How to Block or Unblock Live Chat for Specific IPs
The block/unblock IP Address or Network feature enables administrators to control network access by blocking or unblocking specific IP addresses or networks.
Blocking an IP address prevents unauthorized access and interactions through the live chat widget while unblocking restores access and the ability to initiate conversations when necessary.
This article explains the steps to effectively manage IP addresses and maintain secure access to your live chat interactions.
Blocking an IP address or network
To block an IP Address or network, follow the given steps:
- Navigate to Admin > Chat > Security > IP Blocking.
- Click the Block IP button to block a specific IP address or network.
- In the Block IP dialog, select the type of IP address to block:
- IPv4: To block an IPv4 address or network.
- IPv6: To block an IPv6 address or network.
- Enter the IP Address and optionally choose the Subnet Mask to block the IP network.
- Add a Reason for blocking the IP address or network (Optional).
- Click Block to shut off the IP address or network, preventing the initiation of conversations through the live chat widget.
Examples:
| Type | IP Address | Subnet Mask | Blocked Range | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPv4 (Single) | 192.0.2.45 |
None | 192.0.2.45 |
This action blocks conversations only for the IPv4 address 192.0.2.45. |
| IPv6 (Single) | 2001:db8::1 |
None | 2001:db8::1 |
This action blocks conversations only for the IPv6 address 2001:db8::1. |
| IPv4 (Range) | 192.0.2.0 |
/24 |
192.0.2.0 - 192.0.2.255 |
This action blocks conversations for all IPs within the range 192.0.2.0 - 192.0.2.255. |
| IPv6 (Range) | 2001:db8:: |
/48 |
2001:db8:: - 2001:db8:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff |
This action blocks conversations for all IPv6 addresses within the range 2001:db8:: - 2001:db8:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff. |
Unblocking an IP address or network
To unblock an IP address or network, follow the given steps:
- Navigate to Admin > Chat > Security > IP Blocking.
- Click the Delete icon in the row to unblock the selected IP address or network.
- Click the Yes, Delete button in the confirmation dialog.
For blocking or unblocking an IP address or network, an agent should have the Manage settings permission assigned to their role. Refer to this article to learn more about roles and permissions.
