Finding Location using IP Address

[chrigil]

Does anyone know a free way of finding out a users location via their IP address?

I am aware that an IP address is location based and that you can easily find out the location manually but I want to find the users location instantly.
When a user submits their details I want to be able to submit the IP address and goelocation into a database.

I don't want to use a pay service that I have to query every-time. Surely IP addresses must simply be based on a big database where:

IP Range 1 = USA
IP Range 2 = UK

etc.

Any ideas how I might be able to achieve this?



Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[chiph]

IP is not location based. I can dial an AOL access point in Oregon from Florida, and to the network it looks like I'm in Virginia (AOL's home office).

That being said, there are services (not free) which will report the location of an IP address. Tek-Tips subscribes to one such:

http://www.tek-tips.com/geography.cfm

Surely IP addresses must simply be based on a big database

Nope. The databases that you can rent get built by the vendors by going through a list provided by IANA and other national registrars. They're not 100% accurate, due to constant updates, and people running behind proxies, etc.

Chip H.


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[chrigil]

I take your point about specific locations i.e. Virginia/Florida but the ISP AOL is given a certain range of IP addresses based on it's location. Therefore for the most part someone dialing into AOL from anywhere in the USA will have an IP address that reflects this approximate location i.e. by country.

If you were to dial up your US AOL account from the UK however it would be inaccurate as your IP address would suggest that you were still in the USA.

It is this approximate location that I wish to find out.

Any ideas?



Thanks in advance,

Chris