IP address question

[mikehende]

What exactly has an IP address, the pc or the connection? Meaning, let's say I have one pc connected to the modem and the IP address ends with 205, if I were to switch that pc with another, will the replacement pc have a different IP address?

[Fred_Flintstone]

Not exactly my "forte" if you know what I mean!..:D

But Here's a link (http://www.howstuffworks.com/question549.htm) that explains the basics of IP addressing.
Also some more in depth stuff in the links at the bottom of the page!..;)

Should keep you going until some of the networking "techies" arrive to sort you out!..:D :D

[mikehende]

Thanks for the link Fred, I have Mike Meyer's book on Network+ and I've searched the net but can't find an answer for this particular question. My research does show that it's the connection that has the IP address and not the Physical pc but I want to be 100% sure which is why I am asking here.

[Fred_Flintstone]

Thanks for the link Fred, I have Mike Meyer's book on Network+

Probably know much more about the subject than me then!..:D


and I've searched the net but can't find an answer for this particular question. My research does show that it's the connection that has the IP address and not the Physical pc but I want to be 100% sure which is why I am asking here.

As I understand it. (on my network for example) the pc's are automatically assigned IP addresses by the router. Though I believe you can set a static IP on the pc's by entering the details into your network connection setting.

The IP of the internet connection is set by your ISP (usually dynamic), and the router then directs the traffic around your network.

So each physical pc has to have an individual IP address or it wouldn't be recognised by the router.

Dare say someone will soon be along to clarify the subject for both of us!!..:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[jlreich]

A "logical" address such as an IP address "binds" itself to the "physical" MAC address of the NIC. So it belongs to the NIC and only that NIC, and not the port coming out of the router. This binding is done by the protocol (TCP/IP or other protocol) on the machine itself and has nothing to with the router, other than getting the address from DHCP if the router has DHCP enabled, and DHCP is enabled on the machine.

But once you remove that machine from the network that IP address is freed up and can be assigned to another machine if needed.

If you were to bring the first machine back into the network and the IP it was using is already taken it will need to be assigned another IP address in order to function on the network.

The router does keep track of all this and to what machine is connected to what port in order to do its "routing". But the logical address is bound to the MAC address of the NIC.

Look in the Network layer of the OSI model in your book for more information.

Hope that helps.

[mikehende]

Before going any further, I should have mentioned this in the beginning [sorry]. My reason for asking this question is I am planning to start installing OTSDJ and setting up music for people in my area after having a lot of requests for this whenever people see my music setup on my pc so I will work out a deal with the company, what I am concerned about is "piracy". I don't want a person to install the software multiple times each on different pc's and sell the pc's. What led me to this is my situation right now, last night I tried a "few" times to install the software each time getting a license for the install, I was doing this while on the phone with the software company in Australia.

The above led me to thinking that anyone can say they are having problems and install the software multiple times on different machines, how will the software company know if they are doing this or not? If an IP address was within a pc itself then they would be able to track each download but if it's only on the connection then one can simply switch pc's and the company will be none the wiser. I don't wish to purchase licenses for strangers and they do stuff like this so I have to know what's what before going into this.

What I gather from your post above jlreich is that if you switch pc's on the same connection then the software company should know that each download is going to different pc's? Is this correct?

[jlreich]

What I gather from your post above jlreich is that if you switch pc's on the same connection then the software company should know that each download is going to different pc's? Is this correct?

No this wouldn't work on many levels. You can change the IP on any machine to whatever you want. When the IP is bound to a MAC address it is that way only until it is changed manually, or the DHCP lease is up. Furthermore even if you have the capability to log the MAC address, that can be changed by swapping out the NIC and putting it into the machine you want to install on. Or sometimes you can even change the MAC address on the NIC if you really wanted to.

You would need an algorithm similar to what MS uses and keep a database of the results, and require activation to stop such piracy. Which I am sure is very expensive. ;)

If I am getting this right, you are going to partner with the software company that sells OTSDJ, then set up music like it is on your machine in some custom fashion? If so I would think the piracy problems lies with the software company and not you. If you are more or less reselling the software, then once it is sold it is out of your hands.

Some of the others may have suggestions for you. But I don't see how you can stop it really. :(

[mikehende]

If I am getting this right, you are going to partner with the software company that sells OTSDJ, then set up music like it is on your machine in some custom fashion? If so I would think the piracy problems lies with the software company and not you. If you are more or less reselling the software, then once it is sold it is out of your hands.

Some of the others may have suggestions for you. But I don't see how you can stop it really. :(

Yes, I intend to become a reseller if I should do this but what I don't want is anyone pirating a license bought from me. Thanks a million for all of this knowledge, I have learned a LOT from this thread!:)

[Erik]

You can't be held responsible for what someone does after you sell them a software license. That is up to the vendor to decide to what lengths they want to go to prevent pircay. As long as you buy a legit license for each PC you sell and give that to the person buying the PC then you are good.

[deddard]

Anti-piracy is a minefield which is the responsibility of the original producer, not the reseller.
You probably know there are umpteen ways to circumvent anti-piracy, and unless you have been specifically tasked with preventing this (which shouldn't happen) then it's best not to worry about it.

People Like Autocad use (at least I think they still use) dongles which are hardware devices provided with the software. No dongle - software is useless, but again, this is the responsibility of the original producer, not a reseller.