Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I'm not sure I fully understand a loopback address, or when 127.0.0.1 comes into play, but I don't believe I have done anything to generate a click from this address (much less more than one).
Any idea what it is, and if I should be concerned?
MQ
A 127.0.0.1 address in your adsense tracker means you probably clicked on an ad from the browser on the web server.
This is the source of my concern. I don't have a browser on my web server. They all generated from searches on Google, and none were me. They were all spread out over time. Does this indicate a security hole or something that should concern me, or is it innocuous?
This is my own managed server, with several of my sites on it but noone else's, with a pretty larger web hosting company.
maybe I'm retarded, but how can you tell where your clicks come from?
Like many here, I run a third-party script that tracks these things. It is one that is written and maintained by a fellow WebmasterWorld member, but I don't know if I'm allowed to mention him. Maybe if he speaks up--JL?
MQ
As for the IP being 127.0.0.1, that means that you clicked on your own ad (likely a PSA) while having it on your local machine. I wouldn't sweat that too much.
The "click" must have been on the PC/server that is hosting the site(s) as it's the local IP of the PC/server.
Noel
I am kind of interested in how you went about doing this with a computer that has no browser on it? In specific, I am skeptical of this click tracker device you have tacked onto your Adsense.
Obviously the only way this tracker would have picked up the Localhost IP would be from activity on the local machine or direct connections through a terminal service. Any click from an IP on the local network would not show up as localhost but as the computers IP (maybe local IP per the capabilitites of this tracker)?
A click from Localhost on a machine with no browser sounds a lot like some other script is making clicks somehow, like this tracker you have installed.
Either way, it is surely a click from yourself or someone with access to the server in which your click tracker software is located.
Advice - Get rid of this home made click tracker fast. Is it really worth it to stretch the TOS to be able to find out all this information? Sure google may be fine with it at this moment, but how many times have we seen changes in the TOS in the past few months even? The TOS are a dynamic one, and a little snipet of info overnight could mean you are in violation.
Anything that could possibly be generating clicks on ads or malfuctioning in some way would certainly never find it anyplace near my sites............
Either way, it is surely a click from yourself or someone with access to the server in which your click tracker software is located.
That is why I wondered if I need to be concerned about my server security.
Advice - Get rid of this home made click tracker fast. Is it really worth it to stretch the TOS to be able to find out all this information? Sure google may be fine with it at this moment, but how many times have we seen changes in the TOS in the past few months even? The TOS are a dynamic one, and a little snipet of info overnight could mean you are in violation.
I don't think this is even remotely stretching the TOS. In fact, it gives me data that allows me to know if there is any funky activity in my AdSense pages, like too many clicks from one IP.
MQ
Advice - Get rid of this home made click tracker fast. Is it really worth it to stretch the TOS to be able to find out all this information? Sure google may be fine with it at this moment, but how many times have we seen changes in the TOS in the past few months even? The TOS are a dynamic one, and a little snipet of info overnight could mean you are in violation.
AdSenseAdvisor made it very clear that third party tracking scripts are acceptable and do not violate the TOS. Read message #21 of this thread:
[webmasterworld.com...]
So there's absolutely no reason to remove the tracker, as it and other scripts like it have been OK'd.
Look at the TOS over the past 6 months. How many major changes have been made?
What is OK at this instant may be in violation the next day. Using anything other than google branded products with Adsense in my mind is bad practice. You are more than welcome to continue using these hookey scripts, but I would pay close attention to the TOS changes made in the future.
Screwing around with any google program is just a bad idea. If this script is causing localhost to click your own ads, or even be suspected of doing something that could be in violation, it is just another reason to get rid of it.
I, as well as a ton of other folks here have a lot riding on adsense. Installing some script that some unverified programmer made that is supposed to work side by side with my biggest revenue maker does not fly for me.
You are more than welcome to use this script, but then again, those of us without it are not having ads clicked by localhost....................
You are more than welcome to use this script, but then again, those of us without it are not having ads clicked by localhost....................
How would you know this if you are not using a tracking program?
There is no proof that these scripts are causing the click on the loopback IP.
Chances are the webserver are not clicking on the ads...........the only thing interfacing with the ads are this fly by night click tracking script. Things are narrowed down quite a bit............
home made
hookey
fly by night
How can you make these kinds of statements if you've never used the scripts before?
Your argument sounds like, "don't use the scripts because even though they are allowed today the TOS might change tomorrow". That, to me, is not a wise argument. It's like telling somebody not to buy a coat, even though it's cold outside, because in a few months it will be hot.
Why not use the scripts, which offer incredible value, as long as they are allowed? If the TOS does change and they are no longer allowed, turn off the scripts. Google always lets us know when the TOS changes, and there are always posts here outlining those changes.
