Yes laptops are tracked!
- Requirements are that you are registered users to manufacturer database.
- That you have installed manufacturer support software on laptop (such as Toshiba,Dell).
- That software send Serial Number of laptop and current public IP address to manufacturer datacenter database over Internet. They can watch that stolen laptop and locate him over IP address.
- If you dont have manufacturer support software installed on laptop, automatic tracking is not possible, but can be done through installation of some drivers or online software installation.
Databases containts multiple track lists of public IP address, time, date, serial number of device.
Apple laptops are tracked on Internet also, they are very explicit and strong in this.
Central office can inform their local office in that country, then they can inform local police, to get owner of that public IP address (with court permissions) and later they send some blue group of "chiffoniers" on that address.
- If public IP address, are used in some Internet Caffe they can use CCTV records, and see face of that person, in some cities they can track that person everywhere, even to home address.
- If home cable or DSL line is used case is clear.
- If mobile phone is used for Internet connection, and phone are not stolen, case is also clear.
- If unauthorized wireless connection is used, then WLAN router log and ISP log tracks can be used to follow frequent accessed Internet addresses unknown to owner of WLAN router. Like for example, some FaceBook address.
- Story about Proxy servers. Many proxies on Internet are monitored by security agencies, they also own lots of public proxy servers. If have ip address of proxy server, and we dont have access to proxy server log to see real ip address of laptop, this can be very hard to find real IP address. In that case, we wait that user skip usage of proxy server some day and .....
Even stolen GPS navigation devices can be monitored and tracked.
For mobile phones we all know.
This is not in direct link with stolen laptop:
If you want to catch thief on easy way, just leave one phone in a prominent and conspicuous place. Of course assuming that we have writen IMEI number of device, and that thief dont change IMEI number of device. (yes IMEI can be changed I try this several times and works on SGS2).