Re: HACKER.TXT. Area 51 Computer addresses (nein!)

From: The Lurker 
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 13:08:56 -0600
Subject: Re: HACKER.TXT. Area 51 Computer addresses (nein!)

At 03:37 PM 1/13/97 -0800, "A.J. Craddock" <craddock@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>I have been asked to elaborate on the supposed Area 51 computer IP
>addresses listed in HACKER.TXT
>
>Here is a list of the IP 141 addresses which were supposedly those for Area
>51.  They are not classified.  You will note that they are mostly all in
>Germany.  Interrogating each address will give more specific information
>for each address.
>
>Interestingly, some of the other Military addresses are indeed correct,
>which indicates that someone was pulling someone's chain.
>
>Unless these IP addresses were indeed correct at the time, and have since
>been de-classified, which will be reflected in when they were registered.
>Somehow I don't think they were ever classified.  Although some of the
>higher numbers such as 188 and 192 listed at the end of the text are not
>supposed to be assigned IP numbers, so could indeed be classified.
>
>This is a time-consuming process, so it is time to pass the baton on this one.
>
>Tony Craddock
>IP block 141
>
According to my references, (O'Reilly TCP/IP Network Administration) IP
addresses beginning with a number between 128 and 191 are considered "Class
B" network addresses. The list of IP Block 141 addresses presented is a very
good example of such a Class B network. The first two numbers represent the
individual network, say a college campus or a company LAN, while the last
two designate a particular host on that network. However, just because block
141 is assigned to Class B networks in Germany, does not mean that the list
of IP addresses in Hacker.txt are incorrect. A LAN network not connected to
any other LAN can have any set of IP addresses it chooses. Indeed, the
128.X.X.X series is set aside for just such purposes. If the Area51
computers are networked, it would be, IMHO a very private network, with no
outside connections. On a different note, military networks are connected
together by a different backbone system knwon as milnet. It sorta parallels
the Internet and is even connected to it in places, hence hostnames such as
eglin.af.mil can be pinged from the Internet. All traffic in and out of
milnet is passed through gateways, and most nets employ a firewall to keep
out prying eyes. What do ya want to bet all traffic through a gateway is
logged? Anyway, the gateways and firewalls are capable of translating IP
addresses from in to out and vice versa. This makes it practically
impossible for a person on the Internet outside the gatewya to determine the
actual physical address of the host on the other side. Hope this clears up a
few points..... >
The Lurker - "I Watch, I Listen"
DC to Daylight!
Xphile, Area51, Electromagnetic Phenomenon,
Alternative Energy Sources, Black Project Researcher