What is the most accurate way to retrieve a user's correct IP address in PHP?

Question

I know there are a plethora of $_SERVER variables headers available for IP address retrieval. I was wondering if there is a general consensus as to how to most accurately retrieve a user's real IP address (well knowing no method is perfect) using said variables?

I spent some time trying to find an in depth solution and came up with the following code based on a number of sources. I would love it if somebody could please poke holes in the answer or shed some light on something perhaps more accurate.

edit includes optimizations from @Alix

 /**
  * Retrieves the best guess of the client's actual IP address.
  * Takes into account numerous HTTP proxy headers due to variations
  * in how different ISPs handle IP addresses in headers between hops.
  */
 public function get_ip_address() {
  // Check for shared internet/ISP IP
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP']) && $this->validate_ip($_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP']))
   return $_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'];

  // Check for IPs passing through proxies
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'])) {
   // Check if multiple IP addresses exist in var
    $iplist = explode(',', $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']);
    foreach ($iplist as $ip) {
     if ($this->validate_ip($ip))
      return $ip;
    }
   }
  }
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED']) && $this->validate_ip($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED']))
   return $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED'];
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP']) && $this->validate_ip($_SERVER['HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP']))
   return $_SERVER['HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP'];
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR']) && $this->validate_ip($_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR']))
   return $_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR'];
  if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED']) && $this->validate_ip($_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED']))
   return $_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED'];

  // Return unreliable IP address since all else failed
  return $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
 }

 /**
  * Ensures an IP address is both a valid IP address and does not fall within
  * a private network range.
  *
  * @access public
  * @param string $ip
  */
 public function validate_ip($ip) {
     if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, 
                         FILTER_FLAG_IPV4 | 
                         FILTER_FLAG_IPV6 |
                         FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | 
                         FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE) === false)
         return false;
     self::$ip = $ip;
     return true;
 }

Words of Warning (update)

REMOTE_ADDR still represents the most reliable source of an IP address. The other $_SERVER variables mentioned here can be spoofed by a remote client very easily. The purpose of this solution is to attempt to determine the IP address of a client sitting behind a proxy. For your general purposes, you might consider using this in combination with the IP address returned directly from $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] and storing both.

For 99.9% of users this solution will suit your needs perfectly. It will not protect you from the 0.1% of malicious users looking to abuse your system by injecting their own request headers. If relying on IP addresses for something mission critical, resort to REMOTE_ADDR and don't bother catering to those behind a proxy.

Answer 1

Here is a shorter, cleaner way to get the IP address:

function get_ip_address(){
    foreach (array('HTTP_CLIENT_IP', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED', 'HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP', 'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_FORWARDED', 'REMOTE_ADDR') as $key){
        if (array_key_exists($key, $_SERVER) === true){
            foreach (explode(',', $_SERVER[$key]) as $ip){
                $ip = trim($ip); // just to be safe

                if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE) !== false){
                    return $ip;
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

---

Your code seems to be pretty complete already, I cannot see any possible bugs in it (aside from the usual IP caveats), I would change the validate_ip() function to rely on the filter extension though:

public function validate_ip($ip)
{
    if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE) === false)
    {
        return false;
    }

    self::$ip = sprintf('%u', ip2long($ip)); // you seem to want this

    return true;
}

Also your HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR snippet can be simplified from this:

// check for IPs passing through proxies
if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))
{
    // check if multiple ips exist in var
    if (strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'], ',') !== false)
    {
        $iplist = explode(',', $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']);
        
        foreach ($iplist as $ip)
        {
            if ($this->validate_ip($ip))
                return $ip;
        }
    }
    
    else
    {
        if ($this->validate_ip($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))
            return $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'];
    }
}

To this:

// check for IPs passing through proxies
if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))
{
    $iplist = explode(',', $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']);
        
    foreach ($iplist as $ip)
    {
        if ($this->validate_ip($ip))
            return $ip;
    }
}

You may also want to validate IPv6 addresses.

Answer 2

Even then however, getting a user's real IP address is going to be unreliable. All they need to do is use an anonymous proxy server (one that doesn't honor the headers for http_x_forwarded_for, http_forwarded, etc) and all you get is their proxy server's IP address.

