What IP Addresses do you accept?
To ensure secure and reliable access, we require customers to provide valid IPv4 address ranges when requesting IP based authentication. This page explains the types of IP addresses we accept, which ones we cannot accept, and how to check the IP address your organisation is using.
Accepted IP Address Types:
✔️ IPv4 Addresses
We currently support IPv4 addresses in standard format
- IPv4 addresses ‘Single’ – Example: 203.000.113.010
- IPv4 address ‘Range’ – Example: 204.025.040.010 – 204.025.040.123
These addresses must be publicly routable on the internet.
IP Address Types We Cannot Accept:
❌ IPv6 Addresses
We do not currently accept IPv6 addresses or IPv6 ranges.
IPv6 addresses typically look like this: 2001:0db8:85a3::8a2e:0370:7334.
❌ Private IPv4 Addresses
Private IP addresses are used only within internal networks (e.g., office LANs, home networks). They are not routable on the public internet, so they cannot be used for authentication.
Common private IP ranges include:
010.000.000.000 – 010.255.255.255
172.016.000.000 – 172.031.255.255
192.168.000.000 – 192.168.255.255
If your IP address falls within any of these ranges, you will need to provide your organisation’s public IP address instead. This can be obtained from your institutions network administrator.
How to Check Your Current IP Address:
If you are unsure of the IP address your organisation is using, you can check it by visiting:
👉 https://iopscience.iop.org/checkup
This page will display the public IP address seen by our systems.
If you are part of a larger institution, this may be the IP address assigned by your network administrator rather than your individual device.
For a clearer explanation of how IP addresses work and why they matter for access, take a look at our ‘IP Address Glossary’ article. It breaks down the key terms and concepts so you can understand exactly what’s happening behind the scenes.
If you have any further questions, please contact our Customer Service team.