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 Post subject: tracking a stolen laptop
PostPosted: Fri 08-21-2009 1:24AM 
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Major

Joined: Mon 10-10-2005 12:44PM
Posts: 234
Location: Arrakis

Source: Off Campus
is there a way to track a stolen computer with its serial number? atleast on the civilian side of things?


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 Post subject: Re: tracking a stolen laptop
PostPosted: Fri 08-21-2009 8:19AM 
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Captain
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Joined: Fri 02-15-2002 12:09AM
Posts: 125
Location: Peoria, IL

Source: Off Campus
In general, no.

The most common way is to install software on the machine that 'calls home' every time it has signal, which gives you an IP address, which leads to asking the ISP what customer had that IP address at the time, which (hopefully) leads to cops showing up and asking questions. I'm assuming because you're asking the question that you don't have such a thing installed. It probably wouldn't matter anyways, as I believe most laptops are wiped fairly soon after being stolen.

You could do the same kind of thing with setting a browser homepage to a unique page that you have access to the logs for, but that depends on the thief being able to log in, opening a web browser, and doing so when and where they have net access. (All before the lappy is wiped.)

If you are on campus, I believe they do MAC filtering to see which computers are allowed to use campus wired and wifi connections, and also associate the computer with the campus user. Therefore, IT might be able to tell you what your MAC address is, and POSSIBLY tell you when and where it is online if it does come up on campus. This is a lot of work, even if they can do it, so I wouldn't depend on it. This has the advantage of working whether or not the thief wiped and reinstalled the machine, but of course there are ways around this as well.

So... good luck.


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 Post subject: Re: tracking a stolen laptop
PostPosted: Fri 08-21-2009 9:08PM 
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Joined: Mon 07-26-2004 3:11PM
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I think you can change a MAC address so I don't know if IT would be able to help.

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 Post subject: Re: tracking a stolen laptop
PostPosted: Sat 08-22-2009 12:27AM 
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bertowned
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Agentzak wrote:
I think you can change a MAC address so I don't know if IT would be able to help.


The average laptop thief, however, is not going to go through the trouble of chaning a MAC. Wipe the computer? Yes - probably so, but thats about it.

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 Post subject: Re: tracking a stolen laptop
PostPosted: Sat 08-22-2009 11:14AM 
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Captain
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Joined: Fri 02-15-2002 12:09AM
Posts: 125
Location: Peoria, IL

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You are absolutely right that the average thief wouldn't know to change the MAC address, or even what it is. The reason I was obtuse about specifying changing the MAC in order to evade detection is because if the lappy was stolen on campus, the thief could be reading Seek.


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 Post subject: Re: tracking a stolen laptop
PostPosted: Mon 08-31-2009 8:29PM 
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Joined: Mon 09-06-2004 7:51PM
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Location: The B Barn

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Just as a note it is really easy to spoof your MAC with Windows.


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