Skip to main content

How to send instant messages over secure networks

Posted May 2003 by Steve Sinchak

If you have ever used a computer at a high school or college, then you might have seen that pesky software that prevents you from installing any programs or web content filters that prevent you from accessing instant chat sessions.  Well here is a way to send instant messages to your friends over such networks as long as you have their ip or the name of the computer on the network.  An easy way to find a computer's ip address is to type cmd in the run box on your start menu.  This will start the command prompt.  Type "ipconfig /all" with a space between "ipconfig and /all".  That will list the computer's ip address along with other network specs.  Now that you have the ip of that computer, you may send instant messages to it.xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /

Go to the run command in your start menu.  Type cmd in the box which will open the command prompt just like above.  Type:  net send "ip address" message.  If the computer you were trying to send a "Hello" message to had the ip address of 127.10.1.1, you would type "net send 127.10.1.1 Hello"

Additionally, it is possible to use a wild card such as * in the ip address parameter.

Example: net send * message

The above command will send your message to every computer on your subnet.  This is great for system administrators to send out messages to all windows computers on the network notifying them that you are going to be taking down the server or something.  However, if you are a student and feel like pulling a prank at school by sending some message across the school network, you will screw yourself.  With today’s zero tolerance policies in schools, you will be suspended possibly even expelled.  Trust me; it’s happening all over the xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /USA.

Related Posts


If you own a Google Chromecast streaming device, you can easily share a browser tab in Chrome browser or even your entire desktop.  This can be very useful when presenting from your laptop or if you just want to watch something on a big screen that is only on your PC.  The only requirement is you must be on the same network as your Chromecast...

Read More

If you are a fan of minimalist desktop experiences, hiding the desktop icons are an easy way to clean up the Windows interface.  Instead of saving everything to your desktop, use the default profile folders such as downloads and documents.  Actually hiding all the icons on your desktop is a very simple customization hidden in the right-click context menu.  Just right-click on the desktop, select View...

Read More

Google security researchers have published details about a major security flaw found in the SSL protocol that is used to encrypt data transferred between your browser and a web server. SSL is typically used in situations where logon credentials are validated...

Read More

Enabling two-factor authentication is a great way to add an additional level of protection to your Microsoft account.  Even if your password is stolen, your account is still protected because two-factor authetication requires an additional level of verification to log in. Microsoft calls their version of two-factor authentication "two-step verification" and it works by providing you with a random code...

Read More