What is Geofeed? RFC 8805 Explained — Fix IP Geolocation for Your Network

What is Geofeed?

Geofeed is a standardized mechanism defined in RFC 8805 that allows network operators to publish geolocation information for their IP address prefixes. It provides a simple, authoritative way to tell geolocation databases exactly where your IP addresses are physically located.

Why Does IP Geolocation Matter?

Incorrect IP geolocation can cause serious problems for network operators:

• Content restrictions: Users may be blocked from accessing region-specific content because their IP is geolocated to the wrong country.
• CDN misrouting: Content Delivery Networks rely on geolocation to serve content from the nearest edge server. Wrong geolocation means higher latency.
• Compliance issues: Financial services, streaming platforms, and government services often enforce geographic restrictions.
• Ad targeting failures: Advertisers rely on IP geolocation for location-based targeting.
• Fraud detection false positives: Security systems may flag legitimate traffic as suspicious if the IP geolocation doesn't match expected patterns.

The Geofeed CSV Format

A geofeed file is a simple CSV (comma-separated values) file hosted on a web server. Each line contains geolocation data for one IP prefix:

# prefix,country_code,region_code,city,postal_code
192.0.2.0/24,US,US-CA,Los Angeles,90001
198.51.100.0/24,DE,DE-HE,Frankfurt,60311
2001:db8::/32,TR,TR-34,Istanbul,34000

Field Descriptions

How Geofeed Works

1. Create your geofeed file: Generate a CSV file with your IP prefixes and their correct geolocation data. You can use our free Geofeed Generator tool to create this file easily.
2. Host the file: Upload the file to a publicly accessible HTTPS URL on your web server, typically at /.well-known/geofeed.csv.
3. Register with your RIR: Add a reference to your geofeed file in your RIR database object (inetnum, inet6num, or NetRange).
4. Wait for propagation: Geolocation databases like MaxMind, IPinfo, and DB-IP will periodically check your geofeed file and update their records accordingly. This typically takes 24-72 hours.

Which RIRs Support Geofeed?

All five Regional Internet Registries support geofeed in some form:

• RIPE NCC: Native geofeed: attribute on inetnum/inet6num objects, plus remarks: method.
• ARIN: Supports geofeed via the Comments field on NetRange/NetBlock objects.
• APNIC: Supports geofeed via remarks: on inetnum/inet6num objects.
• LACNIC: Supports geofeed via remarks: on inetnum/inet6num objects.
• AFRINIC: Supports geofeed via remarks: on inetnum/inet6num objects.

Generate Your Geofeed File for Free

Don't have a geofeed file yet? Use our free Geofeed CSV Generator to create an RFC 8805 compliant geofeed file in seconds. Just enter your IP prefixes, select the correct locations, and download the ready-to-use CSV file.

In the following guides, we cover step-by-step instructions for adding geofeed to each RIR:

• How to Add Geofeed on RIPE NCC
• How to Add Geofeed on ARIN
• How to Add Geofeed on APNIC
• How to Add Geofeed on LACNIC
• How to Add Geofeed on AFRINIC