Question: I'm trying to get the country from which the user is browsing the website so I can work out what currency to show on the website. I have tried using the GET scripts available from: <http://api.hostip.info> but they just return XX when I test it.

If anyone knows any better methods please share.

Thanks.

Answer: 
I use this:

```
  $_SESSION['ip'] = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
  $ip = $_SESSION['ip'];
  $try1 = "http://ipinfodb.com/ip_query.php?ip=".$ip."&output=xml";
  $try2 = "http://backup.ipinfodb.com/ip_query.php?ip=".$ip."&output=xml";
  $XML = @simplexml_load_file($try1,NULL,TRUE);
  if(!$XML) { $XML = @simplexml_load_file($try2,NULL,TRUE); }
  if(!$XML) { return false; }

  //Retrieve location, set time
  if($XML->City=="") { $loc = "Localhost / Unknown"; }
  else { $loc = $XML->City.", ".$XML->RegionName.", ".$XML->CountryName; }
  $_SESSION['loc'] = $loc;

```
You should use the [geoip library](http://php.net/manual/en/book.geoip.php).

Maxmind provides free databases and commercial databases, with a difference in the date of last update and precision, the commercial being of better quality.

See <http://www.maxmind.com/app/geolitecountry> for the free database.

I think it should be sufficient for basic needs.