Cookie IP

A cookie IP is a 32 character, non-alphanumeric hash which represents the corresponding account's last known IP address. As indicated by the name, it was created for the sake of preventing stealing cookies by comparing the request with the original IP of the network to which the cookie was issued.

esoTalk originally stored the cookie IP in decimal form, but this was changed in esoBB for improved privacy and compatibility reasons, namely the increased widespread adoption of IPv6. Since esoTalk beta 2, the "cookieIP" column of the "users" table was used to store this data. As of esoBB beta 3, "cookieIP" has been moved to an updated "logins" table, and it is now possible for forum users to have multiple (or no) IPs tied to their account.

esoBB delta 3 introduces a cookie agent, containing the user agent identifier, to be used in conjunction with the cookie IP for more fine-tuned account control management.

It is impossible for forum moderators to view an account's IP address; they can only ban the IPs of accounts (or wildcard addresses) and any other forum accounts that may have used the same IP (an anti-spam measure).

The cookie IP does not interfere with the usage of VPNs and proxies, however doing so may prevent the account user from successfully using "Remember me" upon login, and may even lock your account if the IP address has been used previously by another user.