On Sun, 29 Jun 2003 15:05:50 GMT, DragonRider <NoSpam@NoJunkAtAll.com>
prounounced a fatwah thus:

>On Sun, 29 Jun 2003 14:14:00 +0300, Lance Delacroix
><lance_delacroix@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 29 Jun 2003 08:05:40 GMT, DragonRider <NoSpam@NoJunkAtAll.com>
>>prounounced a fatwah thus:
>>
>>>On 29 Jun 2003 00:01:07 -0700, yosponge@yahoo.com (sponge) wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 21:42:19 -0400, DragonRider
>>>><NoSpam@NoJunkAtAll.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Spyware, etc., free.
>>>>>
>>>>>Tx
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>There is no such thing as an IP Spoofing program; if your IP is
>>>>obscured, it is not physically possible for you to take part in any
>>>>meaningful communication or activity on the Internet since there is no
>>>>way for data to return to you.
>>>
>>>Then what does an anonymizer do, which is what I was told an IP spoof
>>>was?
>>
>>Anonymizers strip your IP out of your headers and re-send your message
>>from a new server with a new IP. This is done several times in
>>succession using different servers. But each of these servers, in
>>order to send your message on, must identify itself to the next server
>>using a valid IP.
>>
>>>I finally did find one since I couldn't wait and all I got here was
>>>negative responses. On recommendation from a friend, was told me to
>>>google for one.
>>>
>>>I ran a test yesterday afternoon at ShieldsUp and I aced each
>>>category. ShieldsUp returned a "can't see your computer at all" and
>>>that I was in "stealth" mode all the way (which is what I have this
>>>set to).
>>
>>You can do the same thing with a firewall. Grc.com knows it can't see
>>your computer precisely because it cannot send data to it, which is
>>what Sponge is saying: without a valid IP, no data comes in.
>>
>>>So I have conflicting information here. It seems to me that
>>>this is a good thing not a bad thing.
>>
>>It's a good thing as long as you don't mind not being able to receive
>>any packets, which means, in effect, not being able to send any TCP
>>packets. You can still send UDP, ICMP, and IGMP, but their uses are
>>limited.
>
>Thanks for the information.
>
>What does the above mean, though, packets? I've been using this
>stealther for a few days and haven't noticed anything different. I'm
>dl, etc., so what am I missing?

If you are downloading files, you are most certainly receiving (and
sending) data in neat little labeled bundles called packets. Each one
of those packets is marked with your IP address and a port number that
was negotiated in an exchange of info between your computer and the
sending computer. Without the sending computer (and all intermediate
computers) having your IP address, you simply cannot receive data.

What is this program that you think is "spoofing" your IP? It is not
doing what you think it's doing.

Topics to Google up:

packet switching
circuit switching
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol)

>TIA.