Understanding Dropbox IP Address and Network Settings

Author

Reads 1.1K

Male remote worker inserting USB stick into port
Credit: pexels.com, Male remote worker inserting USB stick into port

Dropbox uses a dynamic IP address, which can change over time, but it's usually in the range of 216.58.192.0/19. This address is used for communication between Dropbox servers and clients.

Dropbox's network settings allow for multiple ports to be used for different services, including port 80 for HTTP, port 443 for HTTPS, and port 4433 for Dropbox's proprietary protocol.

Dropbox recommends using a static IP address for its servers, but it's not required. In fact, using a dynamic IP address can be beneficial for cloud storage services like Dropbox, as it makes it easier to scale and manage traffic.

Dropbox's network settings also include support for IPv6, which allows for a much larger address space and improved performance.

Access Control

Access Control is a crucial aspect of managing access to your Dropbox account. To restrict access to your company offices, you can use IP Restriction policy to provide or deny access to users based on trusted IP Addresses.

Credit: youtube.com, MSP Exclusive: Improve Access Control with IP Address Restrictions - Partner Portal

miniOrange allows you to create a policy specifying permitted IP addresses which allows access to the application. This can be done in three formats: IPv4, IPv4 CIDR, and IPv6 CIDR.

To block access, you must specify an action to be performed when a user tries to login from a non-trusted IP address, such as Deny or Challenge the user with 2FA.

You can apply the restriction policy to any application's login policy to enable IP restriction for that application. This is a great way to control who can access your Dropbox account and when.

miniOrange's Adaptive Engine also offers time-based restriction as one of the methods for Adaptive Authentication. This allows you to control the timeframe over which access to your Google Workspace is granted or denied for all users.

You can configure a time zone with Start and End Time, and users will be either permitted, refused, or challenged based on the timezone and policies defined. This is particularly useful for controlling access during working hours.

Here are the formats supported by miniOrange for IP addresses:

  • IPv4
  • IPv4 CIDR
  • IPv6 CIDR

This way, you can easily manage access to your Dropbox account and ensure that only authorized users can access it.

Network Configuration

Credit: youtube.com, IP address network and host portion | subnet mask explained in simple terms | CCNA 200-301 |

Dropbox's network configuration is quite extensive, with a large number of IP addresses in use.

The Dropbox Network section of the article lists the ASN (Autonomous System Number) as AS19679, with a route of 162.125.1.0/24, located in the United States. This is shared among multiple IP addresses, including 162.125.1.12, 162.125.1.13, 162.125.1.14, 162.125.1.15, and 162.125.1.17.

You can see the full list of IP addresses in the Dropbox Network section, which includes 436 more addresses.

Network

Dropbox is a notable presence in the network, with a large number of IP addresses associated with its service. Specifically, Dropbox has a network with an ASN (Autonomous System Number) of AS19679.

The Dropbox network spans a range of IP addresses, including 162.125.1.0/24, which is located in the United States. This network has multiple IP addresses, including 162.125.1.12, 162.125.1.13, 162.125.1.14, 162.125.1.15, and 162.125.1.17.

Adobe is another prominent service with a significant network presence. Adobe EM, for example, has 8 IP addresses associated with its service, and Adobe Marketo has 3 IP addresses.

Here's a breakdown of the IP addresses associated with these services:

Ports Used by

Credit: youtube.com, Common Network Ports and Protocols

Dropbox primarily uses ports TCP 80 and TCP 443.

Dropbox uses additional ports for specific features: TCP Port 7600 and TCP 17603 for the web-based “Open” button, and TCP Port 17500 for the LAN Sync feature.

Dropbox does not require any public-facing open ports to operate, and instead initiates outbound connections to the Dropbox server for all communications.

The LAN Sync feature is used for sync operations between computers on the same LAN and shouldn't connect to the outside internet, which is a key distinction from the regular sync feature.

Proxy Usage

Proxy usage can be a bit tricky, but it's essential to understand how it works with Dropbox.

Dropbox uses a dynamic IP address system, which means that your IP address may change each time you access the service.

This is because Dropbox's infrastructure is designed to distribute traffic across multiple servers, making it harder to pinpoint a user's location.

To use a proxy with Dropbox, you'll need to configure your proxy settings in the Dropbox app or desktop client.

Dropbox supports SOCKS5 proxies, which allow you to route traffic through a proxy server.

However, keep in mind that using a proxy may affect the performance of the Dropbox service.

Blocking on Your Network

Credit: youtube.com, How to Avoid Getting Your IP Blocked? (Main Reasons For IP Block)

Blocking Dropbox on your network is a bit more involved than just blocking a single website, but it's doable with the right steps. You can start by creating local firewall rules using Windows Firewall to block Dropbox.exe and DropboxUpdate.exe.

You'll also want to block the resolution of DNS records on the dropbox.com, dropboxapi.com, and dropboxusercontent.com domains. If you run your own DNS server, this is as simple as adding a dummy record.

To prevent DNS connections to external servers, add a new outgoing firewall rule to disallow TCP & UDP port 53 from all source IP addresses, except the addresses of your own DNS servers. This will ensure that your network's DNS queries are only resolved by your internal DNS servers.

You can also utilize Group Policy to deny Dropbox.exe from running. To do this, create a new Software Restriction Policy with a Hash Rule for Dropbox.exe.

For those with a firewall that supports Deep Packet Inspection, you can enable the in-built rules to block Dropbox. These firewalls often release new definition updates, so you won't have to worry about keeping up with the latest changes.

Here are the steps to block Dropbox IP Address Ranges:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Dropbox track location?

Yes, Dropbox can track the location of devices that access your account through their IP address. You can use this information to discover the login location and internet provider used.

Judith Lang

Senior Assigning Editor

Judith Lang is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a passion for curating engaging content for readers. With a keen eye for detail, she has successfully managed a wide range of article categories, from technology and software to education and career development. Judith's expertise lies in assigning and editing articles that cater to the needs of modern professionals, providing them with valuable insights and knowledge to stay ahead in their fields.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.