Hotmail may show the originating IP address (you home network, your phone network, Starbuck's network.. Etc). Google's trace stops at Google. So They may be able to get your IP address, but I will only tell what ISP it belongs to ( ATT, Comcast, ...etc). From there I would guess that only through a subpoena could you get the ISP to divulge who uses that IP. If its a public wifi, then it won't be traced unless there's a MAC address in there somewhere. See link for more details.

Read more: http://www.whatismyip.com/ip-faq/how-to-trace-an-e-mail-address/#ixzz2MpCfqWfQ


It's probably easier to just do a search for the email address and see what pop-ups or use a service like Spokeo. If you use your hobbying email address for other purposes you may expose things.

Now go search your email address or even you handle here to see what come up.

(Note: I'm not a network admin or engineer, I just play one on TV)

If you are using a web service like gmail then all the email header is going to give me is the IP of googles mail servers since the mail didn't really originate on your computer but rather in their web/email server. If you use an email client to connect to a pop, imap, or mapi email server then the headers may include your network's public IP but from that all that I can get in most cases is what ISP you use and maybe a rough geographical location but not nearly enough to pinpoint where you live or who you are.

If, on the other hand, you are using an email client and emailing from work. Even if using a personal email account in that email client, I can find out where you work in most cases. This is because most places of business not only have static IP addresses but they  often also have some sort of reverse resolution on that IP that would identify the business in question. If that business has server on site that host email or web or other services, even if it is not the same email that you use, I can find out where you are that way too.

However if sending from your cell no I can't. If sending from home with a dynamic IP and no hosted services on a home system then no I can't. If sending from a small business with a dynamic IP and no in house hosted internet facing services then no I can't.

All that said, the IP of your email headers is not the only way to find out who you are. Not by any means. Never assume your identity is safe. I could tell you several other ways I could know exactly who someone is. But.. that isn't the subject of this thread

-- Modified on 3/7/2013 9:47:08 AM