I've been building https://resolver.one - a DNS server that returns GeoIP data as TXT records. Query an IP directly as the hostname (e.g. dig TXT 8.8.8.8.rslvr.one) and get back country, ASN, etc.

Always been fascinated by repurposing established protocols for unintended uses - DNS is everywhere, passes through firewalls, and has built-in caching. Seemed like a fun way to deliver location data without HTTP APIs.

Super niche, definitely a bit odd, but that's the appeal.

▲ asteroidburger 3 days ago | parent [-]

Neat idea, even if it doesn't end up going anywhere.

Out of curiosity, are you able to share what your source of data is? Isn't GeoIP data typically licensed?

▲ reincoder 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

I work for IPinfo, focusing on data adoption and supporting the wider use of our free services.

The dataset the user is accessing (IPinfo Lite) is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 and does not come with an End User License Agreement (EULA).

Most free IP geolocation databases in the market do include restrictive EULAs. These usually require each individual user to register, obtain their own copy of the database, and limit usage to themselves only. In many cases, sharing the data or keys outside of the original intended scope is considered a violation of license agreement. Because of these restrictions, some providers also offer paid redistribution licenses, which can be expensive and typically targeted at enterprises.

Our approach is different. By licensing IPinfo Lite under CC-BY-SA 4.0 WITHOUT an EULA, we allow anyone to share or redistribute the data freely, as long as proper attribution is given. The goal is twofold:

  - Make it easier for projects to use the data without legal barriers.
  - Ensure that any questions or issues about the data are directed to us rather than to project maintainers.

Some large open-source projects, major global enterprises, and governement institutes are already using IPinfo Lite right now.

▲ coreylane 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Data source is IPinfo Lite MMDB file, which seems to be offered freely without restrictions. I'd love to offer comprehensive GeoIP attributes but I'm afraid to even ask how much the DB download of that costs... I'm working on supporting new data sets now like security CVEs, shodan integration, etc.

	▲	2 days ago \| parent \| next [-]
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	▲	topak3000 3 days ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		IP2Location LITE has free data on ZIP code and timezone for enrichment. You can consider it too.