# What are IPs and IP ranges

An IP range is a group of consecutive IP addresses grouped under a single definition. Internet service providers (ISPs) keep reserved ranges and assign addresses from them to users on their networks. Ranges can be written in several formats, like a start and end address or CIDR notation, and blocking one covers every address inside it.

Source: https://www.clickguard.com/help/glossary/what-are-ips-and-ip-ranges
Published: 2026-04-07
Updated: 2026-04-07
Author: Nikola Pejic

**An IP address range** is a collection of consecutive IP addresses grouped under a single definition. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) maintain reserved IP ranges from which they assign addresses to users on their networks.

## How are IP ranges represented?

IP ranges can be expressed in several formats. The example below shows a private IPv4 range spanning 65,536 addresses — from `192.168.0.0` to `192.168.255.255` — in both common formats:

`Wildcard 192.168.*.*`  
  
`CIDR 192.168.0.0/16`

## How does ClickGuard use IP ranges?

ClickGuard captures the public IP addresses of devices that interact with your ads using the Google Ads tracking template. These addresses are then grouped into IP ranges, enabling ClickGuard to apply targeted protective and optimization actions to your Google Ads campaigns — such as excluding ranges associated with low-quality or fraudulent traffic.

See also: [What is CIDR notation](https://www.clickguard.com/help/glossary/what-is-cidr-notation).

## Related articles

- [What is CIDR notation](https://www.clickguard.com/help/glossary/what-is-cidr-notation.md)