Online games can be a lot of fun, sometimes addictingly so. But they can also be highly competitive as well. This high-octane and fierce kind of venue can also be a breeding ground for potential hostility and issues from other people, from all over the planet. Harassment can easily follow what was a fairly good-natured disagreement minutes prior.
If you’re being harassed online, and it’s getting to a point where you are worried for your safety, you don’t have to take it. Here are a few ways you can find someone’s IP address online easily in a 100% legal manner: Let’s take a look.
Post Contents
Ways to Find Someone’s IP Address in an Online Game
You shouldn’t have to be a victim of online harassment, especially when pursuing something as fun and leisurely as online gaming. Here are some tips to help you find someone’s IP so you can stop them from bothering you further down the line.
Short-Linking
If you can trick someone into clicking a link, you can easily get their IP address. Many online games have an embedded chat feature that you can use for this purpose. This process is called short-linking. Here’s how it’s done:
- Use a hosting service, like Google Drive, to upload any file the individual in question might want to look at (never anything illegal). Create a link to the uploaded file that can be shared.
- You should be provided with a separate window that gives you yet another link that you will use to track someone’s IP address location. Copy this link to your clipboard.
- Now, use a link-shortening service, like Bitly, to create a new URL to mask the one you made in step two.
- Paste the shortened link inside the in-game chat. When the person you are profiling clicks on the link, you can then access their IP address.
Be aware, this tip will only work if someone isn’t using a VPN (a virtual private network) to mask their IP address. VPNs are ubiquitous in the online world now, so keep that in mind.
Use the Netstat Command
For this to work, you need to invite the person in question to a game that you are personally hosting. Only do this method if you feel it’s safe to, ultimately. This method only works on a Windows-based operating system.
- When the person is in-game, hold your Windows key + R and then type “cmd” in the command prompt that appears.
- Once the Windows prompt shell appears, type “netstat-an”. This command allows you to see the IP addresses of devices that are connected to your network.
- Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE to access Windows Task Manager. From there, see what the PID (Personal Identification Number) of the game you are playing is.
- From here, several (if not many) you should be able to cross-reference the player that has joined your hosted game and find their IP address from the list displayed on the cmd.exe screen.
Use an Email Lookup
Many online gamers use a similar screen name to the one they use on their public social media accounts. In some cases, their screen name is also a component of their email address, if not the entire address period.
With a potent reverse email lookup, such as the one provided by Information.com, you can have the tools needed to help put a stop to online harassment for good. A reverse email search can unveil where an email is being sent from, the name of the person behind it, other websites and accounts the email is associated with, and much more.
While searching for someone’s IP address can be helpful, figuring out what email account they use can yield even better results. Reverse email lookup tools are a fantastic way to nip online harassment in the bud. They can help you to gather a wealth of information on a person to provide for the proper authorities. A tool like this can be the difference between gaining peace of mind or getting further online abuse from a random stranger. The choice is yours.
Stop Online Harassment Now
All of the methods presented above can help you to find someone who is harassing you in the online gaming community, however, be careful. While these methods are legal, they can potentially be used for illegal purposes. Needless to say, don’t attempt to look for someone’s IP address if you have desires of an illegal nature (such as some form of violence or retribution against the individual in question).
That said, if you are being harassed and you are concerned about your safety consider using these tools. This can help when gathering some deeper info to give to the proper authorities so that you can stop the harassment fast.
Be safe out there.