You found AS16276 in a server log, a signup record, or an IP lookup, and you want to know whose network it is and whether it matters. AS16276 is operated by OVH, one of the largest hosting providers in Europe. Here is what the ASN is, what runs on it, and how to treat traffic from it.
What is AS16276?
AS16276 is the Autonomous System Number operated by OVH (OVH SAS / OVHcloud), a French cloud and hosting company. The ASN identifies OVH's network to the rest of the internet: when a router anywhere sees a route originating from AS16276, it knows the addresses belong to OVH. For the general concept, see what an ASN is.
- ASN: AS16276
- Operator: OVH / OVHcloud
- Type: Hosting / data center
- Registry: RIPE NCC (Europe)
Who is OVH?
OVH is a major European cloud provider that rents servers, VPS instances, and dedicated hardware to customers worldwide. It runs its own data centers and announces large blocks of IP addresses under AS16276. Because anyone can rent an OVH server cheaply and in minutes, the network hosts an enormous mix of legitimate sites, APIs, and, inevitably, automated traffic.
Why you see AS16276 in your logs
AS16276 shows up in logs because it is a data-center network, not a consumer ISP. Traffic from it comes from servers, which means a higher share of bots, scrapers, VPN exit nodes, and automated signups than you would see from a residential connection. That does not make every OVH IP malicious, but it does make AS16276 a network worth scoring carefully.
Should you block AS16276?
Usually no, not wholesale. Legitimate businesses host production services on OVH, so a blanket block risks real customers and partners. The better approach is to treat AS16276 as a hosting ASN and raise scrutiny: require verification on high-risk actions, rate-limit more aggressively, and combine the ASN signal with others. Blocking makes sense only for surfaces where no server-originated traffic is ever legitimate, such as a consumer signup form.
How to check an IP against AS16276
To confirm an IP belongs to AS16276, look up its ASN. Abstract's free ASN Lookup tool returns the ASN, the operator (OVH), and the type for any address. To do it in code across every request, Abstract's IP Intelligence API returns the ASN plus is_hosting, is_vpn, is_proxy, and is_tor flags in one call, so you can flag OVH traffic at signup, checkout, or login in real time. This is the same data that powers bot detection and fake account detection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AS16276?
AS16276 is the Autonomous System Number operated by OVH (OVHcloud), a large European hosting and cloud provider. It identifies OVH's network and IP ranges on the internet.
Why is AS16276 in my server logs?
Because OVH is a hosting provider, traffic from AS16276 comes from servers rather than home users. That includes legitimate services as well as bots, scrapers, and VPNs running on rented OVH machines.
Should I block AS16276?
Rarely as a whole. Legitimate businesses run on OVH, so blanket-blocking risks real traffic. Treat it as a higher-risk hosting ASN and score it alongside other signals instead.
Is AS16276 a VPN?
Not itself. It is a hosting network, but many VPN and proxy services run their exit nodes on OVH servers, so a share of AS16276 traffic is VPN or proxy traffic.
How do I check if an IP belongs to AS16276?
Enter the IP into Abstract's ASN Lookup tool, or call the IP Intelligence API, to see the ASN and confirm whether the operator is OVH.
Get your free
IP Geolocation
key now
See why the best developers build on Abstract
get started for free
