How to allow access to the website directory from specified IP address only

Question

How to allow access to the website directory from specified IP address only using .htaccess file?

Answer

There are few ways of achieving this.

Through Plesk:

1. If nginx reverse proxy is used(check Tools & Settings > Services Management):
   
   • Navigate to Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx Settings;
   • Add the following text to Additional nginx directives:
     

     CONFIG_TEXT: location ^~ /directory {
      allow 203.0.113.2;
      deny all;
     }

2. If nginx reverse proxy is not used:

   • Navigate to Domains > example.com > Apache & nginx Settings;
   • Add the following text to Additional Apache directives:
     

     CONFIG_TEXT: <Location "/directory">
      Order Deny,Allow
      Deny from all
      Allow from 203.0.113.2
     </Location>

Through the website directly:

1. Connect to the server via SSH.

2. Create .htaccess file in the directory required to be protected with the following content:

   CONFIG_TEXT: <IfModule mod_authz_host.c>
   <RequireAll>
   Require ip 203.0.113.2
   </RequireAll>
   </IfModule>

   Also make sure that the authz_host_module is installed on your server by executing the following command:

   # httpd -M | grep authz_host
   authz_host_module (shared)

   Note: .htaccess file should be placed in the directory required to be protected.