# can u block ppl from direct url'ing images?



## punkapalooza (Oct 18, 2006)

i'm kinda sick of ppl using my images as avatars and signatures. can i block them from doing it? i don't mind if they 'save as' the pic but direct url'ing it just sucks


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Is it having a negative effect on your server load or bandwidth consumption? Because if you don't mind people using your images, and it's not actually effecting your useage levels, you might as well let them hotlink; at least that way there's a slim chance people will backtrack to your site.

If you do want to put an end to it (and fair enough) you can though. Have you tried checking your ISPs control panel? With my webhost it's one of the options in their cpanel.


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## punkapalooza (Oct 18, 2006)

Solmu said:


> Is it having a negative effect on your server load or bandwidth consumption? Because if you don't mind people using your images, and it's not actually effecting your useage levels, you might as well let them hotlink; at least that way there's a slim chance people will backtrack to your site.
> 
> If you do want to put an end to it (and fair enough) you can though. Have you tried checking your ISPs control panel? With my webhost it's one of the options in their cpanel.


so i'd find their isp and block it? is that how it works? 

not sure if it's a negative effect or not. all i know it that i have had the most 'hits' ever in the life of the site, today, and they r mostly from the one place.it's only 60 hits in a day, so i guess that aint alot to some of the more 'famous' sites on here. *shrugs* i spose i can leave it and hope i get a sale out of it.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Brutal Tees said:


> so i'd find their isp and block it? is that how it works?


Some webhosts have the option to block all file requests that come from other domains. So in other words you'd set it up on your webhost, so that only brutaltees.net could load images from brutaltees.net.

You wouldn't need to track down other people's isps and block them; it would automatically block every site except yours (and any sites you enter into an exceptions list).



Brutal Tees said:


> *shrugs* i spose i can leave it and hope i get a sale out of it.


The chances of getting a sale out of it are close to none, but it _is_ possible. Still, if it's bothering you at all it's not like you need to let it happen


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Which webhost are you with? Some webhosts have a setting you can turn on in the control panel that will stop hotlinking of your images.

Here's a tutorial on how to do it by creating an .htaccess file and uploading it to the main folder of your website:

http://blog.ftwr.co.uk/archives/2006/04/22/image-hotlinking-bad/

or this one:
http://www.chauy.com/2006/09/how-to-block-hotlinkers/

Or this one:
http://www.tamingthebeast.net/articles6/hotlinking-protection.htm
(you have to scroll to the bottom of the article to see the instructions on how to stop hotlinking)


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

Of course, as we discussed in the other related thread, you can always replace the linked image with another one -- possibly even just adding your URL to the bottom of the image(s) they are linking to so people know where they're from.


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