How Can I Access Client Machine Name in Web Browsers?

Client Machine/Computer Name Retrieval in Browsers

Reading a client's machine or computer name from a web browser is a useful feature for various applications. This article delves into the topic and explores approaches using JavaScript and ASP.NET.

While using JavaScript alone, it is generally not possible to directly access this information due to cross-origin restrictions. However, Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser offers an exception to this limitation.

By leveraging the 'WScript.Network' ActiveX object in Internet Explorer, you can retrieve the client's computer name. Here's how you can achieve this:

<code class="javascript">function GetComputerName() {
    try {
        var network = new ActiveXObject('WScript.Network');
        // Show a pop up if it works
        alert(network.computerName);
    }
    catch (e) { }
}</code>

It's worth noting that this technique may require specific security settings in Internet Explorer to allow ActiveX object access.

ASP.NET, on the other hand, is a server-side technology that provides more opportunities for client-side information retrieval. By utilizing Request.UserHostName or Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR"), ASP.NET applications can capture the client's machine name or IP address, respectively.

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