IP range blocking allows you to stop invalid traffic at scale by targeting entire networks instead of individual IP addresses.
This is especially effective when dealing with:
- Data centers
- Bot networks
- Clusters of suspicious or repeated traffic sources
By blocking a range, you can prevent hundreds—or even billions—of IPs with a single rule.
What Is an IP Range?
An IP range is a group of IP addresses that belong to the same network.
Instead of blocking IPs one by one, you can define a range and block all matching traffic automatically.
Supported Formats
ClickGuard supports two formats for defining IP ranges:
- Wildcard format (
*) - CIDR notation
👉 Both formats are fully supported and interchangeable.
IPv6 Examples
👉 IPv6 ranges are significantly larger—use broader ranges with caution.
How Range Size Works
IPv4
192.168.1.*→ targets a /24 subnet (256 IPs)192.168.*.*→ targets a /16 network (65,536 IPs)
Use:
- Narrow ranges for precision
- Wider ranges for broader protection
IPv6
Range size increases with each additional wildcard:
- One
*→ /112 - Two
*→ /96 - Three
*→ /80
👉 Start with smaller ranges and expand only if necessary.
How ClickGuard Applies IP Ranges
When analyzing a click, ClickGuard automatically evaluates multiple levels of the IP:
IPv4
- Exact IP (e.g.
203.0.113.45) - /24 range
- /16 range
IPv6
- Exact IP
- /112 range
- /96 range
- /80 range
This means:
👉 If a range is blocked, any matching future traffic is automatically stopped—no need to manually identify every IP.
What Happens After Blocking a Range
Once a range is added to your blacklist:
- All matching traffic is immediately blocked
- Future clicks from that range are prevented
- Protection is applied across your selected scope (account, campaign, or website)
This helps you:
- Reduce wasted ad spend
- Respond faster to fraud patterns
- Automate protection at scale
Ad Platform Compatibility
Google Ads
- Supports IP range exclusions
- ClickGuard converts your input to CIDR automatically
Microsoft Ads & Meta Ads
- Do not support range exclusions
ClickGuard compensates by:
- Detecting IPs within your defined range
- Blocking them individually
👉 This ensures consistent protection across all platforms.
Best Practices
- Use either wildcard (
*) or CIDR notation - Start with narrower ranges before expanding
- Avoid overly broad ranges to prevent blocking legitimate users
- Use ranges when you identify repeated patterns across multiple IPs
- For IPv6, expand gradually (one
*at a time)
Summary
IPv4
192.168.1.*→ /24 (256 IPs)192.168.*.*→ /16 (65,536 IPs)- CIDR notation is fully supported
IPv6
- One
*→ /112 (65,536 IPs) - Two
*→ /96 (~4.3 billion IPs) - Three
*→ /80 (~281 trillion IPs)
ClickGuard automatically applies and enforces IP range blocking across all supported platforms, ensuring scalable and effective protection.