I list less then 100 auctions per week but many list thousands per day. With out programs to help you it would be impossible. If you are selling in any large quantities on ebay you need ebay based or owned programs to aid you. There is 3rd party software out there but ebay likes to make changes to screw them up all the time unless ebay approves them, i.e. 'gets some revenue out of it'. This would be one very good reason to install their programs and many times no choice but to.
A question that comes to mind is I wonder if some client programs, in the depths of all that legal literature one never reads, where most people just click"Agree", ebay might say that they are going to read your MAC address for whatever reason?
(and coincidentally; it would not be 'better' to block someone's MAC rather than their IP because most high-speed internet system's don't "recycle" the IP addresses, their DHCP system is set up to bind your IP address to the MAC of your modem, so, you can turn it off and restart it 1000 times and you're still going to get the same IP address, it's generally not the same DHCP system as say a dial-up where they have a pool of IPs and you will randomly be assigned one of many thousands every time you dial up)
Wait, what? For real? I haven't tried it at my new house (and therefore new provider and such), but at my old house, I unplugged my modem all the time (setting stuff up / crashing, etc) and everytime I did, I got a new IP address. That's interesting. I'll try it here and let you know
Listen, "52211", it's obvious you're going to argue to the ends of the earth on this. No, spyware may not be illegal (well..in most cases), but it's unethical, ebay wouldn't do something like that because it only serves to hurt their business with normal customers which far outweigh those which they need to ban.
And your mention of "3rd party software" doesn't even make sense, how would ebay lift mac addresses off of software that is reporting to another company??? To even GET your mac address they would need to write a piece of software specifically for that purpose, perhaps bundled with something that serves an actual function (sounds alot like spyware to me), ebay wouldn't do this, they have no reason to and it's far too elaborate and potentially damaging to their relationship with customers simply to be able to ban someone at a MAC level (and yes MAC spoofing is extremely easy, as a matter of fact, my home netgear router I use has an option for spoofing the mac of the computer which I provisioned the NIC for internet service for that whole mac bound to IP address thing I already talked about, this is so you don't have to provision the new mac of the router with the ISP, it just spoofs the existing one they know about). So anyway, with current technology it's not possible, and if it is possible by using spyware-type programs, they wouldn't do it, and it wouldn't make sense to in the first place.
Entropy:
I know that not all areas/companies do this, but, I have had broadband with MediaOne/AT&T Broadband/Comcast (these companies change hands pretty damn quickly! ) and the only time in the last 4 years that my IP address has changed was when Comcast upgraded all our modems like last year. I can't remember the name of what this is, but it's a function of DHCP that allows the company to assign a single IP address to the MAC of your cable/dsl modem, it's easier for them to keep track of a single IP address assigned to a particular account, etc.
Well, I think I'll just step out of the spyware discussion as I've nothing more to contribute and it doesn't seem worthwhile. Suffice it to say I think the idea that eBay is using MACs in keeping bans is far-fetched.
As for Entropy's question, I've had similar experience with Comcast cable (and at school I believe) as Camman describes. My home IP didn't change while I was at school for the past 4-5 months. This is partly because we have a router to hold down the IP all the time. But when it goes offline its DHCP lease hasn't expired. I don't see that lease information on the router or modem's webservers unfortunately, but when an IP is handed out by DHCP it lasts for some amount of time -- the lease. This can be a few hours to several days. The DHCP server knows not to give that IP to someone else while the lease remains; when it runs out, your router/computer asks for an IP address again. At this point the ISP has no reason to give you a different IP. If the router reboots and requests an IP (since it's forgotten about the lease) the DHCP server says, "oh, that device (by MAC) still has a lease, its IP address is ___," and hands that again to the router. It may or may not extend the lease, I'm not sure; but the point is the IP doesn't change.
A computer directly connected to the cable modem may experience something different, since presumably it's not always on. If it is always on an flding like it ought to be , the situation is the same as that with the router. But if it's off when the lease expires, the ISP may well assign your former IP to somebody else; if it didn't do this, the ISP might as well have static IPs for every client. The problem is IP addresses cost money so the ISP just gives what it's got dynamically to the clients needing IPs, so I would be surprised if your IP wasn't lost sometime pretty soon after the lease expiration, if the computer's off.
Hopefully that's a good enough explanation to clear it up, but feel free to go experimenting.
the thing to which I was referring wasn't leasing, although the DHCP lease will save your IP as EMT said until your lease expires.
