IP2Location™ IP-Country Database FAQ

Email: sales@ip2location.com
Web Site: http://www.ip2location.com

Copyright (c) 2003 by Hexa Software Development Center

Table of Contents

1. What is the database format?
2. What is the definition of each column in the table?
3. How do I convert a IP Address to a IP Number?
4. How do I retrieve the Country Name and Country Code from the IP Number?
5. How do I use this database?
6. How do I retrieve visitor's IP address using ASP, PHP, JSP & ColdFusion?
7. How do I create the SQL table?
8. How do I create and import the database into MySQL database?
9. How many records are in this demo version?
10. Where can I test the demo version for free?
11. Why do we update this database periodically?
12. I want to download the full version. What should I do now?
13. What do I get if I purchase the full version?
14. How much is the cost of database license for multiple servers?
15. Can I resell or reuse the database in my client application?
16. How do I upgrade from IP-COUNTRY database to IP-COUNTRY-ISP database?
17. How many countries are included in the database? What is the accuracy?

1. What is the database format?

The database format is known as Comma Separated Values (CSV). All fields are separated by a comma and each individual line is a record by itself.

2. What is the definition of each column in the table?

For example:
"IP_FROM","IP_TO","COUNTRY_CODE","COUNTRY_NAME"
"3401056256","3401400319","MY","MALAYSIA"

3. How do I convert a IP Address to a IP Number?

IP address (IPV4) is divided into 4 sub-blocks. Each sub-block has a different weight number each powered by 256. IP number is being used in the database because it is efficient to search between a range of number in database.

Beginning IP number and Ending IP Number are calculated based on following formula:

IP Number = 16777216*w + 65536*x + 256*y + z     (1)

where
IP Address = w.x.y.z

For example, if IP address is "202.186.13.4", then its IP Number "3401190660" is based on the formula (1).

IP Address = 202.186.13.4

So, w = 202, x = 186, y = 13 and z = 4

IP Number = 16777216*202 + 65536*186 + 256*13 + 4
          = 3388997632 + 12189696 + 3328 + 4
          = 3401190660

To reverse IP number to IP address,

w = int ( IP Number / 16777216 ) % 256
x = int ( IP Number / 65536    ) % 256
y = int ( IP Number / 256      ) % 256
z = int ( IP Number            ) % 256

where % is the mod operator and int is return the integer part of the division.


Example ASP Function To Convert IP Address to IP Number

Function Dot2LongIP (ByVal DottedIP)
Dim i, pos
Dim PrevPos, num
If DottedIP = "" Then
    Dot2LongIP = 0
Else
    For i = 1 To 4
        pos = InStr(PrevPos + 1, DottedIP, ".", 1)
        If i = 4 Then
            pos = Len(DottedIP) + 1
        End If
        num = Int(Mid(DottedIP, PrevPos + 1, pos - PrevPos - 1))
        PrevPos = pos
        Dot2LongIP = ((num Mod 256) * (256 ^ (4 - i))) + Dot2LongIP
    Next
End If
End Function

Example PHP Function To Convert IP Address to IP Number

function Dot2LongIP ($IPaddr)
{
    if ($IPaddr == "") {
        return 0;
    } else {
        $ips = split ("\.", "$IPaddr");
        return ($ips[3] + $ips[2] * 256 + $ips[1] * 256 * 256 + $ips[0] * 256 * 256 * 256);
    }
}

4. How do I retrieve the Country Name and Country Code from the IP Number?

Search the IP-Country database to match a unique record that has the IP Number fits between Beginning IP Number and Ending IP Number.

For example, IP Address "202.186.13.4" is equivalent to IP Number "3401190660". It belongs to the following record in the database because it is between the beginning and the ending of IP number.

"3401056256","3401400319","MY","MALAYSIA"

From the recordset, the Country Name is Malaysia and Country Code is MY.
 

5. How do I use this database?

First, import this database into your MS-SQL, MS-ACCESS, PL/SQL, MySQL or other RDMS. Use a query string to get matching recordset.

Example of SQL Query

SELECT [COUNTRY NAME COLUMN] FROM [IP-COUNTRY TABLE] WHERE
[SEARCH IP NO] BETWEEN [IP FROM COLUMN] AND [IP TO COLUMN]
 

6. How do I retrieve visitor's IP address using ASP, PHP, JSP & ColdFusion?

The IP address is available from the web server variable "REMOTE_ADDR".