You can then see if there is a list of proxy server IP addresses that are anonymous, but there is no way to be sure that is 100% accurate as well and the most it'd do is let you know it is a proxy server. And if someone is being clever, they can spoof headers for HTTP forwards.

Let's say I don't like the local college. I figure out what IP addresses they registered, and get their IP address banned on your site by doing bad things, because I figure out you honor the HTTP forwards. The list is endless.

Then there is, as you guessed, internal IP addresses such as the college network I metioned before. A lot use a 10.x.x.x format. So all you would know is that it was forwarded for a shared network.

Then I won't start much into it, but dynamic IP addresses are the way of broadband anymore. So. Even if you get a user IP address, expect it to change in 2 - 3 months, at the longest.

Answer 3

We use:

/**
 * Get the customer's IP address.
 *
 * @return string
 */
public function getIpAddress() {
    if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'])) {
        return $_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'];
    } else if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'])) {
        $ips = explode(',', $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']);
        return trim($ips[count($ips) - 1]);
    } else {
        return $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    }
}

The explode on HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR is because of weird issues we had detecting IP addresses when Squid was used.

Answer 4

My answer is basically just a polished, fully-validated, and fully-packaged, version of @AlixAxel's answer:

<?php

/* Get the 'best known' client IP. */

if (!function_exists('getClientIP'))
    {
        function getClientIP()
            {
                if (isset($_SERVER["HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP"])) 
                    {
                        $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] = $_SERVER["HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP"];
                    };

                foreach (array('HTTP_CLIENT_IP', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED', 'HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP', 'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_FORWARDED', 'REMOTE_ADDR') as $key)
                    {
                        if (array_key_exists($key, $_SERVER)) 
                            {
                                foreach (explode(',', $_SERVER[$key]) as $ip)
                                    {
                                        $ip = trim($ip);

                                        if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE) !== false)
                                            {
                                                return $ip;
                                            };
                                    };
                            };
                    };

                return false;
            };
    };

$best_known_ip = getClientIP();

if(!empty($best_known_ip))
    {
        $ip = $clients_ip = $client_ip = $client_IP = $best_known_ip;
    }
else
    {
        $ip = $clients_ip = $client_ip = $client_IP = $best_known_ip = '';
    };

?>

Changes:

• It simplifies the function name (with 'camelCase' formatting style).

• It includes a check to make sure the function isn't already declared in another part of your code.

• It takes into account 'CloudFlare' compatibility.

• It initializes multiple "IP-related" variable names to the returned value, of the 'getClientIP' function.

• It ensures that if the function doesn't return a valid IP address, all the variables are set to a empty string, instead of null.

• It's only (45) lines of code.

Answer 5

The biggest question is for what purpose?

Your code is nearly as comprehensive as it could be - but I see that if you spot what looks like a proxy added header, you use that INSTEAD of the CLIENT_IP, however if you want this information for audit purposes then be warned - its very easy to fake.

Certainly you should never use IP addresses for any sort of authentication - even these can be spoofed.

You could get a better measurement of the client ip address by pushing out a flash or java applet which connects back to the server via a non-http port (which would therefore reveal transparent proxies or cases where the proxy-injected headers are false - but bear in mind that, where the client can ONLY connect via a web proxy or the outgoing port is blocked, there will be no connection from the applet.

Answer 6

Thanks for this, very useful.

It would help though if the code were syntactically correct. As it is there's a { too many around line 20. Which I'm afraid means nobody actually tried this out.

I may be crazy, but after trying it on a few valid and invalid addresses, the only version of validate_ip() that worked was this:

    public function validate_ip($ip)
    {
        if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE) === false)
            return false;
        if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE) === false)
            return false;
        if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_IPV4) === false && filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_IPV6) === false)
            return false;

        return true;
    }

Answer 7

Here's a modified version if you use CloudFlare caching layer Services

function getIP()
{
    $fields = array('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR',
                    'REMOTE_ADDR',
                    'HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP',
                    'HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP');

    foreach($fields as $f)
    {
        $tries = $_SERVER[$f];
        if (empty($tries))
            continue;
        $tries = explode(',',$tries);
        foreach($tries as $try)
        {
            $r = filter_var($try,
                            FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_IPV4 |
                            FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE |
                            FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE);

            if ($r !== false)
            {
                return $try;
            }
        }
    }
    return false;
}