I looked up in my notes, and it was DHCP Reservation and it basically assigns a specific IP to your modem's MAC address so that every time it is initalized it will see that modem's MAC and give it whatever IP it was initially assigned to. It's sort of like using a static IP, but instead of giving you an IP to use it assigns you the same one every time your modem connects. As I said, this allows the cable company to associate one IP address with your account and never have it change, and since you have to provision the mac of a modem to work on their network, you cant just up and change your own IP address whenever you want to.
I figured something like that was done, except for when the ISP runs out of IPs and some that are given out aren't being used. DHCP Reservation can only work when your IP hasn't been given to someone else, which is quite possible. The more users with routers or 24/7 computers and the bigger the range of IPs the ISP owns, the more likely it is that you'll get a reservation.
"And your mention of "3rd party software" doesn't even make sense, how would ebay lift mac addresses off of software that is reporting to another company???"
I was mainly referring to software owned by ebay. Most sellers use these programs. I just mentioned that 3rd party is available but not as widely used.
""but it's unethical, ebay wouldn't do something like that because it only serves to hurt their business with normal customers which far outweigh those which they need to ban."
I'm not trying to insult anyone but I think you are very very naive when it comes to companies as big as ebay. I guarantee you that they are spying on there users for an endless list of reasons. And as for unethical practices, they practice that everyday but the little man can't fight trillion dollar businesses and that's why you don't hear about it. You may some day. Ever heard of "whistle blowers"? Lastly; one little scare of scammers footing about can send hundreds or thousands of ebay users running out the door. The threat is bigger then you obviously can grasp. You don't think tracking users is top priority for ebay, I laugh at that! Blocking scammers far outweighs a little bad publicity now and then for using spyware. "Spy on me and I'll get mad and complain, let people steal my money, I'll leave!"
Okay man, you think what you want, but I'm certainly not going to be swapping out my nic card if I I'm ever worried about ebay tracking my activities on their website
Camman:
Me either but I'll be watching for the proof to come out someday so I can post it here and blow your mind....
Entropy:
I think it depends on who your provider is and what type of connection you have. At my business I use to have Qwest DSL and I could get a new IP every time I recycled the router. My friend uses a generic dial-up ISP and can get a new IP number every recycle as well. At home I have Comcast Broadband and can only get a new IP in two ways; 1.Spoof the MAC address and recycle or 2.unplug the router for a week or so.
Also; Comcast now charges for additional IP addresses. You use to be able to network through a hub using a single broadband connection and all comps on the system got there own IP address. Now, unless you pay, only one comp can be on (online) at a time as all share the same IP address and only one will connect at a time. When you pay, it goes back to the old way as long as your paying for each separate IP address on each separate computer, all comps will be able to connect at the same time through your hub.
Now I heard...........here I go again..............that if you use a wireless router you can still network several comps through a hub and all can connect to the Internet at the same time without having to pay Comcast for additional IP addresses. I don't know for sure because I don't have wireless. As some here can probably guess with my paranoia about MAC tracing, I also don't trust wireless...
Ok 552211, you keep "hearing" things, with absolutely no evidence referenced to back them up. We have some pretty knowledgeable folks here telling you why what you "heard" is impractical and unlikely. You are not coming up with any hard evidence to back up what you "heard." Now, if you want to keep believing in "conspiracy"-type theories without any evidence to back them up, that's fine for you, but it does not qualify as legitimate discussion in this forum if you cannot in any way back up the claim.
And contrary to what you stated, a fact is not a fact until it is disproven. Quite the opposite, really. A fact is only a fact when it is proven. Prior to that it is simply a belief or a suspicion.
Since you cannot back up your belief with facts, nor wish to accept the facts that have been presented to you by those with more experience / knowledge, this thread has outlived it's usefulness, and I am closing it before it detiorates further.
Comments
I list less then 100 auctions per week but many list thousands per day. With out programs to help you it would be impossible. If you are selling in any large quantities on ebay you need ebay based or owned programs to aid you. There is 3rd party software out there but ebay likes to make changes to screw them up all the time unless ebay approves them, i.e. 'gets some revenue out of it'. This would be one very good reason to install their programs and many times no choice but to.
A question that comes to mind is I wonder if some client programs, in the depths of all that legal literature one never reads, where most people just click"Agree", ebay might say that they are going to read your MAC address for whatever reason?
Would it be illegal then?
Are spyware programs illegal?
