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IPs / VPNs / Proxies

Chatrooms are able to view IP Addresses associated with messages sent in the chatroom.

Configuration​

You can enable this setting in your Chat Settings panel, under the Modeation tab. Organizations have this enabled by default.

You can change who can view IP addresses; by default, only the owner of the chat can view IPs.

To view an IP address, click the dots next to a message, or tap and hold a message on mobile, then select "View IP."

If you suspect two accounts of being the same person, IP Addresses will help you figure this out. On the Community tier and higher, this will also show a list of other accounts that have used that IP Address in the current chat.

Are IP addresses a fool-proof solution?​

In some cases, no. For instance, if two users live near one another, and have chatted from the same coffee shop or library, they will have shared an IP. Many mobile data carriers will also share IPs. These may result in false-positives.

Furthermore, false negatives are possible if a user only causes trouble on their cell phone on mobile data, and stays on their home network to behave themselves. They may also be using a VPN in order to mask their identity.

IP Viewing should supplement human moderation and judgment, not replace it.

Other Information​

IPs are only viewable on messages sent while this setting is On. You cannot view an IP Address associated with a message if the message was sent while the setting was disabled.

This is also true for "Recent Accounts" -- if @GoodUser talks on IP 123.456.789, and then you enable it after they leave, and @BadEgg appears on 123.456.789, the system will not show you that they share IP Addresses.

Why is a user's IP Address showing up like a MAC Address? How do I see their actual IP Address?​

Some IP addresses are IPv4 addresses, such as 192.0.2.146. These are the more common IP addresses that we are accustomed to.

However, some IP addresses are IPv6 addresses, such as 2001:db8:3333:4444:5555:6666:7777:8888.

You can learn more about IPv6 on this Wikipedia article. But, simply put, these are not MAC addresses, and behave just like a standard IP address.

VPNs / Proxies​

Depending on your payment tier, you can also block unranked users from connecting to your chat using a known VPN or proxy.

Typically, users on VPNs do not cause problems. However, if you're seeing a lot of users on VPNs causing problems and evading bans, you can turn this feature on.

Please note, this only blocks known & confirmed VPNs/proxies. If a user is bypassing bans via a dynamic IP Address from their ISP, or by using a variety of hotspots / networks, this setting will not affect them.

If you find that this setting is not assisting your chat, you should disable it to prevent legitimate users from being unable to connect.