IPB - IP Blocker

Blocks or allows access based on IPs and CIDR ranges with admin IP protection and high-performance matching of the listed IP addresses

IP Blocker Pro is a powerful and flexible Joomla! system plugin that lets you control access to your website based on IP addresses and CIDR ranges (IPv4 and IPv6). It provides a high-performance and precise way to block unwanted visitors or restrict access to specific trusted IPs using efficient binary range matching.

All configuration is handled directly within the plugin’s settings — no need for a separate backend component. You can add single IP addresses or CIDR blocks to the list, select whether to operate in blocklist mode (block matching IPs) or allowlist mode (allow only matching IPs), and optionally enable the "Protect own IP address" feature to prevent accidentally locking yourself out of the administrator interface.

The plugin stores IP ranges in a binary-safe format using a dedicated table, allowing fast and reliable range comparisons — even when dealing with thousands of entries. It also supports proxy-aware detection using standard headers such as X-Forwarded-For, ensuring accurate IP resolution even when your Joomla! site is behind a load balancer or CDN.

Built natively for Joomla! 5 and using modern PHP practices, IP Blocker Pro is lightweight, extendable, and safe for production environments. IP Blocker Pro is the perfect solution for site administrators who need a fast, reliable way to control access by IP — whether you’re blocking malicious actors, restricting backend access, or allowing only specific ranges for maintenance or internal use.

Features

• Block or Allow IPs via Blocklist/Allowlist Mode - Choose whether to deny access to listed IPs (blocklist) or allow only listed IPs (allowlist).
• All Settings in the Plugin Configuration - Define IPs, ranges, list mode, and admin protection directly within the plugin’s parameters — no need for a backend UI.
• Protect Your Own IP - Prevent accidental administrator lockout by excluding your current IP from blocking logic.
• High-Performance Binary Matching - Uses VARBINARY(16) storage and raw binary comparisons for optimal speed and accuracy.
• Full IPv4 and IPv6 Support - Accepts both standard IPs (e.g., 192.168.0.1) and CIDR notation (e.g., 10.0.0.0/8, 2001:db8::/32).
• Pure PHP CIDR Parsing - Accurate, GMP-free subnet calculations using bitmasking logic that works in any PHP environment.
• Proxy-Aware IP Detection - Supports detection through X-Forwarded-For, HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR, and other common proxy headers.
• Immediate Blocking on Init - Executes early during the Joomla! lifecycle (onAfterInitialise) to block requests before rendering.

Installation

Install IP Blocker with the help of the Installer component as usual. Then configure and activate the plugin in System -> Plugins -> System - IP Blocker Pro - IPB.

After installing and enabling IP Blocker Pro, open the plugin settings to configure your access rules. In the provided field, enter one or more IP addresses or CIDR ranges, each on a new line. You can use both IPv4 and IPv6 formats. Then, select whether the plugin should operate in blocklist mode (to block the listed IPs) or allowlist mode (to allow only the listed IPs and block all others).

Make sure to enable the "Protect own IP address" option to avoid accidentally blocking yourself during configuration. Once saved, the plugin will immediately begin filtering access based on your defined list and mode.

Changelog

Latest release

Version 5.0.0.1-PRO - 2025-04-15

• # Fixed a backward compatibility break that was introduced in Joomla! 5.3.0 in the CMSPlugin class.

Download

Overview of all downloads of the extension: IPB - IP Blocker Downloads