Answer 8

Just another clean way:

  function validateIp($var_ip){
    $ip = trim($var_ip);

    return (!empty($ip) &&
            $ip != '::1' &&
            $ip != '127.0.0.1' &&
            filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE) !== false)
            ? $ip : false;
  }

  function getClientIp() {
    $ip = @$this->validateIp($_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP']) ?:
          @$this->validateIp($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']) ?:
          @$this->validateIp($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED']) ?:
          @$this->validateIp($_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR']) ?:
          @$this->validateIp($_SERVER['HTTP_FORWARDED']) ?:
          @$this->validateIp($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']) ?:
          'LOCAL OR UNKNOWN ACCESS';

    return $ip;
  }

Answer 9

i realize there are much better and more concise answers above, and this isnt a function nor the most graceful script around. In our case we needed to output both the spoofable x_forwarded_for and the more reliable remote_addr in a simplistic switch per-say. It needed to allow blanks for injecting into other functions if-none or if-singular (rather than just returning the preformatted function). It needed an "on or off" var with a per-switch customized label(s) for platform settings. It also needed a way for $ip to be dynamic depending on request so that it would take form of forwarded_for.

Also i didnt see anyone address isset() vs !empty() -- its possible to enter nothing for x_forwarded_for yet still trigger isset() truth resulting in blank var, a way to get around is to use && and combine both as conditions. Keep in mind you can spoof words like "PWNED" as x_forwarded_for so make sure you sterilize to a real ip syntax if your outputting somewhere protected or into DB.

Also also, you can test using google translate if you need a multi-proxy to see the array in x_forwarder_for. If you wanna spoof headers to test, check this out Chrome Client Header Spoof extension. This will default to just standard remote_addr while behind anon proxy.

I dunno any case where remote_addr could be empty, but its there as fallback just in case.

// proxybuster - attempts to un-hide originating IP if [reverse]proxy provides methods to do so
  $enableProxyBust = true;

if (($enableProxyBust == true) && (isset($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'])) && (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'])) && (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))) {
    $ip = end(array_values(array_filter(explode(',',$_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))));
    $ipProxy = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    $ipProxy_label = ' behind proxy ';
} elseif (($enableProxyBust == true) && (isset($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']))) {
    $ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    $ipProxy = '';
    $ipProxy_label = ' no proxy ';
} elseif (($enableProxyBust == false) && (isset($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']))) {
    $ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    $ipProxy = '';
    $ipProxy_label = '';
} else {
    $ip = '';
    $ipProxy = '';
    $ipProxy_label = '';
}

To make these dynamic for use in function(s) or query/echo/views below, say for log gen or error reporting, use globals or just echo em in wherever you desire without making a ton of other conditions or static-schema-output functions.

function fooNow() {
    global $ip, $ipProxy, $ipProxy_label;
    // begin this actions such as log, error, query, or report
}

Thank you for all your great thoughts. Please let me know if this could be better, still kinda new to these headers :)

Answer 10

I came up with this function that does not simply return the IP address but an array with IP information.

// Example usage:
$info = ip_info();
if ( $info->proxy ) {
    echo 'Your IP is ' . $info->ip;
} else {
    echo 'Your IP is ' . $info->ip . ' and your proxy is ' . $info->proxy_ip;
}

Here's the function:

/**
 * Retrieves the best guess of the client's actual IP address.
 * Takes into account numerous HTTP proxy headers due to variations
 * in how different ISPs handle IP addresses in headers between hops.
 *
 * @since 1.1.3
 *
 * @return object {
 *         IP Address details
 *
 *         string $ip The users IP address (might be spoofed, if $proxy is true)
 *         bool $proxy True, if a proxy was detected
 *         string $proxy_id The proxy-server IP address
 * }
 */
function ip_info() {
    $result = (object) array(
        'ip' => $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'],
        'proxy' => false,
        'proxy_ip' => '',
    );

