IP Blocker

Description

Chilli IP Blocker is a powerful yet easy-to-use Joomla 6 system plugin that allows website administrators to control access based on visitors’ IP addresses. It is suitable for standard websites, private portals, intranets, staging environments and other systems that require restricted access.

The plugin checks the visitor’s IP address before displaying the website content. When an address matches a blocking rule, the visitor receives an HTTP 403 Forbidden response and cannot access the protected part of the website.

Two Operating Modes

Chilli IP Blocker provides two different access-control modes.

Block listed IP addresses

Only the IP addresses and ranges entered in the blocked list are denied access. All other visitors can continue using the website normally.

This mode is ideal for blocking suspicious visitors, known attackers, unwanted bots or specific networks.

Block all except allowed IP addresses

All visitors are blocked unless their IP address appears in the allowed list.

This mode is particularly useful for:

• Private company portals
• Intranet websites
• Development and staging websites
• Closed membership systems
• Internal administration tools
• Websites accessible only from approved offices or networks

IPv4, IPv6 and CIDR Support

The plugin supports individual IPv4 and IPv6 addresses as well as complete network ranges using CIDR notation.

Examples:

203.0.113.45

203.0.113.0/24

2001:db8::25

2001:db8::/32

Each address or range can be entered on a separate line. Comments may also be added after the # character to make longer lists easier to manage.

Allowed IP Addresses

The allowed list always has priority over the blocked list. This makes it possible to block a complete network while still permitting access from selected trusted addresses.

In allowlist mode, only addresses and ranges entered in the allowed list can access the protected website.

Frontend or Entire Website Protection

Administrators can choose whether the IP rules apply to:

• The website frontend only
• The entire website, including the Joomla administrator area

Frontend-only protection is recommended during initial configuration and testing. Entire-website protection can be enabled after confirming that the administrator’s current IP address is included in the allowed list.

Custom 403 Message

Blocked visitors receive an HTTP 403 Forbidden response. The message displayed on the blocked-access page can be customized directly in the plugin settings.

This allows administrators to provide a clear explanation, company contact information or other appropriate instructions.

Blocked Attempt Logging

When logging is enabled, the plugin records blocked access attempts, including:

• The blocked IP address
• The requested website URL
• The date and time of the attempt

The log can help administrators identify repeated access attempts and review suspicious activity.

Self-Block Protection

Chilli IP Blocker includes protection against accidentally blocking the administrator’s current IP address.

If the entered settings would prevent the administrator from accessing the website, the plugin rejects the configuration unless self-blocking has been explicitly permitted.

This protection is especially important when using the “Block all except allowed IP addresses” mode.

Emergency Recovery Mode

If access is accidentally blocked, the plugin provides a simple emergency recovery procedure.

Create an empty file named:

disable.block

inside:

plugins/system/chilliipblocker/

The plugin temporarily bypasses all blocking rules while this file exists. After correcting the settings, remove the recovery file to reactivate protection.

Cloudflare Support

Websites using Cloudflare can select CF-Connecting-IP as the visitor IP source.

This option should only be enabled when every request to the origin server passes through Cloudflare. Websites that do not use Cloudflare should keep the default REMOTE_ADDR setting.

Simple Installation and Configuration

Chilli IP Blocker installs through the standard Joomla Extension Manager. No programming knowledge or manual code changes are required.

After installation, open System – Chilli IP Blocker, enter the required addresses or ranges, select the operating mode and enable the plugin.

The clear configuration interface makes the plugin suitable for both experienced administrators and users who need a straightforward way to restrict access to a Joomla website.

Download the Manual

Download the complete English user manual (5.6 MB) for detailed installation instructions, configuration examples, allowlist setup, CIDR usage, testing recommendations and emergency recovery steps.