diff --git a/ban.go b/ban.go
index 8cef27a..878acfd 100644
--- a/ban.go
+++ b/ban.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 var ErrAlreadyBanned = errors.New("ip address is already banned")
+var ErrInvalidAddress = errors.New("invalid ip address format")
 
 // addBanItem inserts a ban DB entry
 func addBanItem(db *sql.DB, addr, name string) error {
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ func readBanItem(db *sql.DB, addr string) (string, error) {
 
 // deleteBanItem deletes a ban DB entry
 func deleteBanItem(db *sql.DB, name string) error {
-	sql_deleteBanItem := `DELETE FROM ban WHERE name = ?;`
+	sql_deleteBanItem := `DELETE FROM ban WHERE name = ? OR addr = ?;`
 
 	stmt, err := db.Prepare(sql_deleteBanItem)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ func deleteBanItem(db *sql.DB, name string) error {
 	}
 	defer stmt.Close()
 
-	_, err = stmt.Exec(name)
+	_, err = stmt.Exec(name, name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -146,6 +147,27 @@ func (p *Peer) Ban() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func Ban(addr string) error {
+	db, err := initAuthDB()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	name := "not known"
+
+	if net.ParseIP(addr) == nil {
+		return ErrInvalidAddress
+	}
+
+	err = addBanItem(db, addr, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func Unban(name string) error {
 	db, err := initAuthDB()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/igutils.go b/igutils.go
index 837ea03..892d5d4 100644
--- a/igutils.go
+++ b/igutils.go
@@ -310,30 +310,33 @@ func init() {
 		})
 
 	RegisterChatCommand("ban", privs("ban"),
-		func (p *Peer, param string) {
+		func(p *Peer, param string) {
 			if param == "" {
-				p.SendChatMsg("Usage: #ban <playername>")
+				p.SendChatMsg("Usage: #ban <playername | IP address>")
 				return
 			}
 
-			p2 := GetListener().GetPeerByUsername(param)
-			if p2 == nil {
-				p.SendChatMsg(param + " is not online.")
-				return
-			}
+			err := Ban(param)
+			if err != nil {
+				p2 := GetListener().GetPeerByUsername(param)
+				if p2 == nil {
+					p.SendChatMsg(param + " is not online.")
+					return
+				}
 
-			if err := p2.Ban(); err != nil {
-				p.SendChatMsg("An internal error occured while attempting to ban the player.")
-				return
+				if err := p2.Ban(); err != nil {
+					p.SendChatMsg("An internal error occured while attempting to ban the player.")
+					return
+				}
 			}
 
 			p.SendChatMsg("Banned " + param)
 		})
 
 	RegisterChatCommand("unban", privs("ban"),
-		func (p *Peer, param string) {
+		func(p *Peer, param string) {
 			if param == "" {
-				p.SendChatMsg("Usage: #unban <playername>")
+				p.SendChatMsg("Usage: #unban <playername | IP address>")
 				return
 			}