    /*
     * This code tries to bypass a proxy and get the actual IP address of
     * the visitor behind the proxy.
     * Warning: These values might be spoofed!
     */
    $ip_fields = array(
        'HTTP_CLIENT_IP',
        'HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR',
        'HTTP_X_FORWARDED',
        'HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP',
        'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR',
        'HTTP_FORWARDED',
        'REMOTE_ADDR',
    );
    foreach ( $ip_fields as $key ) {
        if ( array_key_exists( $key, $_SERVER ) === true ) {
            foreach ( explode( ',', $_SERVER[$key] ) as $ip ) {
                $ip = trim( $ip );

                if ( filter_var( $ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE ) !== false ) {
                    $forwarded = $ip;
                    break 2;
                }
            }
        }
    }

    // If we found a different IP address then REMOTE_ADDR then it's a proxy!
    if ( $forwarded != $result->ip ) {
        $result->proxy = true;
        $result->proxy_ip = $result->ip;
        $result->ip = $forwarded;
    }

    return $result;
}

Answer 11

As someone said previously, the key here is for what reason you want to store user's ips.

I'll give an example from a registration system I work on and of course the solution just to contribute sth in this old discussion that comes frequently in my searches.

Many php registration libraries use ip to throttle/lock out failed attempts based on user's ip. Consider this table:

-- mysql
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS `attempts`;
CREATE TABLE `attempts` (
  `id` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `ip` varchar(39) NOT NULL, /*<<=====*/
  `expiredate` datetime NOT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
 -- sqlite
...

Then, when a user tries to do a login or anything related with servicing like a password reset, a function is called at the start:

public function isBlocked() {
      /*
       * used one of the above methods to capture user's ip!!!
       */
      $ip = $this->ip;
      // delete attempts from this ip with 'expiredate' in the past
      $this->deleteAttempts($ip, false);
      $query = $this->dbh->prepare("SELECT count(*) FROM {$this->token->get('table_attempts')} WHERE ip = ?");
      $query->execute(array($ip));
      $attempts = $query->fetchColumn();
      if ($attempts < intval($this->token->get('attempts_before_verify'))) {
         return "allow";
      }
      if ($attempts < intval($this->token->get('attempts_before_ban'))) {
         return "captcha";
      }
      return "block";
   }

Say, for example, $this->token->get('attempts_before_ban') === 10 and 2 users come for the same ips as is the case in the previous codes where headers can be spoofed, then after 5 attempts each both are banned! Even worst, if all come from the same proxy then only the first 10 users will be logged and all the rest will be banned!

The critical here is that we need a unique index on table attempts and we can get it from a combination like:

 `ip` varchar(39) NOT NULL,
 `jwt_load varchar(100) NOT NULL

where jwt_load comes from a http cookie that follows the json web token technology where we store only the encrypted payload that should contain an arbitrary/unique value for every user. Of course the request should be modified to: "SELECT count(*) FROM {$this->token->get('table_attempts')} WHERE ip = ? AND jwt_load = ?" and the class should also initiate a private $jwt.

Answer 12

I do wonder if perhaps you should iterate over the exploded HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR in reverse order, since my experience has been that the user's IP address ends up at the end of the comma-separated list, so starting at the start of the header, you're more likely to get the ip address of one of the proxies returned, which could potentially still allow session hijacking as many users may come through that proxy.

Answer 13

From Symfony's Request class https://github.com/symfony/symfony/blob/1bd125ec4a01220878b3dbc3ec3156b073996af9/src/Symfony/Component/HttpFoundation/Request.php

const HEADER_FORWARDED = 'forwarded';
const HEADER_CLIENT_IP = 'client_ip';
const HEADER_CLIENT_HOST = 'client_host';
const HEADER_CLIENT_PROTO = 'client_proto';
const HEADER_CLIENT_PORT = 'client_port';

/**
 * Names for headers that can be trusted when
 * using trusted proxies.
 *
 * The FORWARDED header is the standard as of rfc7239.
 *
 * The other headers are non-standard, but widely used
 * by popular reverse proxies (like Apache mod_proxy or Amazon EC2).
 */
protected static $trustedHeaders = array(
    self::HEADER_FORWARDED => 'FORWARDED',
    self::HEADER_CLIENT_IP => 'X_FORWARDED_FOR',
    self::HEADER_CLIENT_HOST => 'X_FORWARDED_HOST',
    self::HEADER_CLIENT_PROTO => 'X_FORWARDED_PROTO',
    self::HEADER_CLIENT_PORT => 'X_FORWARDED_PORT',
);

