ProVide’s IP/Domain access rules let you control which IP addresses and domains can connect to your server, set in the Security window under Connection control. You can allow connections only from listed addresses, deny connections from listed addresses, or both. Entries can be a specific IP (127.0.0.1), a domain, or a wildcard domain such as *.company-domain.com.
Important: these checks run at connection time
Access rules are evaluated as the connection is made, before the user gets a chance to enter a username or password. This is different from per-account restrictions, which you set in each user’s account. Because of that timing, if you restrict access to a specific list of allowed IPs or domains, make sure the computer you use to administer the server is in the allow list (for example, localhost or 127.0.0.1), or you can lock yourself out.
Example: company-only access #
Say you want the FTP server reachable only from your company’s domain and from the local computer (handy for local administration). In the Security window, under Connection control, tick Only allow connections to the FTP server from these addresses and enter, one per line:
127.0.0.1
*.company-domain.comNow only the local machine and hosts on company-domain.com can connect; everything else is refused at the connection stage.
Allow list vs deny list #
Use the Only allow connections… from these addresses list to permit a known set of locations and block everything else, which is the stricter, more secure approach. Use the Deny connections… from these addresses list to block specific problem addresses while leaving everything else open. You can combine them, and you can mix single IPs, domains, and wildcard domains in either list.
