In Google Analytics, what is the correct format for excluding traffic from single IP address?

[peteboyd]

In the past, when we've setup a filter to exclude a single IP address, we just entered the IP address normally. For example, 64.68.82.164. However, I was researching how to exclude a range of IP addresses and found out that I might be using the wrong format to filter a single IP address.

• Is it supposed to be 64.68.82.164 or 64.68.82.164?
• Will it still work if it was entered without the escape characters?

Thanks in advance Moz community for your assistance!

[peteboyd]

Thanks Carlos for the in-depth response!

[Carloseo]

Hi Pete,

If you use the predefined filter, then you shouldn't use the backslashes, on the other hand if you use a custom filter for IP Address you should.

Custom filters use regular expressions, and the dots are special characters that are use to match any character. So if you use 64.68.82.164 without backslashes, it means that it will match everything on the dots, all of these will be a match:

• 64.68.82x164
• 64a68**.82.**164
• 64**.68.82.**164

If you escape the dots 64.68.82.164, then it will match exactly the IP.

Since IPs have specific formats, it won't be a problem but to be correct if you use custom filters you should use backslashes.

Hope it helps,

[Rank-and-Grow]

You should use the 64.68.82.164 format.

Same thing goes for excluding spam referral traffic using same format such as simple-share-buttons.com|social-buttons.com

[wearehappymedia]

Is this different to their disavow feature? We use that quite regularly.