NetBox Better IPs

Automatic IP ranges from IP addresses and an IP network overview with organisational filters.

Plugin name	netbox_better_ips
Package	netbox-better-ips
NetBox	4.6.5
Python	>=3.12
Repository	https://git.mrblake.cc/MrBlake/Netbox-Better-IPs

Features

• When an IP address is saved, the usable IP range described by its CIDR mask is looked up and created automatically if missing. For regular IPv4 subnets, network and broadcast addresses are excluded.
• An additional IP network overview can be filtered by organisation/region, site group, site, location, tenant group and tenant. It is available directly in the IPAM menu.
• Under IPAM → IP Ranges, the action Create all missing ranges creates ranges for all existing, visible IP addresses.
• Under IP Range → IP Addresses, the assigned device or VM is shown as its own column by default.

Compatibility

• NetBox 4.6.5
• Python >=3.12

Installation

All paths assume a standard installation under /opt/netbox.

1. Install the package

/opt/netbox/venv/bin/pip install --upgrade --force-reinstall \
  "git+https://git.mrblake.cc/MrBlake/Netbox-Better-IPs.git@main"

For reproducible production installs, replace main with a release tag or a full commit ID.

2. Add the plugin to local_requirements.txt

This makes upgrade.sh reinstall the plugin automatically on every NetBox upgrade:

grep -qxF "git+https://git.mrblake.cc/MrBlake/Netbox-Better-IPs.git@main" /opt/netbox/local_requirements.txt \
  || echo "git+https://git.mrblake.cc/MrBlake/Netbox-Better-IPs.git@main" | sudo tee -a /opt/netbox/local_requirements.txt

If the repository is private, the NetBox server needs a read-only deploy token or an SSH key. Do not store credentials in local_requirements.txt.

3. Enable the plugin

In /opt/netbox/netbox/netbox/configuration.py:

PLUGINS = [
    "netbox_better_ips",
]

PLUGINS_CONFIG = {
    "netbox_better_ips": {
        "auto_create_range": True,
        "range_status": "active",
        "inherit_tenant": True,
        "ignore_host_prefixes": True,
    },
}

If other plugins are already configured, add netbox_better_ips to the existing list and dictionary instead of replacing them.

4. Collect static files, restart

The plugin has no database models, so no migration is required.

cd /opt/netbox/netbox
/opt/netbox/venv/bin/python manage.py collectstatic --no-input
sudo systemctl restart netbox netbox-rq

Update

/opt/netbox/venv/bin/pip install --upgrade --force-reinstall \
  "git+https://git.mrblake.cc/MrBlake/Netbox-Better-IPs.git@main"

cd /opt/netbox/netbox
/opt/netbox/venv/bin/python manage.py collectstatic --no-input
sudo systemctl restart netbox netbox-rq

--force-reinstall makes pip pick up branch changes even if the package version has not been bumped.

When NetBox itself is upgraded, upgrade.sh reinstalls the plugin from local_requirements.txt:

sudo /opt/netbox/upgrade.sh
sudo systemctl restart netbox netbox-rq

Uninstall

1. Remove "netbox_better_ips" from PLUGINS and PLUGINS_CONFIG.
2. Remove the line from /opt/netbox/local_requirements.txt.
3. Uninstall the package and restart NetBox:

/opt/netbox/venv/bin/pip uninstall netbox-better-ips
sudo systemctl restart netbox netbox-rq

IP ranges that were created by the plugin remain in NetBox.

Configuration

Key	Default	Description
auto_create_range	True	Create the IP range automatically when an IP address is saved
range_status	"active"	Status of newly created ranges
inherit_tenant	True	Take the tenant from the IP address or its assigned device/VM
ignore_host_prefixes	True	Do not create ranges for host masks (/32, /128)

Usage

Behaviour

For 192.0.2.17/24, the IP range 192.0.2.1/24 – 192.0.2.254/24 is created in the same VRF if needed. The tenant is taken from the IP address or the assigned device/VM. Existing range metadata is never overwritten.

Host masks (/32, /128) do not get their own range by default; change this with ignore_host_prefixes = False.

Reconciling existing IP addresses

cd /opt/netbox/netbox
/opt/netbox/venv/bin/python manage.py reconcile_ip_ranges --dry-run
/opt/netbox/venv/bin/python manage.py reconcile_ip_ranges

Permissions

The overview requires the NetBox permission ipam.view_prefix. Automatic range creation runs server-side — make sure this fits your permission and change control concept.

The action for existing data requires ipam.view_ipaddress and ipam.add_iprange, and only processes IP addresses the executing user can see.

Note on "Organisation"

NetBox has no separate core model called organisation. The overview maps organisation to NetBox Region and includes child regions and their sites and locations.

License

Apache License 2.0 — see LICENSE.