It really means nothing in the long run as no one can come past the router with the IP unless you started manually opening up ports. But if using a NG read that allows you to mask your IP makes you feel better, then by all means use one. :)
You should have started another thread. *How can I mask the NNTP post IP in the headers?* ;)
By the way, the answer to your other post to me as to why the NNTP post IP is changing for me is that I am using a dial-up connection to the ISP and that IP is going to change each and every time I dial-up to the ISP.
When I am connected to my network protected by an appliance such as a router with a BB connection, then I don't care if someone sees the IP or not in the headers, as it means nothing to me -- no one is coming past the router from the Internet.
The problem is behind the router with a machine that has been compromised by malware with someone with the happy fingers that clicked on something that lead to the compormise.
Duane :) .