/**
 * Returns the client IP addresses.
 *
 * In the returned array the most trusted IP address is first, and the
 * least trusted one last. The "real" client IP address is the last one,
 * but this is also the least trusted one. Trusted proxies are stripped.
 *
 * Use this method carefully; you should use getClientIp() instead.
 *
 * @return array The client IP addresses
 *
 * @see getClientIp()
 */
public function getClientIps()
{
    $clientIps = array();
    $ip = $this->server->get('REMOTE_ADDR');
    if (!$this->isFromTrustedProxy()) {
        return array($ip);
    }
    if (self::$trustedHeaders[self::HEADER_FORWARDED] && $this->headers->has(self::$trustedHeaders[self::HEADER_FORWARDED])) {
        $forwardedHeader = $this->headers->get(self::$trustedHeaders[self::HEADER_FORWARDED]);
        preg_match_all('{(for)=("?\[?)([a-z0-9\.:_\-/]*)}', $forwardedHeader, $matches);
        $clientIps = $matches[3];
    } elseif (self::$trustedHeaders[self::HEADER_CLIENT_IP] && $this->headers->has(self::$trustedHeaders[self::HEADER_CLIENT_IP])) {
        $clientIps = array_map('trim', explode(',', $this->headers->get(self::$trustedHeaders[self::HEADER_CLIENT_IP])));
    }
    $clientIps[] = $ip; // Complete the IP chain with the IP the request actually came from
    $firstTrustedIp = null;
    foreach ($clientIps as $key => $clientIp) {
        // Remove port (unfortunately, it does happen)
        if (preg_match('{((?:\d+\.){3}\d+)\:\d+}', $clientIp, $match)) {
            $clientIps[$key] = $clientIp = $match[1];
        }
        if (!filter_var($clientIp, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP)) {
            unset($clientIps[$key]);
        }
        if (IpUtils::checkIp($clientIp, self::$trustedProxies)) {
            unset($clientIps[$key]);
            // Fallback to this when the client IP falls into the range of trusted proxies
            if (null ===  $firstTrustedIp) {
                $firstTrustedIp = $clientIp;
            }
        }
    }
    // Now the IP chain contains only untrusted proxies and the client IP
    return $clientIps ? array_reverse($clientIps) : array($firstTrustedIp);
}

Answer 14

I'm surprised no one has mentioned filter_input, so here is Alix Axel's answer condensed to one-line:

function get_ip_address(&$keys = ['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_X_FORWARDED', 'HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP', 'HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR', 'HTTP_FORWARDED', 'HTTP_CLIENT_IP', 'REMOTE_ADDR'])
{
    return empty($keys) || ($ip = filter_input(INPUT_SERVER, array_pop($keys), FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE))? $ip : get_ip_address($keys);
}

Answer 15

I know this is too late to answer. But you may try these options:

Option 1: (Using curl)

$ch = curl_init();

// set URL and other appropriate options
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "https://ifconfig.me/");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);

// grab URL and pass it to the browser
$ip = curl_exec($ch);

// close cURL resource, and free up system resources
curl_close($ch);

return $ip;

Option 2: (Works good on mac)

return trim(shell_exec("dig +short myip.opendns.com @resolver1.opendns.com"));

Option 3: (Just used a trick)

return str_replace('Current IP CheckCurrent IP Address: ', '', strip_tags(file_get_contents('http://checkip.dyndns.com')));

Might be a reference: https://www.tecmint.com/find-linux-server-public-ip-address/

Answer 16

Though this post very old but the topic still demands attention. So here I come with another solution I used in my project. I found other solutions here either incomplete or too complex to understand.

if (! function_exists('get_visitor_IP'))
{
    /**
     * Get the real IP address from visitors proxy. e.g. Cloudflare
     *
     * @return string IP
     */
    function get_visitor_IP()
    {
        // Get real visitor IP behind CloudFlare network
        if (isset($_SERVER["HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP"])) {
            $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] = $_SERVER["HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP"];
            $_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'] = $_SERVER["HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP"];
        }

        // Sometimes the `HTTP_CLIENT_IP` can be used by proxy servers
        $ip = @$_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'];
        if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP)) {
           return $ip;
        }

