You saw AS20940 on an IP and want to know what it is. AS20940 is Akamai's primary content-delivery network. Like other CDNs, it behaves differently from a normal hosting ASN, and this page explains what to expect.
What is AS20940?
AS20940 is the main Autonomous System Number operated by Akamai Technologies, one of the largest CDN and edge providers. A route from AS20940 belongs to Akamai's delivery network. For the concept, see what an ASN is.
- ASN: AS20940 (Akamai International)
- Operator: Akamai Technologies
- Type: CDN / edge network
- Behavior: serves and fetches content on behalf of customer sites
What runs on AS20940?
Akamai's edge servers, which cache and deliver content for a large share of major websites, software downloads, and media streams. When you see AS20940, you are usually looking at Akamai serving or fetching content for one of its enterprise customers rather than an end user's own connection.
Why AS20940 is a special case
Because Akamai is a CDN, an AS20940 IP is infrastructure, not a person. It may be Akamai delivering your content, or an Akamai edge fetching from your origin. Either way, it should not be treated as an end-user connection when you score signups or logins, much like the Cloudflare case.
Should you block AS20940?
No. Blocking Akamai can break content delivery and legitimate origin fetches for major services. Treat AS20940 as CDN infrastructure and, where a real client IP is forwarded, score that instead.
How to check an IP against AS20940
Look up the IP's ASN with Abstract's free ASN Lookup tool, or call the IP Intelligence API to get the ASN and type in one request, so CDN infrastructure is recognized and not mistaken for an end user. It is the data behind accurate bot detection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AS20940?
AS20940 is Akamai's primary Autonomous System Number, covering its global content delivery and edge network.
Why do I see Akamai IPs in my logs?
Akamai delivers and fetches content for a large share of major sites, so AS20940 addresses appear whenever Akamai serves your content or its edge fetches from your origin.
Is an AS20940 IP an end user?
No. It is CDN infrastructure. Where a real client IP is forwarded, score that address rather than the Akamai edge IP.
Should I block AS20940?
No. Blocking Akamai can break content delivery and origin fetches for major services. Treat it as CDN infrastructure.
How do I check if an IP is Akamai?
Enter it into Abstract's ASN Lookup tool or call the IP Intelligence API to confirm whether the ASN is AS20940.
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