Need help sorting out Ip address issue.

Video-ItVideo-It
edited August 2009 in Science & Tech
I need some help sorting out an IP issue and you guys look like a bunch of smart people so I thought I'd see if you could help me figure out what is going on. :)

My internet provider is Wild Blue (Satellite provider) because I live out in the boonies. When I log onto a site like this one it displays an IP address for me. The problem is that this IP address changes randomly every minute or so kicking me off of forums, out of games ect. because it suddenly sees me as a "new" unauthorized person. I checked the ipconfig and my IP address on my computer does not match the Ip address displayed on the forums. I also checked on ipchicken, whatsmyip.com and other similar sites and they display the same rotating IP address displayed on the forums and NOT the one assigned to my computer. When I called tech support they told me that my IP should be the one displayed on my computer's ipconfig and they didn't know where the other IP addresses were coming from. I appear to have five different IP addresses rotating through randomly and when I do a "whois" lookup they all come back to my internet provider even though they claim that isn't possible.

My question, why are different IP addresses showing up that do not match the Ip address of my computer and why would five different IP addresses rotate through every minute or so. They are totally stumped and I'm stuck with getting constantly kicked off of everything.

We have a wireless network with three computers and they are all doing the same thing. I have run complete systems check for viruses and other nasties and even used a seperate laptop to bypass my wirelss router but the problem was still there. So, its not my router, its not the computer and I can't see how it could be any of the sites since they simply display the IP address of the visitor and don't actually generate one. That only leaves the provider in my mind. If anyone can shed some light on this for me I'd appreciate being able to call their Tech support back with a little bit of knowledge to help them figure it out.

Thanks!

Comments

  • lordbeanlordbean Ontario, Canada
    edited August 2009
    From your description, the only thing I can say for sure is it sounds like it's not a problem in your local network. Something is obviously not working properly in your ISP's routing system, but what it is or how to identify it is completely beyond me.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited August 2009
    I'd definitely contact Wild Blue's tech support. I'm not familiar with satellite internet but I don't think that should be happening and it's something that you won't be able to fix. Sounds like the equipment they gave you isn't holding an IP address like it should. Either that or there's a configuration issue on their end for your account (such as a very low DHCP timeout).
  • mtroxmtrox Minnesota
    edited August 2009
    Video It wrote:
    My question, why are different IP addresses showing up that do not match the Ip address of my computer and why would five different IP addresses rotate through every minute or so.

    Just curious Video, you are aware that the router will always give your computer a different IP than the public IP aren't you? The web sees your public IP, your computers behind the router will most likely have private IP's starting with a 192.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited August 2009
    Howdy mtrox, glad to see you around again! :wave:
  • mtroxmtrox Minnesota
    edited August 2009
    Lincoln wrote:
    Howdy mtrox, glad to see you around again! :wave:

    Thanks Matt. I ran for a while there (traveled all over), then sorta lost touch. This was always a great forum though.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited August 2009
    mtrox wrote:
    I ran for a while there (traveled all over)
    Cool! Start a thread in the Pub and tell us about your adventures :D
  • Video-ItVideo-It
    edited August 2009
    mtrox wrote:
    Just curious Video, you are aware that the router will always give your computer a different IP than the public IP aren't you? The web sees your public IP, your computers behind the router will most likely have private IP's starting with a 192.

    That was what I thought originally but the two different Tech people I spoke with were telling me it should have been displaying the IP that was listed on my computers ipconfig. I honestly didn't know enough about it to call BS when they told me that.

    So... assuming the one listed in the ipconfig is my "private" computer IP then the service provider has to be the one assigning me a "public" IP address when I go online. Correct?

    If so, that would put it squarely back in their lap as being the cause of multiple IP's playing musical chairs on my system shouldn't it?
  • mtroxmtrox Minnesota
    edited August 2009
    Yea, as is typical of support phone banks, they just know a recipe. I would guess they only know what happens when one computer is connected straight to their modem. In that case, your computer would use their public IP. When you have a router, that device becomes your gateway and uses their public IP. Then your router translates that public IP into private IP's and hands those out to your computers.

    To see your public IP, go here.

    To see your computer's IP, do ipconfig. Keep in mind when you're behind a router, all your computers will have a different IP. That is the point after all. But your public IP should not change......at least not nearly as often as you describe.
  • Video-ItVideo-It
    edited August 2009
    Thanks mtrox that was exactly what I needed to help me understand how the IP address were assigned.

    Thanks guys!
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