MAC Address

Is there any any any way I could grab the NIC MAC Address in PHP? if
no, is there any way i can grab any hardware ID using PHP?

I actually need it for a poll system, I don't wanna use IP system for
many users use 1 IP, and cookies is a real non-secure way. If there's
by any chance a way to use either the NIC MAC or the internal IP
address of a user, which is used inside the LAN i would be really
thankful.

re: MAC Address

Maximus said the following on 08/11/2005 22:12:[color=blue]
> Is there any any any way I could grab the NIC MAC Address in PHP? if
> no, is there any way i can grab any hardware ID using PHP?[/color]

No.



--
Oli

re: MAC Address

>Is there any any any way I could grab the NIC MAC Address in PHP? if

The NIC MAC address is not transmitted past a router. Almost all
of the entire Internet will appear to have the same MAC address.
Also, dial modems do not *HAVE* MAC addresses. The ISP-side equipment
that receives the dialup calls is likely to have one MAC address
for several hundred simultaneous incoming calls, and you can't see
that one anyway.
[color=blue]
>no, is there any way i can grab any hardware ID using PHP?[/color]

No, unless you mean a hardware ID *of the server*, which is
somewhat pointless.
[color=blue]
>I actually need it for a poll system, I don't wanna use IP system for
>many users use 1 IP, and cookies is a real non-secure way. If there's
>by any chance a way to use either the NIC MAC or the internal IP
>address of a user, which is used inside the LAN i would be really
>thankful.[/color]

Do you have any idea how many users have the internal IP address of
192.168.1.1, or similar default IP addresses handed out by common
routers?

Gordon L. Burditt

re: MAC Address

>I actually need it for a poll system, I don't wanna use IP system for[color=blue]
>many users use 1 IP, and cookies is a real non-secure way. If there's
>by any chance a way to use either the NIC MAC or the internal IP
>address of a user, which is used inside the LAN i would be really
>thankful.[/color]

What kind of poll are you conducting? What are you trying to prevent
from happening? That seems like an awful lot of trouble just to keep
people from voting more than once on some public web poll.

If you're that concerned about it I'd suggest having people log in with
a userid and password. You should also verify their email address to
make sure they didn't make it up just to vote more than once.

re: MAC Address

Maximus wrote:[color=blue]
> Is there any any any way I could grab the NIC MAC Address in PHP? if
> no, is there any way i can grab any hardware ID using PHP?
>
> I actually need it for a poll system, I don't wanna use IP system for
> many users use 1 IP, and cookies is a real non-secure way. If there's
> by any chance a way to use either the NIC MAC or the internal IP
> address of a user, which is used inside the LAN i would be really
> thankful.[/color]

Hi there,

My guess is that your polling system resides on an intranet? I tried to
find a solution to the same problem a week ago, as in my case IP
addresses are dynamically assigned and therefore change daily per user.
Sadly, I could not find a solution. I would just use cookies and if
it is paramount that users do not vote more than once, make them login
before casting their vote.

Good luck,

Ed

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
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re: MAC Address

Following on from Ed's message. . .[color=blue]
>My guess is that your polling system resides on an intranet? I tried to
>find a solution to the same problem a week ago, as in my case IP
>addresses are dynamically assigned and therefore change daily per user.
> Sadly, I could not find a solution. I would just use cookies and if
>it is paramount that users do not vote more than once, make them login
>before casting their vote.[/color]

And also it is not so hot to assume 1-pc-on-desk = 1-eligible-voter
--
PETER FOX Not the same since the bookshop idea was shelved
peterfox@eminent.demon.co.uk.not.this.bit.no.html
2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex <http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk>

re: MAC Address

> My guess is that your polling system resides on an intranet? I tried to[color=blue]
> find a solution to the same problem a week ago, as in my case IP
> addresses are dynamically assigned and therefore change daily per user.
> Sadly, I could not find a solution. I would just use cookies and if
> it is paramount that users do not vote more than once, make them login
> before casting their vote.[/color]

If it's for an intranet, you could try calling nmap from php, get the
results (including a mac address) and use that information to identify
computers (but not users)

re: MAC Address

>> My guess is that your polling system resides on an intranet? I tried to[color=blue][color=green]
>> find a solution to the same problem a week ago, as in my case IP
>> addresses are dynamically assigned and therefore change daily per user.
>> Sadly, I could not find a solution. I would just use cookies and if
>> it is paramount that users do not vote more than once, make them login
>> before casting their vote.[/color]
>
>If it's for an intranet, you could try calling nmap from php, get the
>results (including a mac address) and use that information to identify
>computers (but not users)[/color]

The mac address is not transmitted through routers, so it's useless.
Almost the entire Internet will appear to have the same MAC address.

Using nmap against machines that aren't your own is likely to get
your account shut off for virus-like activity (even, or ESPECIALLY,
if you use some of nmap's 'stealth' options, as routers may watch
for this sort of stuff).

Why is ONE COMPUTER, ONE VOTE the appropriate rule for a poll?
Many compuers have multiple users, and some users have control over
lots and lots of computers.

Gordon L. Burditt

re: MAC Address

Gordon Burditt <gordonb.4soxc@burditt.org> wrote:[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> My guess is that your polling system resides on an intranet? I tried to
>>> find a solution to the same problem a week ago, as in my case IP
>>> addresses are dynamically assigned and therefore change daily per user.
>>> Sadly, I could not find a solution. I would just use cookies and if
>>> it is paramount that users do not vote more than once, make them login
>>> before casting their vote.[/color]
>>
>>If it's for an intranet, you could try calling nmap from php, get the
>>results (including a mac address) and use that information to identify
>>computers (but not users)[/color]
>
> The mac address is not transmitted through routers, so it's useless.
> Almost the entire Internet will appear to have the same MAC address.
>
> Using nmap against machines that aren't your own is likely to get
> your account shut off for virus-like activity (even, or ESPECIALLY,
> if you use some of nmap's 'stealth' options, as routers may watch
> for this sort of stuff).
>
> Why is ONE COMPUTER, ONE VOTE the appropriate rule for a poll?
> Many compuers have multiple users, and some users have control over
> lots and lots of computers.
>
> Gordon L. Burditt[/color]


All I have to say is... THANK HEAVENS our mac addresses don't get
transmitted! That's the last thing my dwindling privacy needs.

BTW, the point is moot, but mac addresses on many NICs can be easily spoofed.

Pete