When we surf the Internet, when we log into a forum or social network, we leave a trace. For example, we can give information about our IP address, the real physical location, the Internet operator … Sometimes this does not interest us and we look for a way to avoid it, such as using a VPN. But in this article we are going to see, with a simple example, how easy it is to collect information from a user. Let’s talk about IPLogger.
What data do we expose when browsing
Think of a web page that you visit to read news, for example. What data could that site collect? The truth is that, to keep statistics, the pages record certain visitor data. They can know, for example, the location to know from where they visit that page.
They could also know the type of device we are using. This is useful for you to adapt the screen to be seen on mobile phones, for example. You will know if it is a computer, a mobile phone, what operating system it has, the browser we are using, etc.
On the other hand, we could also expose personal data . This would happen if, for example, we register in a forum and put our e-mail, phone number or name. Also when filling in a form or even when sharing content through social networks. We are exposed on the net more times than we can imagine. Of course, we can always improve privacy, for example when using a VPN.
How to collect data from someone with IPLogger
But, to what extent can we collect data from a user? IPlogger is a web page that allows you to record all the IP addresses that pass through a link. Basically, it records the IPs of all users who open a link. It is a free service and one of its functions is that, although on its page we will see that it has several tools available:
We can monitor and register all the users who enter a URL , access a viewer with all the statistics of the users who have entered, a logger linked to an image that will record all the IP addresses of the users who upload that image or a visitor counter.
Generate a URL
The first thing we have to do is generate a shortened URL from your website . We can put any link that interests us and, in the section above, we paste it. Once this is done, we must give Shorten and it will take us to a new page with information about the page that we have shortened, the generated URL, the address to see statistics, etc. What interests us the most is IPLogger ID, which is used to consult the statistics.
With that ID, later we can see data such as the IP of the users, how many visits the link has had, etc. We may be interested in only one option or several of those that appear in this initial box that we can see in the image above. We will have to store it to be able to access it later.
Send the link
Once we have generated a link through the link that we have put, the next thing we have to do to start collecting data is to get users to enter. We can simply send it by messaging, such as WhatsApp, or also pull social networks, such as Twitter, put a publication on Facebook, etc.
What we are going to do is attract users to that link. If it is something specific, we would only have to send it to someone by WhatsApp or any means to get it to them. If what we are looking for is to collect a lot of statistical data , then the ideal is to publish it through social networks or any means through which we can have a greater reach.
This is very useful for website managers who want to create advertising campaigns, for example. It allows them to have control over the location of users, who are those who enter, from what devices or operating systems and browsers. This helps them adapt to offer a better service that meets what visitors need.
View logged data
Later, once the users have entered through that link, we would only have to consult the statistics that it has been storing. For this we will have to enter with the ID that we generated at the beginning and that showed us the box that we put in the first steps.
We have to put that ID in the View Logger Statistics section . We simply put the corresponding one in the gap that shows us and we give it to continue to show us all the details.
In this way we will see the IP addresses of users, visits and other information that IPLogger shows us. They will show us data such as the date and time a user accessed, the IP address, the operator to which it corresponds, the location, operating system and browser that they use.
We have tried to connect from a normal Spanish IP and also through a VPN connected to a server in Sweden. As we see in the image below, it is able to indicate on a map the country to which that IP corresponds. As we can see, this type of application serves to hide where we really are. It is a way to improve privacy and avoid exposing data when we visit a web page.
Conclusions.
In short, IPLogger is a very simple online service that allows us to record data from users who enter through a link. It shows us the IP address, location, browser or operating system and we can also keep statistics on the number of users who have accessed.
It is very easy to use and offers us a series of functions that go beyond just generating and sending a link, since we can also do the same with an image and also record the information of those who open it. If you have a web page and you are interested in knowing statistical data about the users who visit it, it is a simple tool that you can try, for example, for a campaign through social networks.