ASP without Proxy detection

<%
    ipaddress = Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR")
%>

ASP with Proxy detection

<%
    ipaddress = Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR")
    if ipaddress = "" then
        ipaddress = Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR")
    end if
%>
 

PHP without Proxy detection

<?
    $ipaddress = getenv(REMOTE_ADDR);
?>

PHP with Proxy detection

<?
    if (getenv(HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR)) {
        $ipaddress = getenv(HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR);
    } else {
        $ipaddress = getenv(REMOTE_ADDR);
    }
?>
 

JSP without Proxy detection

<%
    String ipaddress = request.getRemoteAddr();
%>

JSP with Proxy detection

<%
    if (request.getHeader("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR") == null) {
        String ipaddress = request.getRemoteAddr();
    } else {
        String ipaddress = request.getHeader("HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR");
    }
%>
 

ColdFusion without Proxy detection

<CFCOMPONENT>
<CFSET ipaddress="#CGI.Remote_Addr#">
</CFCOMPONENT>

ColdFusion with Proxy detection

<CFCOMPONENT>
<CFIF #CGI.HTTP_X_Forwarded_For# EQ "">
<CFSET ipaddress="#CGI.Remote_Addr#">
<CFELSE>
<CFSET ipaddress="#CGI.HTTP_X_Forwarded_For#">
</CFIF>
</CFCOMPONENT>
 

7. How do I create the SQL table?

MS-SQL

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[IPCountry] (
    [ipFROM] [float] NOT NULL ,
    [ipTO] [float] NOT NULL ,
    [countrySHORT] [nvarchar] (2) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NULL ,
    [countryLONG] [nvarchar] (45) COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS NULL ,
) ON [PRIMARY]
GO

MYSQL

CREATE TABLE IPCountry
(
    ipFROM DOUBLE NOT NULL,
    ipTO DOUBLE NOT NULL,
    countrySHORT VARCHAR(2) NOT NULL,
    countryLONG VARCHAR(45) NOT NULL,
    PRIMARY KEY(ipFROM, ipTO)
);

Please take note that the data types of ipFROM and ipTO columns. It must be at least 4 bytes to store integer number range from 0 - 4294967296.

8. How do I create and import the database into MySQL database?

i. Create and connect to 'ip2Location' database
mysql> CREATE DATABASE ip2location
mysql> CONNECT ip2location

ii. Create 'ipcountry' table
mysql> CREATE TABLE IPCountry
    --> (
    --> ipFROM DOUBLE NOT NULL,
    --> ipTO DOUBLE NOT NULL,
    --> countrySHORT VARCHAR(2) NOT NULL,
    --> countryLONG VARCHAR(45) NOT NULL,
    --> PRIMARY KEY(ipFROM, ipTO)
    --> );

iii.Import the 'ipcountry.csv' database into table 'ipcountry'
mysql> LOAD DATA INFILE "<path>/IPCountry.csv" INTO TABLE IPCountry FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' ENCLOSED BY '"' LINES TERMINATED BY '\r';

We also provide a mysqldump file "ipcountry.mysql.dump" for direct database restore.

9. How many records are in this demo version?

There are only 100 records in the demo version. The full version of database has more than 55000 records.

10. Where can I test the demo version for free?

You can subscribe to free 3rd party web-hosting that support server-side scripting. One example is Brinster.com. If you do not want to install this demo, you can visit our pre-installed demo at http://www.ip2location.com/test/ipcountry.asp.

11. Why do we need to update this database periodically?

Ownership of IP addresses changing hands from time to time. Therefore, a small percent of IP address blocks need to be updated every year. Our database is updated monthly to make sure it is always correct. We will give you free one year update if you purchase the database now.

12. I want to download the full version. What should I do now?

a) Fill-up the online purchase form https://www.regsoft.net/regsoft/vieworderpage.php3?productid=50951.
b) We will generate an unique login/password to allow you downloading the database for one year after we received your order.

13. What do I get if I purchase the full version?

You will receive login and password through email immediately after payment authorized. You can use your credential to download the database from our web anytime. The database is in ZIP compressed format to save your bandwidth and downloading time.

14. How much is the cost of database license for multiple servers?
 

15. Can I resell or reuse the database in my client application?

You can resell our databases provided you purchase a separate license for each client. For example, if you are a developer and purchase a license for your client, you can make whatever changes you need and deliver it to your client - provided you transfer the license to your client (as easy as notification through email). In other words, one copy cannot be sold to multiple parties. You can resell the database for whatever price you wish.

16. How do I upgrade from IP-COUNTRY database to IP-COUNTRY-ISP database?

If you've subscribed to IP-COUNTRY [DB1] database or ActiveX/DLL [AX1], you can purchase an upgrade pack to download IP-COUNTRY-ISP database. The upgrade pack is available at US$150/license. Please proceed to this secure online form to order https://www.regsoft.net/purchase.php3?productid=57739.

