This page provides two methods for automatically updating GeoIP2 and GeoIP Legacy binary databases.
Using GeoIP Update
MaxMind provides the GeoIP Update program, which performs automatic updates for both GeoIP2 and GeoIP Legacy binary databases. Please follow the instructions below.
Step 1 – Install GeoIP Update
Install GeoIP Update. The latest release may be downloaded from GitHub Releases. See here for installation instructions. It can also be installed via our Docker image.
If you are using an older version of GeoIP Update, you may need to upgrade to GeoIP Update 4.x or later version. The 4.x and later versions meet our requirement for using TLS 1.2 or greater for all requests to our servers to keep your data secure.
Please see our upgrade guide for more information on upgrading from an older version of GeoIP Update.
Step 2 – Obtain GeoIP.conf with Account Information
For GeoIP2 and GeoIP Legacy Databases
Get a partially pre-filled configuration file (may require authentication) and save it in your configuration directory (e.g., /usr/local/etc/) as GeoIP.conf. You will need to replace the YOUR_LICENSE_KEY_HERE placeholder with an active license key associated with your MaxMind account. You can see your license key information on your account License Keys page.
You may also write this file by hand using the template below (not recommended).
# GeoIP.conf file - used by geoipupdate program to update databases # from http://www.maxmind.com AccountID YOUR_ACCOUNT_ID_HERE LicenseKey YOUR_LICENSE_KEY_HERE EditionIDs YOUR_EDITION_IDS_HERE
Note that for geoipupdate versions less than 2.5.0, use UserId instead of AccountID and ProductIds instead of EditionIDs.
Step 3 – Run GeoIP Update
Run geoipupdate. To fully automate this process on Linux or Unix, use a crontab file like:
# top of crontab MAILTO=your@email.com 13 6 * * 4 /usr/local/bin/geoipupdate # end of crontab
This crontab file would run every week, and it would email you the results.
If you are running a firewall, geoipupdate requires that the DNS and HTTPS (443) ports be open.
Troubleshooting
If you receive an error when running GeoIP Update, you can use the verbose option by adding the -v flag. This will print out each step taken as it runs. The information provided can often help to clarify issues. Additional instructions for GeoIP Update can be viewed when running man geoipupdate on the command line.
Please note that GeoIP Update requires current access to database updates to run properly. If your subscription needs to be renewed, updates can be purchased while logged into your Account Summary page.
Updating to the latest release of GeoIP Update may be required to resolve some errors.
Direct Downloads
If your system is unable to use GeoIP Update or if you are using the CSV-format databases, see our GeoIP Direct Downloads page.
Third-Party Tools
- Geoip2 Update – A PHP tool for updating MaxMind GeoLite2 and GeoIP2 databases from your script or via Composer.