Dealing with dynamic IP addresses

[Bret]

Im in the process of figuring out how I can write a script that tracks the number of unique hits a given page gets. I thought tracking IP addresses was the answer but with dynamic IPs, one visitor can have more than one IP if he disconnects and returns later. Are cookies the answer? Anybody? Thanks. -B-

[ednark]

also some people behind rounters may appear to be from the same ip address...

for instance... if i log into your site from my mandrake box, and my sig.other logs in from my XP machine, then you really have two unique visitors but they will both look like they came from one ip address...

so you will never win...

cookies would be a way to track non-cheaters...

i don't know of a sure fire way to get a 100% accurate count from php...

might want to compare also UserAgent String from the browser and anything else php stores in $_SERVER to check for a real match

[Bret]

Well that sucks. I think I'll try something with the substr() function on ip addresses... That should at least reduce duplicates.

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