You can purchase an upgrade pack to download IP-COUNTRY-REGION-CITY-ISP database available at US$300/license. Please proceed to this secure online form to order https://www.regsoft.net/purchase.php3?productid=59155

17. How many countries are included in the database? What is the accuracy?

The IP-Country database has over 95% in level of accuracy, which is higher than any of our competitors. The inaccuracy is due to dynamic IP address allocation by large ISPs such as AOL and MSN TV. Because AOL uses a network that routes all of the company's Internet traffic through Reston, Virginia. All IP-based geo-location services, including IP2Location, are unable to determine the state and city for people who dial into the AOL network.

Country Code	Country Name	Number of IP Address
AD	ANDORRA	8195
AE	UNITED ARAB EMIRATES	418813
AF	AFGHANISTAN	4152
AG	ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA	24213
AI	ANGUILLA	1344
AL	ALBANIA	15624
AM	ARMENIA	43960
AN	NETHERLANDS ANTILLES	24206
AO	ANGOLA	20306
AP	ASIA PACIFIC	36752
AQ	ANTARCTICA	512
AR	ARGENTINA	1432200
AS	AMERICAN SAMOA	2304
AT	AUSTRIA	6122485
AU	AUSTRALIA	21875117
AW	ARUBA	5376
AZ	AZERBAIJAN	51336
BA	BOSNIA AND HERZEGOWINA	80460
BB	BARBADOS	29600
BD	BANGLADESH	179948
BE	BELGIUM	5792042
BF	BURKINA FASO	10240
BG	BULGARIA	725645
BH	BAHRAIN	21114
BI	BURUNDI	1040
BJ	BENIN	6464
BM	BERMUDA	62989
BN	BRUNEI DARUSSALAM	33793
BO	BOLIVIA	82096
BR	BRAZIL	10763563
BS	BAHAMAS	34224
BT	BHUTAN	8192
BV	BOUVET ISLAND	1312
BW	BOTSWANA	6560
BY	BELARUS	76769
BZ	BELIZE	13456
CA	CANADA	48907353
CD	CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE	1520
CF	CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC	564
CG	CONGO	1304
CH	SWITZERLAND	13125987
CI	COTE D'IVOIRE	20430
CK	COOK ISLANDS	8208
CL	CHILE	1806733
CM	CAMEROON	13480
CN	CHINA	37007177
CO	COLOMBIA	539449
CR	COSTA RICA	122288
CS	CZECHOSLOVAKIA (FORMER)	32552
CU	CUBA	22094
CV	CAPE VERDE	1024
CY	CYPRUS	129037
CZ	CZECH REPUBLIC	2683561
DE	GERMANY	64163716
DJ	DJIBOUTI	296
DK	DENMARK	5220717
DM	DOMINICA	6456
DO	DOMINICAN REPUBLIC	65113
DZ	ALGERIA	78248
EC	ECUADOR	180225
EE	ESTONIA	395330
EG	EGYPT	912942
ER	ERITREA	1680
ES	SPAIN	10273735
ET	ETHIOPIA	16640
EU	EUROPEAN UNION	37434937
FI	FINLAND	8873597
FJ	FIJI	84480
FK	FALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS)	256
FM	MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF	768
FO	FAROE ISLANDS	16776
FR	FRANCE	56732029
FX	FRANCE, METROPOLITAN	16
GA	GABON	7696
GB	GREAT BRITAIN	7168
GD	GRENADA	5960
GE	GEORGIA	132424
GH	GHANA	46040
GI	GIBRALTAR	33300
GL	GREENLAND	8448
GM	GAMBIA	8192
GN	GUINEA	71848
GP	GUADELOUPE	2376
GQ	EQUATORIAL GUINEA	188
GR	GREECE	2194018
GT	GUATEMALA	42852
GU	GUAM	126544
GW	GUINEA-BISSAU	912
GY	GUYANA	8360
HK	HONG KONG	5451955
HM	HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS	18
HN	HONDURAS	25916
HR	CROATIA	293342
HT	HAITI	40384
HU	HUNGARY	2029083
ID	INDONESIA	1395508
IE	IRELAND	1746877
IL	ISRAEL	3607933
IN	INDIA	3051068
IO	BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY	4096
IQ	IRAQ	96
IR	IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF	657434
IS	ICELAND	488518
IT	ITALY	22063551
JM	JAMAICA	53833
JO	JORDAN	138208
JP	JAPAN	87931785
KE	KENYA	96985
KG	KYRGYZSTAN	49664
KH	CAMBODIA	24832
KI	KIRIBATI	1024
