Computer Identity

[mirrorlake]

I just wonder when you connected through a client software to a server, how does server recognize each individual computer besides using IP address. Say that I install two operating systems in my computer, during installation I gave them different computer name. Then I set up the client software in each OS, can server recognize that communication were actually from same computer if each time I use different IP? I heard before that intel assign id number to their CPU, is it something has beed widely use to track down the internet traffic?

 

[bsobel]

There are a number of answers to your question, but the short one is no, the server can not tell which machine your connecting from. The slightly longer answer is that there are a number of technologies which help the server make the disctinction, one of the most common with web servers is using cookies.

The Intel CPU serial number was another attempt, but it basically died off for lack of support from web sites and public outcry due to privacy issues.

Bill