IP or MAC Address blocking

[Jamie]

We obtained a static IP address and have been successfully using the Brute Force Login Page Protection Code on our websites.

However, we now need to gain access to the websites from a location without a static IP address.

Do you have any suggestions on how we can continue to gain access the websites without either:

• disabling the plugin whilst we gain access and then re-enabling it
• entering the current IP address but having to update the custom code whenever the IP address changes

I was rather hoping there might a solution that either:

• Uses some form of VPN or proxy system to access the website via a browser
• Uses an alternative means of protection but allows access by known computers (Mac address perhaps)?
• Uses an equally strong method to prevent access to websites from anywhere other than specified computers/locations.

I know it’s possible to use a shortened version of the IP address in the custom code but I don’t know how much an IP address changes once the router is reset? Is it just the last set of characters?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

All the best,

Jamie

[AITpro Admin]

Dynamic IP addresses (DHCP) assigned by an ISP typically change the last 2 octets of an IP address anywhere from every 10-30 days.  To whitelist a dynamic IP address range you would use the first 2 octets of the IP address:  xxx.xxx.  If you use this IP range whitelisting method then you should only have to add this IP address range htaccess code once in Custom Code.

VPN/Proxy’s are client-side (your computer/browser).  VPN’s and Proxy’s typically have a range of IP addresses that are available to you that you would then need to whitelist using IP address range htaccess code in Custom Code, which is the same thing that you would do for dynamically assigned IP addresses by an ISP.  The only difference would be a smaller pool of IP addresses with VPN’s and Proxy’s.

MAC addresses are not sent in request packets outside of a local computer network.  MAC addresses are only available on your computer network (LAN/WAN) and not publicly (Internet).

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