KM	COMOROS	192
KN	SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS	4504
KP	KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF	96
KR	KOREA, REPUBLIC OF	29374217
KW	KUWAIT	465607
KY	CAYMAN ISLANDS	6296
KZ	KAZAKSTAN	172910
LA	LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC	26128
LB	LEBANON	81425
LC	SAINT LUCIA	2224
LI	LIECHTENSTEIN	26341
LK	SRI LANKA	163344
LR	LIBERIA	1920
LS	LESOTHO	5152
LT	LITHUANIA	400515
LU	LUXEMBOURG	786338
LV	LATVIA	487840
LY	LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA	18704
MA	MOROCCO	158696
MC	MONACO	31586
MD	MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF	59992
MG	MADAGASCAR	9988
MH	MARSHALL ISLANDS	328
MK	MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF	123920
ML	MALI	6800
MM	MYANMAR	16640
MN	MONGOLIA	58120
MO	MACAU	63781
MP	NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS	9584
MQ	MARTINIQUE	3912
MR	MAURITANIA	11449
MS	MONTSERRAT	272
MT	MALTA	195880
MU	MAURITIUS	19988
MV	MALDIVES	12288
MW	MALAWI	5376
MX	MEXICO	4806994
MY	MALAYSIA	1837160
MZ	MOZAMBIQUE	23987
NA	NAMIBIA	28390
NC	NEW CALEDONIA	26152
NE	NIGER	3350
NG	NIGERIA	173152
NI	NICARAGUA	24680
NL	NETHERLANDS	30318053
NO	NORWAY	8703134
NP	NEPAL	60874
NR	NAURU	8224
NZ	NEW ZEALAND	3788384
OM	OMAN	166680
PA	PANAMA	201666
PE	PERU	391382
PF	FRENCH POLYNESIA	10000
PG	PAPUA NEW GUINEA	37636
PH	PHILIPPINES	953945
PK	PAKISTAN	317698
PL	POLAND	4492521
PR	PUERTO RICO	146125
PS	PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, OCCUPIED	59283
PT	PORTUGAL	1789528
PW	PALAU	8704
PY	PARAGUAY	21336
QA	QATAR	29953
RE	REUNION	6
RO	ROMANIA	1195680
RU	RUSSIAN FEDERATION	7211276
RW	RWANDA	6384
SA	SAUDI ARABIA	635278
SB	SOLOMON ISLANDS	8704
SC	SEYCHELLES	1024
SD	SUDAN	10240
SE	SWEDEN	14778929
SG	SINGAPORE	2204718
SI	SLOVENIA	632282
SK	SLOVAKIA	890782
SL	SIERRA LEONE	5857
SM	SAN MARINO	8581
SN	SENEGAL	14824
SO	SOMALIA	1228
SR	SURINAME	1856
ST	SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE	512
SV	EL SALVADOR	38847
SY	SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC	34752
SZ	SWAZILAND	14672
TC	TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS	1920
TD	CHAD	308
TF	FRENCH SOUTHERN TERRITORIES	256
TG	TOGO	8992
TH	THAILAND	1939075
TJ	TAJIKISTAN	4704
TK	TOKELAU	16
TM	TURKMENISTAN	5632
TN	TUNISIA	41488
TO	TONGA	5376
TP	EAST TIMOR	1280
TR	TURKEY	2639957
TT	TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO	30240
TV	TUVALU	8448
TW	TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA	12835040
TZ	TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF	24764
UA	UKRAINE	989935
UG	UGANDA	16536
UK	UNITED KINGDOM	83690976
UM	UNITED STATES MINOR OUTLYING ISLANDS	88
US	UNITED STATES	550596534
UY	URUGUAY	168649
UZ	UZBEKISTAN	34232
VA	HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY STATE)	11008
VC	SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES	640
VE	VENEZUELA	1038549
VG	VIRGIN ISLANDS, BRITISH	12841
VI	VIRGIN ISLANDS, U.S.	10432
VN	VIET NAM	160880
VU	VANUATU	8192
WS	SAMOA	10752
YE	YEMEN	9480
YU	SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO	516704
ZA	SOUTH AFRICA	6404353
ZM	ZAMBIA	11906
ZW	ZIMBABWE	27951

Data Source: IP2Location™ IP-COUNTRY-REGION-CITY-ISP [DB4] October 2003 Edition Database

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