Blocking nnn.nn/nn in httpd.conf

[Frank_Rizzo]

I have some deny statements in the httpd.conf file:

deny from 198.133.178.0/23

But how do I deny a range such as 201.17/16

deny from 201.17/16

produces an error.

BTW. Would it be better to put these deny IP's in the hosts.deny or at the firewall (software) level? If these addresses are being used for spam via spam bots they are probably being used to sniff out other things too.

Does hosts.deny / iptables take 198.133.178.0/23 convention?

[edited by: Frank_Rizzo at 6:28 pm (utc) on Jan. 3, 2007]

[jdMorgan]

Inferring from the given examples [httpd.apache.org]:

Deny from 201.17.0.0/16

Jim