Want to know more about an email message or a website? You can trace the IP address of the sender or host to learn information about their location and service provider. It's actually pretty simple, and it doesn't take long to learn how to trace an IP address.

• Every computer connected to the internet is assigned an Internet Protocol, or IP address. This address can be used to find out information about the user. While you probably won't find very much detailed information on an individual by tracing the address, you can learn about their service provider and general location. Remember that IPs can be spoofed, so any info you get from your trace is not guaranteed to be accurate.

1. Go to Windows task bar.

2. Click Start.

3. Cick Run.

4. Type "cmd" to open command prompt.

5. Type "tracert" into the command prompt, followed by the name of the website you wish to trace (i.e., www.Google.com).

6. A list will appear, and at the bottom will be the IP address.

1. Get the message's full headers. Use your email program's "properties" or "details" function to display these.

2. If you are having trouble finding the full headers, this site should help.

3. Look for a number in 4 parts separated by periods. This is the IP addess of the sender.

• There are many websites that will tell you the location of an IP address. For example, www.ip-adress.com will show you both the location and a satellite image on Google Maps. A site called dnsstuff.com also has lots of free tools. There are several other sites with various features; just find one that you like.

• Whichever site you choose will guide you through the tracing process. You will probably only need to enter the IP address and the site will trace it instantly. Any other features provided by the site (mapping, satellite, etc.) should be accompanied by further directions.

• Tracing an IP address from a website or email is not very difficult. However, it is important to remember that you may not be able to get detailed information on a specific individual. That said, you should be able to gain some insight into whoever you are tracing (provided the IP is not spoofed). If you are filing a harassment complaint, tracing the IP address of the harassing party may prove helpful.

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