[pm-h] Client Computer Name

G. Wade Johnson gwadej at anomaly.org
Sat Nov 15 11:01:24 PST 2014


On Sat, 15 Nov 2014 12:18:22 -0600
Fraser Baker via Houston <houston at pm.org> wrote:

> Hi Y'all:
> 
>  
> 
> Is there a way to get the Client's computer name or any other
> identifying term? I can get the server's name, but that doesn't help
> me. I have searched for this, without avail.

I assume you are talking about a web request?

Advertisers (and some three letter agencies) would love this. You only
have access to what's in the request (including headers) and any
information needed for the TCP/IP communication itself. Without doing
something interesting client side, you have:

  * IP address (possibly machine or NAT router)
  * Referrer header
  * User Agent string
  * Cookies that you have sent
  * Request parameters
  * The URL itself
  * Some other protocol details that are probably not useful

People with more JavaScript experience might be able to suggest some
cool JavaScript tricks to grab some kind of identifying information.

I'm not really sure what use the Client's computer name would be, in
the general case. Out on the wide internet, you cannot guarantee the
computer name is unique or adheres to any particular scheme.

Inside a given company or subset, the IP address might be good enough
to identify a user. But, it's hard to know without a better
understanding of your goal.

This is why most login systems use Cookies to track the user.

(I realize that you probably know at least some of this. But, some
background might help to eliminate the obvious stuff you've already
tried.)

Anyone else have an idea for Fraser?

G. Wade
-- 
There will always be things we wish to say in our programs that in all
known languages can only be said poorly.             -- Alan Perlis


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