Troubleshooting Common WP Statistics GeoIP Issues

GeoIP functionality is a powerful feature of the WP Statistics plugin, enabling you to see where your visitors are coming from. However, users sometimes encounter issues with database updates, country detection, and configuration. This guide compiles common problems and their solutions based on community discussions.

1. GeoIP Update Interval is Incorrect

Problem: After an update, the GeoIP database attempts to update daily instead of monthly, sending frequent email notifications.

Solution: Navigate to Statistics > Settings > Advanced Options. Find the setting for "Schedule Monthly Update of GeoIP Database". Toggle it off, save your settings, then toggle it back on and save again. This often resets the internal scheduler. You can verify the next scheduled update is correct by using a plugin like WP Crontrol to check the wp_statistics_geoip_hook cron event.

2. Country is Always Shown as "Not Set"

Problem: The GeoIP database updates successfully, but visitor countries are not being recorded and appear as "not set".

Solution: First, check if you are running your site on a local server (e.g., using localhost, 127.0.0.1, or ::1). GeoIP services cannot accurately detect the location of local IP addresses, so this is expected behavior on a local development environment. On a live server, ensure the GeoIP collection setting is active and that the database file is present in the /wp-content/uploads/wp-statistics/ directory.

3. JavaScript Error When Updating GeoIP (Safari)

Problem: Clicking the "Update Now" button in the admin panel results in a JavaScript error in the browser console, specifically in Safari.

Solution: This is typically a browser caching issue. Clear your browser's cache and cookies for your WordPress admin site. If the problem persists, try using a different browser to perform the update as a temporary workaround. The WP Statistics team has addressed similar interface issues in past updates.

4. Country Detection is Inaccurate

Problem: The plugin attributes your visits or your visitors' visits to the wrong country.

Why it happens: WP Statistics relies on third-party geolocation databases from providers like MaxMind or DB-IP. These databases map IP addresses to physical locations, but the data is not always 100% accurate. Furthermore, the use of VPNs, proxies, or certain ISP routing techniques can cause an IP address to appear to be in a different location than the user's actual physical location.

Solution: You can try switching the geolocation provider. Go to Statistics > Settings > Advanced Options and look for the Location Detection Method or GeoIP Database Update Source setting. Try selecting a different provider (e.g., switch from MaxMind to DB-IP or vice versa) to see if it yields more accurate results for your traffic.

5. "Unexpected HTTP status code 0" Download Error

Problem: An error prevents the GeoIP database from downloading automatically, stating "Unexpected HTTP status code 0".

Solution: This error often indicates a server connectivity issue. First, confirm your Geolocation settings are set to "Use the JsDelivr" service under Statistics > Settings > Advanced Options. If the automatic download fails, you can manually resolve this:

1. Visit the URL from the error message (e.g., https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/geoLite2-city/GeoLite2-City.mmdb.gz) in your browser to download the compressed database file.
2. Extract the .mmdb file from the downloaded .gz archive.
3. Using FTP or your hosting file manager, upload the extracted .mmdb file to the following directory on your server: /wp-content/uploads/wp-statistics/.
4. The plugin should now be able to use the manually uploaded database file.

By following these steps, you can resolve the most frequently reported GeoIP-related issues. If problems persist, checking the official WordPress.org support forums for your specific version of WP Statistics may provide additional insights.