How does a website or website advertisement know where I am? Geo-targeting

Ever been searching on Google and noticed that the ads on the right seem to all be from companies located around your home town?
How can this be with all of the thousands of businesses that advertise on Google - Is it just plain coincidence?

Nope!!! It's called geo - targeting.

Today all computers that are connected to the public Internet have what's called an IP address. You can think of your IP address as being similar to a zip code that you use on your regular mail, the zip code reveals the state and city.

An IP address consists of four numbers that are separated by periods and look something like 127.0.0.1.

IP's are usually issued to the Internet Service Provider that you have and sometimes can allow users to have the ability to reveal the host name, IP address and /or is capable of analyzing the hops in a trace route of your IP address. This form of advertising is called geo-targeting and is used by more sophisticated systems and has the capability of even knowing the town where you live.

In addition to getting your location, geo-tracking can be done by filling out forms on a website then a cookie is placed on your computer that enables the advertiser to use that cookie for targeted marketing. The advantage of knowing your information provides the host with information without having to pay for it and normally the information is up-to-date. The IP address geo-tracker can only get your City, State, Country and sometimes Zip code but no other information. In order for the web host to get information like your name, street address, phone number, birth date, age, sex, etc. you would need to fill out a form and tell these facts.

Since a web host has the ability to track you by your IP address then that is why many people search the web by using a proxy server. A proxy server disguises your IP address and the proxy servers IP address is what the host picks up which prevents them from knowing where you are from. This works very well unless you fill out an online form revealing your information. The key to your security lies upon your discretion, do not tell if you do not want them to know.