I want to log the ip's of the users that use my vb.net program.
First of all, is this legal?
If it is, how can i log the ip's in a textfile on a webserver?
Im thinking about a small non-visible webbrowser that sends the ip to a .txt file.
A:
Why not use analytic tools like Google Analytics. It can give you more information than just ip address and has lots of other useful features.
Shoban
2010-02-18 09:40:24
PandaNL
2010-02-18 09:49:51
does the job but have you tried analytics.. you will know the use once u do :)
Shoban
2010-02-18 10:08:13
could this also be implemented in vb.net?Just to be clear, i'm not making a website. its a standalone program.
PandaNL
2010-02-18 10:37:30
ah!! ok.... if it is a windows program then logging their IP is NOT a GOOD thing. I wouldn't recommend it. Better option would be to ask the suers to "allow" your application to send the ip address. Why are you checking their ip?
Shoban
2010-02-18 10:47:42
just to see how many people are using my program.
PandaNL
2010-02-18 12:21:33
dont do it without users permission. Why dont you have a download counter instead?
Shoban
2010-02-18 12:24:09
That won't help, i post it on a news site, and other sites will also copy the news + the download of the new release. So the program can be downloaden from 20 different sites. I also have some simple sort of update option, it just checks a specific page that let users now if there's is a new version.But is it really that bad to don't ask the user? If it is, is it allowed to send the windows version? so i can see how many xp users use it?
PandaNL
2010-02-18 12:39:02
u dont get the point... Its not only bad to trace their ip without their knowledge you can end up in some serious trouble if they find out. Also sending xp version? That too people wont like it mate
Shoban
2010-02-18 14:05:12
PandaNL
2010-02-18 15:22:37
It's considered polite to ask permission from the user before you do this. Otherwise your app might be considered spyware. Also, are you really allowing everyone in the world permission to write direct to your server? Isn't that a massive security risk? Malicious users (perhaps irritated by your app "phoning home") could fill up your disk by writing large chunks of data to the file - perhaps worse.
MarkJ
2010-02-18 18:21:56
A:
If you're writing a desktop app and looking for their IP address you'll most likely be returned a local network address in the range on 192.168 or 10.10 - not a lot of use to you.
CResults
2010-02-19 17:49:06