How to trace an IP address

• 

  enochered · Member · Nov 11, 2011 at 6:57 pm

  • Copy link
  • Add topic to favorites

  How to check the source of abusive comments through the IP address number.

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

• 

  timethief · Member · Nov 11, 2011 at 7:09 pm

  • Copy link

  You can use Google search but why bother? The ISPs have been placing hundreds of us in the same IP block for years so the notion that an IP is exclusive to one computer is extremely outdated. If the abusive comments are coming from another free hosted WordPress.com blogger please read these:
  http://en.wordpress.com/freedom-of-speech/
  http://en.wordpress.com/abuse/
  http://en.wordpress.com/complaints/

  Note that we cannot block or delete subscribers from public blogs. However, please read this about public blogs that become private blogs > Blog Privacy and Subscribers > http://wpcommaven.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/blog-privacy-and-subscribers/

  You have complete control comment moderation on your blog. http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/#comment-moderation If your blog is public others can, of course, read it. They can submit comments but you can Moderate all comments and choose which ones to approve or not.

  For trolls, you can “blacklist” them at Settings > Discussion toward the bottom of that page. Enter their email address, their username, and if they included it, their website. That will automatically send them to moderation so that their comments do not appear on the blog. Do note though that if they are determined, they can use a different email address or username to get around that. Also, do not put their IP address in the blacklist. IP addresses are no longer unique, and you might end up blocking legitimate visitors. Also, all they would have to do is go to a wi-fi hot spot, or connect via a different ISP and they could get around that.
  http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/
  http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/discussion-settings/#comment-blacklist

  One other thing I would suggest is to set your blog so that first time commenters are held in moderation till approved, then from that point forward they will not need approval. Settings > Discussion. The next step on that of course is to set it so that all comments are held in moderation until approved. That way you are in control, and they might just get tired and go elsewhere after a while.