Question:
Can your ISP see what websites you visit on a virtual machine?
2013-12-14 13:37:57 UTC
Let's say I use Windows on a virtual machine. If I use the internet on the virtual machine, such as doing web searches and stuff, would my ISP see that internet activity?
Six answers:
alk99
2013-12-14 13:42:32 UTC
Virtual machine or not... it is still the IP address they assigned to your account... so yes, they could.
Paul
2013-12-14 21:46:11 UTC
Yes, because your IP, the thing which identifies your computer (whichever OS it's running) is the same. The ISP (and, for that matter, any node along the data path, and a DNS server or two) must know the addresses of both the host and server in order for the Internet to work.



If you wish for anonymity when browsing, you'll have to run through a proxy server like www.anonymouse.com while online, which offers a modicum of protection. Then as far as the ISP is concerned, you're just looking at this proxy site the whole time (although it must be fairly obvious you're using it to obfuscate what you're actually looking at).



The best proxifier software is the TOR network, which is like a gigantic network of nodes that bounces your connection around all over the place and makes it next to impossible to tell who is looking at what. It does have its flaws, and unfortunately setting a computer up to use it is beyond the scope of this answer. Google it. Also be aware that websites can and do exist within the TOR network, but I caution against visiting those because by their anonymous, practically untraceable nature they can be host to some very, very, VERY illegal stuff. You can't really access them without specifically knowing what you're doing, though.



But yes, to answer your question, the IP is related to the machine connecting to the network (in a house this is usually the router, to which all the computers are attached via a LAN), so the actual software running on a particular computer matters not one bit.
Colonel
2013-12-14 21:48:54 UTC
YES, as everything is viewable if anyone is looking or searching for it and it is on your computer. You can clean some files like History, error files, cookies and that stuff just click Alt-X and go down to Internet options and click. The pop-up should show the general tab open. Go down and you will see a box to delete Browsing history on exit, check it. Next delete another pop-up Uncheck the top box and check all others reading them as you go. This is all temporary files and should be remove once a week, daily if your like me. Now hit OK and a simple clean will take place and your computer should run a bit faster. There are other thing you can do and they are shown in Yahoo Help.
2013-12-14 22:05:28 UTC
Yes, the only way to prevent your ISP from seeing your browsing history is to use a proxy server.
Advotech, LLC
2013-12-15 00:33:03 UTC
Unless you are using a communications encryption mechanism like TOR, your ISP can see everything you do outside of your local network.
?
2013-12-14 21:43:47 UTC
Of course they do. Because where do you think every packet you send and receive goes? Straight through their servers.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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