        // Sometimes the `HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR` can contain more than IPs 
        $forward_ips = @$_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'];
        if ($forward_ips) {
            $all_ips = explode(',', $forward_ips);

            foreach ($all_ips as $ip) {
                if (filter_var($ip, FILTER_VALIDATE_IP, FILTER_FLAG_NO_PRIV_RANGE | FILTER_FLAG_NO_RES_RANGE)){
                    return $ip;
                }
            }
        }

        return $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    }
}

Answer 17

You pretty much answered your own question! :)

function getRealIpAddr() {
    if(!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP']))   //Check IP address from shared Internet
    {
        $IPaddress = $_SERVER['HTTP_CLIENT_IP'];
    }
    elseif (!empty($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))   //To check IP address is passed from the proxy
    {
        $IPaddress = $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'];
    }
    else
    {
        $IPaddress = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    }
    return $IPaddress;
}

Source

Answer 18

Just a VB.NET version of the answer:

Private Function GetRequestIpAddress() As IPAddress
    Dim serverVariables = HttpContext.Current.Request.ServerVariables
    Dim headersKeysToCheck = {"HTTP_CLIENT_IP", _
                              "HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR", _
                              "HTTP_X_FORWARDED", _
                              "HTTP_X_CLUSTER_CLIENT_IP", _
                              "HTTP_FORWARDED_FOR", _
                              "HTTP_FORWARDED", _
                              "REMOTE_ADDR"}
    For Each thisHeaderKey In headersKeysToCheck
        Dim thisValue = serverVariables.Item(thisHeaderKey)
        If thisValue IsNot Nothing Then
            Dim validAddress As IPAddress = Nothing
            If IPAddress.TryParse(thisValue, validAddress) Then
                Return validAddress
            End If
        End If
    Next
    Return Nothing
End Function

Answer 19

/**
 * Sanitizes IPv4 address according to Ilia Alshanetsky's book
 * "php|architect?s Guide to PHP Security", chapter 2, page 67.
 *
 * @param string $ip An IPv4 address
 */
public static function sanitizeIpAddress($ip = '')
{
if ($ip == '')
    {
    $rtnStr = '0.0.0.0';
    }
else
    {
    $rtnStr = long2ip(ip2long($ip));
    }

return $rtnStr;
}

//---------------------------------------------------

/**
 * Returns the sanitized HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR server variable.
 *
 */
public static function getXForwardedFor()
{
if (isset($_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))
    {
    $rtnStr = $_SERVER['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'];
    }
elseif (isset($HTTP_SERVER_VARS['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR']))
    {
    $rtnStr = $HTTP_SERVER_VARS['HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'];
    }
elseif (getenv('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR'))
    {
    $rtnStr = getenv('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR');
    }
else
    {
    $rtnStr = '';
    }

// Sanitize IPv4 address (Ilia Alshanetsky):
if ($rtnStr != '')
    {
    $rtnStr = explode(', ', $rtnStr);
    $rtnStr = self::sanitizeIpAddress($rtnStr[0]);
    }

return $rtnStr;
}

//---------------------------------------------------

/**
 * Returns the sanitized REMOTE_ADDR server variable.
 *
 */
public static function getRemoteAddr()
{
if (isset($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']))
    {
    $rtnStr = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    }
elseif (isset($HTTP_SERVER_VARS['REMOTE_ADDR']))
    {
    $rtnStr = $HTTP_SERVER_VARS['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    }
elseif (getenv('REMOTE_ADDR'))
    {
    $rtnStr = getenv('REMOTE_ADDR');
    }
else
    {
    $rtnStr = '';
    }

// Sanitize IPv4 address (Ilia Alshanetsky):
if ($rtnStr != '')
    {
    $rtnStr = explode(', ', $rtnStr);
    $rtnStr = self::sanitizeIpAddress($rtnStr[0]);
    }

return $rtnStr;
}

//---------------------------------------------------

/**
 * Returns the sanitized remote user and proxy IP addresses.
 *
 */
public static function getIpAndProxy()
{
$xForwarded = self::getXForwardedFor();
$remoteAddr = self::getRemoteAddr();

if ($xForwarded != '')
    {
    $ip    = $xForwarded;
    $proxy = $remoteAddr;
    }
else
    {
    $ip    = $remoteAddr;
    $proxy = '';
    }

return array($ip, $proxy);
}