And your mention of "3rd party software" doesn't even make sense, how would ebay lift mac addresses off of software that is reporting to another company??? To even GET your mac address they would need to write a piece of software specifically for that purpose, perhaps bundled with something that serves an actual function (sounds alot like spyware to me), ebay wouldn't do this, they have no reason to and it's far too elaborate and potentially damaging to their relationship with customers simply to be able to ban someone at a MAC level (and yes MAC spoofing is extremely easy, as a matter of fact, my home netgear router I use has an option for spoofing the mac of the computer which I provisioned the NIC for internet service for that whole mac bound to IP address thing I already talked about, this is so you don't have to provision the new mac of the router with the ISP, it just spoofs the existing one they know about). So anyway, with current technology it's not possible, and if it is possible by using spyware-type programs, they wouldn't do it, and it wouldn't make sense to in the first place.
Entropy:
I know that not all areas/companies do this, but, I have had broadband with MediaOne/AT&T Broadband/Comcast (these companies change hands pretty damn quickly!
As for Entropy's question, I've had similar experience with Comcast cable (and at school I believe) as Camman describes. My home IP didn't change while I was at school for the past 4-5 months. This is partly because we have a router to hold down the IP all the time. But when it goes offline its DHCP lease hasn't expired. I don't see that lease information on the router or modem's webservers unfortunately, but when an IP is handed out by DHCP it lasts for some amount of time -- the lease. This can be a few hours to several days. The DHCP server knows not to give that IP to someone else while the lease remains; when it runs out, your router/computer asks for an IP address again. At this point the ISP has no reason to give you a different IP. If the router reboots and requests an IP (since it's forgotten about the lease) the DHCP server says, "oh, that device (by MAC) still has a lease, its IP address is ___," and hands that again to the router. It may or may not extend the lease, I'm not sure; but the point is the IP doesn't change.
A computer directly connected to the cable modem may experience something different, since presumably it's not always on. If it is always on an f
Hopefully that's a good enough explanation to clear it up, but feel free to go experimenting.
the thing to which I was referring wasn't leasing, although the DHCP lease will save your IP as EMT said until your lease expires.
I looked up in my notes, and it was DHCP Reservation and it basically assigns a specific IP to your modem's MAC address so that every time it is initalized it will see that modem's MAC and give it whatever IP it was initially assigned to. It's sort of like using a static IP, but instead of giving you an IP to use it assigns you the same one every time your modem connects. As I said, this allows the cable company to associate one IP address with your account and never have it change, and since you have to provision the mac of a modem to work on their network, you cant just up and change your own IP address whenever you want to.
I was mainly referring to software owned by ebay. Most sellers use these programs. I just mentioned that 3rd party is available but not as widely used.
""but it's unethical, ebay wouldn't do something like that because it only serves to hurt their business with normal customers which far outweigh those which they need to ban."
I'm not trying to insult anyone but I think you are very very naive when it comes to companies as big as ebay. I guarantee you that they are spying on there users for an endless list of reasons. And as for unethical practices, they practice that everyday but the little man can't fight trillion dollar businesses and that's why you don't hear about it. You may some day. Ever heard of "whistle blowers"? Lastly; one little scare of scammers footing about can send hundreds or thousands of ebay users running out the door. The threat is bigger then you obviously can grasp. You don't think tracking users is top priority for ebay, I laugh at that! Blocking scammers far outweighs a little bad publicity now and then for using spyware. "Spy on me and I'll get mad and complain, let people steal my money, I'll leave!"
Me either but I'll be watching for the proof to come out someday so I can post it here and blow your mind....
Entropy:
I think it depends on who your provider is and what type of connection you have. At my business I use to have Qwest DSL and I could get a new IP every time I recycled the router. My friend uses a generic dial-up ISP and can get a new IP number every recycle as well. At home I have Comcast Broadband and can only get a new IP in two ways; 1.Spoof the MAC address and recycle or 2.unplug the router for a week or so.
Also; Comcast now charges for additional IP addresses. You use to be able to network through a hub using a single broadband connection and all comps on the system got there own IP address. Now, unless you pay, only one comp can be on (online) at a time as all share the same IP address and only one will connect at a time. When you pay, it goes back to the old way as long as your paying for each separate IP address on each separate computer, all comps will be able to connect at the same time through your hub.
Now I heard...........here I go again..............that if you use a wireless router you can still network several comps through a hub and all can connect to the Internet at the same time without having to pay Comcast for additional IP addresses. I don't know for sure because I don't have wireless. As some here can probably guess with my paranoia about MAC tracing, I also don't trust wireless...
And contrary to what you stated, a fact is not a fact until it is disproven. Quite the opposite, really. A fact is only a fact when it is proven. Prior to that it is simply a belief or a suspicion.
Since you cannot back up your belief with facts, nor wish to accept the facts that have been presented to you by those with more experience / knowledge, this thread has outlived it's usefulness, and I am closing it before it detiorates further.
Dexter...