Here’s some good news amidst all the doom and gloom: A free software solution to help you find your lost or stolen laptop. Researchers at the University of Washington have released a service called Adeona. You simply download a small application and once installed it starts sending location notices to a hosted service. If your laptop ever goes missing you download and another another program (assuming you have access to another computer) and enter the password you set up originally. This program will start retrieving the location information of your laptop from the servers. There is a version for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. And the Mac version can even take snapshots so you can catch the dirty thief on camera.
|
||||||
Find Your Stolen Laptop – Free!23 comments to Find Your Stolen Laptop – Free! |
||||||
|
Copyright © 2010 Talking Tech - All Rights Reserved |
||||||
Thanks for the tip, Bob. I installed the software. Now I kinda want to get my laptop stolen to see if it will work to track the thief down.
I’ll let you experiment with that. Tell me how it goes…
had my hp 6500 stolen monday. Can I install remotely?? laptop is vista os this pc is xp. whats easiest remote program recommended???
Unfortunately, this only works if you’ve already intalled it. I don’t see how you would be able to install it remotely.
For windows based laptops, i believe there is a better (and free!) solution available at LocateMyLaptop.com. It is worth checking out.
does anyone know of anyway to get a stolen laptop back without previously installing any kind of anti-theft software?
Ken: if you know you machines MAC adress, then there is a little chance that could be loged by an ISP using ADSL modem connections or cabel modems.
Anyway, you should perhaps all check out the free IP Sneak web based solution. It’s a little better suited for company roll-out and families using multiple computers.
If you don’t already know your computers IP address then how does one find it?
Where do I check out this “free IP sneak web based solution”?!
Can i check out if laptop is stolen with numbers on back or do i have to have it online to check?
You mean you have a laptop in your possession and you want to know if it was stolen?
My laptop has been stolen. Is there anyway to shut down the laptop and make it not work for who ever has it? I know there is a way to track it but I don’t want the person who has it to do anything illegal with it or have the chance to get any of my personal information off of it.
Thank you for your time.
Fred Kihs
Unless you have something already installed on the laptop that you can communicate with from another machine, there is no way I know of to do what you are asking. The software needs to be installed ahead of time as a preventive measure.
Thank you for your input. I guess I learned a costly lesson.
Fred, i have been using a FREE service LocateMyLaptop.com. You can look them up and try them (they only require a valid email id) by visiting their website. However they do not have a non-windows version. Hope this helps.
Thanks Kim, I will try them.
My laptop was stolen two days ago. When someone goes online, they see my IM lit up from yahoo. I am still on the computer. Which means that someone is on the computer. I want to find my computer. I never thought it would get stolen. It is a Toshiba L305-S5919. It has built in WI-FI. I never installed any kind of anti-theft device, as this has never happened here before ever. So, I went online, downloaded Front Door Software Security. What is really weird is that I am in Blaine MN. This computer has not moved. I first checked this service on the house desktop computer. Then I editied the information to include my stolen laptop and other information and suddenly, I get the signal where my laptop is. I never put anti-theft or tracking on my laptop. What is it locating? So far my computer is in Minneapolis, it has been to Champlin, back to minneapolis, down to St. Paul and back to Minneapolis again.
How do I find my computer? I am not sure if it has GPS tracking capability. All I know is I want my computer and the computers information has been accessed by some computer. otherwise it wouldn’t show up in the same spot. Am I right or just being a dog and barking up the wrong tree?
my laptop got stollen 3 days back…
plz tell me where can can i find IP address, MAC , IM …
i had some keys written down from the back of my laptop and some from the back of the battery.
none of the anti theft softwares are installed and i never connected my laptop to internet.
I had my netbook stolen a few days ago. I am in a major panic, it took me two and a half years to save up for a computer, along with my schooling. Without the computer I am afraid that I have not any chance in school. I had to restart from an abusive 13yr marraige. I went from having a little money to zero with three beautiful boys to take care of before me. Anyway I am rambling on. Is there any cheap form of tracking or the netbook letting you know if you have all the numbers from the box, I have it registered with my university. NMSU, I am just wondering if I am having false hope. Thank you.
If you havn’t installed some sort of tracking software before it was stolen, then chances are surely slim.
But there are small chances, depending on how IT competent you police department is. Because some networks expose the MAC address of the units on it. If you know the MAC address of the machine, there is a slim chance that is may show up in an ISP’s log somewhere. But you local police have to request such services from ISP and I doubt they will go to such trouble for a single laptop.
you should try out the new Prey software. it’s the new Adeona (free + open source) only much better.
Had my laptop stolen on wednesday :- o I work on a military base and don’t want to cause any waves.Every1 in my building makes more than me,and they rip me off?My computer was a asus g50vt’which cost me over $1000.Obviously after reading this thread it’s gone.I lost lojack after i installed the free windows7 asus sent me.Last laptop for me
P.S.enoy the laptop u useless Cu_’t
someone broken in my house stole my laptop,and desktop computers,can someone help me find my stuff.turn in to the cops,they cant find them
my laptop was stolen last month but i had never known its serial number or mac adress or even installed a software on it.i also cant seem to locate any of those details in its purchase books(the booklets that come along with it)..is there any hope of recovery for me?
like,can the compaq website give me any details if i give them some figures from the booklet?