HTA access info and ranking concerns

[Texlend]

I am getting a lot of hits from Countries I do not do business in. I found an HTA access code to stop it. My questions are

1. Where do I install the code?
2. Will this affect my Google or other rankings?

Thank you in advance.

[bj]

Maybe you don't do business there, but that doesn't mean you can't get referrals or links from someone there, if they could see your site. Are you sure you want to do this? It seems shortsighted. This is, after all, the world wide web.

[nottheusual1]

Originally Posted by bj

Maybe you don't do business there, but that doesn't mean you can't get referrals or links from someone there, if they could see your site. Are you sure you want to do this? It seems shortsighted. This is, after all, the world wide web.

I've got the same issues, and they aren't shortsighted. We block every known IP address in Korea and China to prevent Email bombing and hacking attempts. We did it because we never do business in those countries and never will, and 75% of all bad things happening to the server these domains are on originated from China and Korea.

We also actively block SSH and SMPT connections from dynamic IP addresses other than ours.

We actively block out large swaths of Europe, too - especially when some bot or trojan has sucked up huge numbers of home machines in Eastern Europe.

It's a security/resources thing, not shortsitedness.

[Texlend]

That is a good point but I can only do business in Texas. I would like to shut out some countries like Nigeria that try to chat with me on our website. I know I have not won any large lottos in Nigeria and am sick of it. I doubt there are any links from that country that would be of any use either.
So, my questions remain unanswered if any of you know.

[nottheusual1]

Originally Posted by Texlend

I am getting a lot of hits from Countries I do not do business in. I found an HTA access code to stop it. My questions are

1. Where do I install the code?
2. Will this affect my Google or other rankings?

Thank you in advance.

You'd be more successful using a firewall and subscribing to services that can supply country-based IP blocks. Much cleaner and will use considerably less resources.

A .hta file and an access database require maintenance and is a pseudo-firewall anyway.

This link has IP blocks by country:

FREE Updated IP to Country Database

and this one keeps tabs on Korean/Chinese blocks:

Okean - Spam Intro

It works for us.

[wige]

Originally Posted by Texlend

1. Where do I install the code?

This depends on the code that you obtained. Some methods are done through the server in the config file or in an .htaccess directive, and others are imported into scripts or CMS systems. The source from which you obtained the codes should have instructions on how to implement their system.

Originally Posted by Texlend

2. Will this affect my Google or other rankings?

As far as I know, it shouldn't. Most of the bots you would be concerned with are in the US, as that is the only place you want traffic from that would be the only ranking of concern.

[GizGaz]

Originally Posted by nottheusual1

You'd be more successful using a firewall and subscribing to services that can supply country-based IP blocks. Much cleaner and will use considerably less resources.

A .hta file and an access database require maintenance and is a pseudo-firewall anyway.

This link has IP blocks by country:

FREE Updated IP to Country Database

and this one keeps tabs on Korean/Chinese blocks:

Okean - Spam Intro

It works for us.

Thanks nottheusual1,

This is something I haven't even considered yet, but now that I think about it, it's pretty important to look into further.

Great Info!!!!!

Thanks,

GizGaz

[kgun]

You find relevant links on my site DigitalStart.net: The starting point for English speaking surfers and webmasters Scroll down to the heading "Advice for webmasters ... and read the first section and click the relevant links to dig deeper.

I know of no better tools than those supplied by DNS tools, reports and Hosting tests, advanced network and domain name tools. You find IP regions related to a domain in the lower left corner CIDR/Netmask.

Note: A spammer can host his site in another country.