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Is there any way to track a stolen laptop using the mac address, or by triangulating the wifi, or even by checking to see if the macbooks serial number has been registered online anywhere?

A little info on my question,


I had it stoeln on June 22nd 2013. I had recently bought it so had not installed any software on it nor did I have registered with icloud. I had contacted police, registered it stolen with Apple (but then just discovered this week that apple do not have a database for stolen products, which makes no sense at all).


I have contacted all the major pawn shops and computer stores in town etc etc. I have recently discovered that each laptop has a unique MAC address whcih begs the question, is that traceable somehow? I have been made aware that the router strips the mac address before it connects it to the internet but does the isp log the laptops MAC address? If i contacted all the major isp in my country would they have the ability to search for the mac address of my latop and then link that with an ip address?


Any help would be great please!

MacBook Pro

Posted on Dec 15, 2013 6:20 PM

Reply
8 replies

Dec 15, 2013 6:31 PM in response to karlgporter

The router cannot strip the MAC address-- MAC address is hardware. The router acts as a middleman between the internet and the machine. It's just one more step taken to resolving the IP address of the computer. As to exactly how this connects to the MAC address (which can identify a specific computer based on its ethernet card vs. an IP address which is neither inherently static nor inherently connected to the machine itself), I am a bit unsure. I will follow this thread because I am interested in hearing more experienced and knowledgable community member's respond. Best of luck.


http://www.macvendorlookup.com

Dec 15, 2013 8:27 PM in response to karlgporter

karlgporter wrote:


(but then just discovered this week that apple do not have a database for stolen products, which makes no sense at all).

Of course it makes sense. If someone steals your refrigerator, your television, or most other expensive household/business items, you're not going to find a database of stolen products at the appliance maker or the TV maker etc. You have to get up to the level of a stolen car before it's registered in a stolen vehicle database, but the car maker doesn't have that, the government does.


There isn't going to be an automatically maintained database of all stolen computers until your state opens a Department of Computing Devices and you have to get a government-issued license and registration to run a computer.

Dec 16, 2013 9:45 AM in response to Network 23

Yeah but I registered it stolen with Apple first thing, then called local police etc. Apple told me on the phone that the serial has been logged as stolen, which I assumed would limit the computers use online.


Every machine has a unique serial number what I was getting at is there must be some way to track the serial number and for example if the theif logged onto facebook using a stolen machine, if there were a register of stolen equipment then red flags would pop up, you know what I mean?


I registered the mac yesterday on apple - my products in the support section expecting to be greated with a warning sign that this laptop has been reported stolen but nothing! Its just a shame! I can understand the amount of work that would be but it would be extremely helpful!

Dec 16, 2013 11:18 AM in response to karlgporter

Your suggestion of an Apple registry for reported stolen computers does not make sense. Your ex girlfriend with a vendetta against you could call up Apple and report your computer stolen. Then what would you expect Apple do? Maybe you would expect them to report to the police that you have a stolen computer. Or, maybe you would expect them to no longer provide you support, updates, etc..


Let the police handle stolen property. It is not Apple's responsibility. Besides, there would be a cost to Apple to perform the police's job so that cost would be passed on to computer buyers.

Dec 17, 2013 9:47 PM in response to karlgporter

karlgporter wrote:


Yeah but I registered it stolen with Apple first thing, then called local police etc. Apple told me on the phone that the serial has been logged as stolen, which I assumed would limit the computers use online.


Every machine has a unique serial number what I was getting at is there must be some way to track the serial number and for example if the theif logged onto facebook using a stolen machine, if there were a register of stolen equipment then red flags would pop up, you know what I mean?

Well, I hadn't heard of that before. If it's true, then what you say should also be true but the Mac would have to publish its hardware serial number over the Internet and I haven't heard of that either. The only Apple tech that is supposed to constantly track you is iCloud.


You said you assumed the database would limit use online but if that's only an assumption, you need to ask Apple what exactly the stolen database does. It is possible that the serial number might only get flagged if it comes into an Apple Store for service, if it ever does. You need to clarify this with Apple.

Is there any way to track a stolen laptop using the mac address, or by triangulating the wifi, or even by checking to see if the macbooks serial number has been registered online anywhere?

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