Computer Identification

[SuperSaxon771]

I'm not great with computers, and I need help with something.....

Does anyone know how game servers can identify your computer? I know they can record your IP number, and I know they can put cookies on your computer to identify you that way. But is there any other way that they can identify what computer you are using?

I ask because my computer was recently blocked from an online game server in which every user has a username and a password. I know they haven't blocked my username, because I can login to the server on other computers. I also know that they havent blocked my IP address. I know this because I have wireless internet in my house, and all three of my family's computers are connected to the same wireless router, so all three have the same IP number, and I can login to the server from the other two computers in my house. I thought that maybe cookies were the problem, so I deleted them, but it still didn't help.

If it isn't my IP number and it isn't cookies, how else could this server be identifying my computer? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Hawkster]

Other possibilities (in likeliness order...)

Ethernet address - if you pc has a network card (either a pci or built onto the motherboard) this will have a unique address set on it (called the MAC address) - these are coded into the hardware and can't be changed. This address is often used in network environments to uniquely identify pcs - as it can't changed unlike a IP address.

A combination of factors such as IP/username/mac address ,


PC / CPU serial number (highly unlikey)

 

[stormbind]

Some games use a CD-Key or Serial Number. If the same Serial Number is used more than once (by two machines) then everyone using it gets blocked.

 

[The Person]

stormbind has a good point. If your game has a CD-key or serial number they probably have blocked it. But that doesn't explain why you could log in on other computers in your house. Probably Hawkster is right.

 

[Naked Paladin]

It wouldn't be the MAC address because the MAC address for the computer is only known to the router. The game server would block the MAC address to the router.

Most likely Stormblind is correct. Which game is it?

 

[Neomega]

MAC address. It's changeable, but you should have already known what one is before asking how to change it, because it isn't easy.

 

[Grisu]

MAC address. It's changeable, but you should have already known what one is before asking how to change it, because it isn't easy.

sure, is easy if you know what you're doing, but Neomega's right, don't do it if you don't really know what your're doing.

anyway the mac won't be the problem as naked paladin said.

couldn't it be that the game transmits some data about your computer itself?

 

[Neomega]

sure, is easy if you know what you're doing, but Neomega's right, don't do it if you don't really know what your're doing.

anyway the mac won't be the problem as naked paladin said.

couldn't it be that the game transmits some data about your computer itself?

My company assigns machine GUIDs.

 

[SuperSaxon771]

Thanks everyone. I'm not so desperate that I'm willing to try to change the CAM number or do any of that other stuff in order to play.....I was more looking for a simple solution.

If you were wondering what game it was, it's an online poker site. This site has promotions that make it easy to earn a quick $50 doing minimal work, just it can be a little difficult to accomplish because you need the cooperation of another player. If any of you are interested in online poker, leave me a private message with your Email and I can send you some info about it. (Note: you need to be able to deposit money on the site in order to play. This means through a credit card or wire transfer, or if you have a friend who has an account, you can get him to transfer you funds.)