Can't we have it so that if two different users are logged on with the same IP at the same time, it at least shows both users logged on in the active users list? Since they are logged in you can track their usage. I can understand about not being able to track non-logged in users, but tracking logged in users shouldn't be a problem since the ASP script knows who is logged in and what they are viewing.
I have a similar problem where I am using Web Wiz Forums for a company's website in which employees will be logged in. All the employees will have the same IP address.
How about doing something like this:
- If user is logged in and accesses a page, add them to the active user list with username and IP address recorded.
- If user is logged in and listed on the active user list already, update the older listing for the username (even if a different IP) to show the current location and timestamp. (If they are logged in with the same username but a different IP, then they are probably using AOL or another ISP that changes their IP address while online.)
- If a user is not logged on, add them to the active users list as guest with their IP address recorded.
- When another guest accesses a page, see if that IP address is already listed in the active user list, and if so assume that they are the same user (even if not true, but there is no way to know otherwise). Update the old entry for the Guest listing with the same IP address to show the current location and timestamp.
- If a guest and a logged in user both access the site from the same IP address, list both the guest and the logged in user(s) in the list as being active users. (By following 1 thru 4 above, this happens automatically.)
That would probably work better because it would list all the logged in users, while making a best guess at how many non-logged in users there are. It'd be a more accurate representation of who is online.
And even if two users are using the same computer, it still is more accurate since one had to log off before the other can use it, and as such, both users should be listed in the active user list (although the one who logged off will have an older timestamp and will roll of the list shortly just like any other user who logs off).
P.S. I searched the forum for "active users" and out of 18 pages of results, none talked about the issue. Not sure why since I know this discussion has come up before. Perhaps the discussions are too old to appear in the search?
Edited by wistex - 31 July 2006 at 10:10am
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