Track a Stolen Laptop

[doctr_nick]

Hi guys!

I unfortunately just had my appartment broken into earlier in the week and was wondering if anyone knew of any way to track a laptop after it has been stolen. I know there is software that you could load onto your laptop before hand that sends data to online servers and gives a location based on IP, but unfortunately thats not an option for me now.

What I'm thinking of is that my computer was configured to be part of my home network and connected through my router. Is there any software that I could program to seek out that information over the internet (provided the theives are connected to the internet) and retrive its location? I know a lot about computer hardware, but unfortunately networking and internet stuff is my weak point. I don't know what's all possible with todays technology. Maybe someone has some genious advice?

Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,

-Nick

 

[TeXBill]

What brand Dell, HP, ? Dell's got their service tag number if the thief goes to the web site and dl's drivers sometimes they can track it. You would have to talk with them about that. Sorry to hear your laptop got stolen man that just suxs.....

 

[doctr_nick]

Yeah, it was a Gateway FX-P6860. The worst part is that they also took my fiance's laptop which was one of the higher end acer's.

 

[TeXBill]

Man that just Suxs big time.... Did they take them from your house? or apt? If it was a house then your house Ins. should cover it. if it was an apt then you would have to of bought Ins. as an extra. I feel for ya I know that suxs having something stolen. I hope they catch the dumb ass's that did it.... You might check out some pawn shops, I bet they pawned them for drug money.....

 

[DonInKansas]

This is why you get renter's insurance.

 

[TeXBill]

yep true, not every body can afford renters Ins. I know when I was going to college renters Ins. was very expensive compared to regular house ins.

 

[smashed_99cbr]

yep true, not every body can afford renters Ins. I know when I was going to college renters Ins. was very expensive compared to regular house ins.

weird... my renter's ins was $15 or so per month when I was in school

 

[TeXBill]

Price goes by what you claim on it. I had a bunch of computers, stereo equipment plus my guitars and amps.

 

[stanhemi]

if you buy another laptop do not throw the box in the trash thief will quickly see it and steal you again.

smashed 99cbr@ i pay 470$ every years for my apt ins.

 

[lemode]

I don’t know what part of Texas you live in, but renters insurance in Dallas wasn’t that expensive when I lived there in 2006. Got a quote from progressive and it was sub $100 a month.

 

[TeXBill]

Lived in Austin, Texas and went to UT, graduated in 2002. Everything in Austin seems to cost more.....

 

[digibucc]

unless the manufacturer has a tracking system in your model, no. your home network configuration is no more unique and than any other, and not trackable by any software (short of a broad , search every computer in the city type method)

the way some people have gotten lucky is they had remote control software (VNC) and took pictures with their webcam, etc. If you had any kind of software that accessed the internet automatically, and regularly, that may be an avenue. but sorry to say the chances are very slim.

 

[blkhogan]

Ouch man! Ive had a laptop stolen also. It was stolen right off a table in a coffee shop. I went up to get a refill was gone maybe 30 seconds. They took my laptop and my smart phone. There was someone sitting at the table but she got up to use the bathroom, wrong move. The laptop was less than 3 days old. Never saw or heard from it again. I was lucky it wasnt my work laptop, I would have been in big trouble, and I own the company.

 

[HookeyStreet]

Hi guys!

I unfortunately just had my appartment broken into earlier in the week and was wondering if anyone knew of any way to track a laptop after it has been stolen. I know there is software that you could load onto your laptop before hand that sends data to online servers and gives a location based on IP, but unfortunately thats not an option for me now.

What I'm thinking of is that my computer was configured to be part of my home network and connected through my router. Is there any software that I could program to seek out that information over the internet (provided the theives are connected to the internet) and retrive its location? I know a lot about computer hardware, but unfortunately networking and internet stuff is my weak point. I don't know what's all possible with todays technology. Maybe someone has some genious advice?

Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance,

-Nick

TBH, your laptop has probably been formatted already and sold on Its gone, was you insured?

 

[doctr_nick]

Yeah, fortunately I was smart enough to buy renters insurance on my apt, so everything is covered. The lame part though is that my apt is the only one broken into in the building in the past 4 years (according to the landlords). And the people went through EVERYTHING. Meaning they knew they had time.

Something tells me it was an inside job though because there were no signs of forced entry, meaning they either had a key, or some tool to get through a dead-bolt. The lock itself didn't even have any marks on it, which tells me it was likely a key. On top of that, even the police couldn't figure out how someone would know to rob our appartment on the 5th floor of and appartment building unless they had saw it at some point or heard about it from someone. I myself am in medical school and have no time to make social aquantances within the building, and haven't pissed anyone off to my knowledge. So I don't know. I'm at a loss. The only people who know who I am, and what's in the appartment aside from close friends would be the contracters who replaced our kitchen cabinets, the landlords, and another contracter that did some plaster work just before christmas.

The whole thing leaves me feeling uneasy now though because these people didn't take everything, evidently got in with little effort, and are now aware of what's left in here. For all I know they could be plotting a second attack. I need to get a pitbull stat.

 

[TeXBill]

setup a cam some where. make it where they don't notice it and record will your gone. have it facing the front door on the inside so when they come in you will get a pic of them.

 

[AphexDreamer]

setup a cam some where. make it where they don't notice it and record will your gone. have it facing the front door on the inside so when they come in you will get a pic of them.

Sucks man, but on that note since they are so clever to leave no marks when entering they likely would where a mask or something then you would see them and still have no leads. Doesn't hurt to try though, just make sure they can't get the cam and steal the footage.

My cousins house got broke into three months back (She lives less than a miles away from me) as well and the cops had manged to do nothing. Around that time I had kids dropping by my house with weird excuses like "FAT Kids Association", the last kid that came said he had a free newspaper to give every Friday and he had no papers or nothing So I followed him and he just walked three blocks while on his phone I backed down after that though.It was my opinion that they hired kids to scout out houses. It just seems like people can steal and get away with it so easily...