Useful geolocation starts with the people who collect, maintain and share the data. We are grateful to our providers, the open-data community, and everyone who helps identify an incorrect location.
This page distinguishes the data used by the current API integration from the sources in our separate geo-db.org build. Source licenses apply to the data; free API access and the project's software terms do not replace them.
Table of Contents
- Current API data
- Sources for geo-db.org releases
- Preserving attribution
- Feedback and quality
- Thanks and sponsorship
Current API data
The current net.info integration reads MaxMind GeoIP2 City for location estimates and optionally GeoLite2 ASN for network information. Connecting the API to the new geo-db.org releases is a separate migration and has not been enabled by the database build work.
MaxMind GeoIP2 City
MaxMind's GeoIP databases supply estimated country, region, city and related geographic fields. Their use is governed by the applicable MaxMind agreement, including any separately agreed commercial rights; see the GeoIP license agreement and licensing overview. These are not public-domain databases.
MaxMind also credits GeoNames geographic data under CC BY 4.0. That component's license does not make the entire GeoIP database available under the same terms.
MaxMind GeoLite2 ASN
GeoLite ASN data is provided by MaxMind. It associates addresses with autonomous system numbers and organization names. The GeoLite End User License Agreement includes attribution and other conditions, and incorporates CC BY-SA 4.0 for copyrightable elements. Consult the full agreement rather than treating GeoLite as unrestricted data.
Thank you to MaxMind for maintaining these geographic and network references, and to the communities whose contributions support them. An IP estimate describes a network location; it cannot reliably identify a person or household. Network registration information is distinct from a device's physical location.
Sources for geo-db.org releases
Our separate geo-db.org build produces versioned SQLite, City MMDB and ASN MMDB artifacts from the following public inputs. This list describes that pipeline, not a claim that the current API has already switched providers. Each published release's manifest and notices identify its actual included editions, hashes, licenses and transformations.
DB-IP City Lite · CC BY 4.0
DB-IP City Lite provides base location ranges and estimated countries, regions, cities and coordinates. The builder normalizes the ranges, excludes unsupported address space and matches supported places against GeoNames. Lite has reduced coverage and accuracy; a new file format does not remove those limitations.
Thank you to DB-IP for making this foundation available under CC BY 4.0. We preserve the credit IP Geolocation by DB-IP. DB-IP requires web applications to link back on pages that display or use results from its data.
DB-IP's redistribution FAQ permits redistribution of its free downloads, including commercial use, subject to the license. This applies to the City Lite input selected by our public builder, including adaptations into SQLite and MMDB with the required credits and notices. The standard paid-download terms prohibit redistribution or giving third parties full access; those products cannot be substituted on the same basis. Other sources' terms still apply to a combined release.
GeoNames · CC BY 4.0
GeoNames contributes place identities and administrative names used in matching and normalization. Its gazetteer documentation identifies the license as CC BY 4.0. We thank its community for maintaining this shared geographic reference. A matched place identity helps explain a result; it is not independent proof of an IP's location.
IPtoASN · PDDL 1.0
IPtoASN, maintained by Frank Denis, supplies separate IPv4 and IPv6 ASN ranges and network descriptions. It publishes those data under the Public Domain Dedication and License, PDDL 1.0. Although that dedication does not require attribution, we retain the source credit and snapshot identity for traceability and to recognize the work. Thank you for keeping this reference openly available.
See the geo-db.org sources guide for the fuller source policy and credits. Postal and boundary-derived timezone enrichment are excluded from the current public build policy; private diagnostic data and raw benchmark observations are not public release sources.
Preserving attribution
Keep the notices accompanying the exact release or data product you use. For CC BY 4.0 inputs, preserve appropriate credit, link the license and identify changes. Do not imply endorsement or impose restrictions that the license prohibits. Other source agreements, including GeoLite's share-alike and additional terms, must be considered separately.
Our release notices describe normalization, matching and other transformations so that upstream work remains visible after the data is combined or exported. Neither a source's inclusion in this guide nor sponsorship grants additional rights to redistribute its data.
Feedback and quality
speed-test.org accepts suggested location corrections and, when browser permission is granted, can submit device coordinates and their reported accuracy alongside the IP-based estimate. Sharing device location is optional. These observations can reveal errors that agreement between providers would miss, but a device may be far from its network's public exit point.
Submissions are review leads. Their automatic connection to reviewed benchmarks and release improvements remains planned. Suitable evidence must be approved for its intended use, checked for uncertainty and kept separate from the observations used to evaluate a change. Public quality reports contain aggregates, not individual IP addresses or device coordinates. Read the quality methodology for the intended review and independent evaluation process.
Thanks and sponsorship
Maintaining geographic and network data is continuing work. Thank you to MaxMind, DB-IP, the GeoNames community, IPtoASN and everyone who reports an error with useful evidence. Their contributions make it possible for projects like ours to offer more useful and accountable services.
Support these projects by preserving their credits, visiting their sites and following their contribution guidance. Hyphen AI sponsors net.info and geo-db.org. That support helps maintain our services; it does not replace source attribution or imply that a provider endorses our results.