and business service. Also note the same IP can be used form multiple users, if for example they were in an office building, campus etc. That said it's seems pretty common to me for someone in the US to have the IP for months or even years. I know my home IP rarely changes.

The most reliable way I have found to determine duplicate accounts is using the server access logs. Open the access log with notepad++ and go to search, open the mark tab. Bookmark the lines the IP appears and then remove the unmarked lines which will leave you with just a list of the activity from that IP(s). You will often see a pattern of posting, logging out, logging in, page requests etc. even if it's two different IP's. You have to be careful with this but if the pattern seems illogical for two different people then it probably is.
“Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results! I have found several thousand things that won’t work.”

Attributed - Thomas Edison
Post Reply

Return to “[3.3.x] Support Forum”