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by simias 1836 days ago
VPNs (aka proxies) can also help. I think most ISPs (at least where I live) also use dynamic IPs which reduces the utility if IP for tracking somewhat.

I think cookie + browser fingerprinting is a much better way to track people in this situation, because it removes the uncertainty associated with dynamic IPs and multiple users behind a NAT.

2 comments

In Sweden every single ISP I've used in the last 10+ years have had CG-NAT, I absolutely hate it because it stops me from self-hosting, but on the upside if the app/website is only using my IP-adress to track my location then I am apparently in one of the largest cities in Sweden, that is also 2+ hours away from me. However, most apps don't only use IP-addresses so it really doesn't balance out.

For you that don't live in small countries being 2 hours away in Sweden means you have to pass several other independent cities on your way there.

My home has a nominally dynamic ip (from Comcast), but I've only ever seen it change when the modem gets power cycled
Yeah I think different ISPs have different policies when it comes to that, I think Orange in France would cycle the address every couple of days regardless of power cycling, but here in Portugal it seems that my Vodafone public IP hasn't changed in months.
This is quite typical. When I was younger and needed my IP changed, I'd simply power cycle my router.

Newer ISPs use CGNAT so you'll be sharing your public IP with a few neighbours (7+you in the case of my ISP).

My last isp used to to cycle ip addresses at 1am every night. The modem would disconnect and reconnect every device on the network.