geoipdat

geoipdat is a geolocation database designed to map Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to geographic and network information. It is used by web services, security tools, and analytics platforms to tailor content, enforce access controls, and assess location-based risk.

Data model: Each record covers one or more IP address ranges, typically represented as CIDR blocks. Fields commonly stored include country code, country name, region or state, city, postal code, latitude, longitude, and time zone; some entries also include inferred ISP or organization and ASN.

Formats and access: geoipdat data is distributed as binary databases or text dumps and accessed via libraries or APIs that provide IP-to-record lookups. Common formats include a binary MMDB-like database and legacy .dat files. Software components such as geolocation libraries query geoipdat to return location information for a given IP.

Updates and provenance: The database is typically updated quarterly or monthly to reflect new IP allocations and routing changes. Data sources include regional internet registries (RIRs), commercial data providers, and user corrections, with licensing varying from open to commercial terms.

Limitations and considerations: Location accuracy varies by region and depends on IP allocation histories. City-level precision is not guaranteed, and IPv6 coverage may lag. Uses of geoipdat must respect privacy laws and restrictions, and results should be treated as approximate.