diff --git a/fail2ban/server/ipdns.py b/fail2ban/server/ipdns.py
index 7ca1e432..cff8d60d 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/ipdns.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/ipdns.py
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ __license__ = "GPL"
 
 import socket
 import struct
+import os
 import re
 
 from .utils import Utils
-from ..helpers import getLogger
+from ..helpers import getLogger, MyTime, splitwords
 
 # Gets the instance of the logger.
 logSys = getLogger(__name__)
@@ -79,6 +80,8 @@ class DNSUtils:
 	# todo: make configurable the expired time and max count of cache entries:
 	CACHE_nameToIp = Utils.Cache(maxCount=1000, maxTime=5*60)
 	CACHE_ipToName = Utils.Cache(maxCount=1000, maxTime=5*60)
+	# static cache used to hold sets read from files:
+	CACHE_fileToIp = Utils.Cache(maxCount=100, maxTime=5*60)
 
 	@staticmethod
 	def dnsToIp(dns):
@@ -229,6 +232,20 @@ class DNSUtils:
 		DNSUtils.CACHE_nameToIp.set(DNSUtils._getSelfIPs_key, ips)
 		return ips
 
+	@staticmethod
+	def getIPsFromFile(fileName, noError=True):
+		"""Get set of IP addresses or subnets from file"""
+		# to find cached IPs:
+		ips = DNSUtils.CACHE_fileToIp.get(fileName)
+		if ips is not None:
+			return ips
+		# try to obtain set from file:
+		ips = FileIPAddrSet(fileName)
+		#ips.load() - load on demand
+		# cache and return :
+		DNSUtils.CACHE_fileToIp.set(fileName, ips)
+		return ips
+
 	_IPv6IsAllowed = None
 
 	@staticmethod
@@ -457,6 +474,10 @@ class IPAddr(object):
 	def familyStr(self):
 		return IPAddr.FAM2STR.get(self._family)
 
+	@property
+	def instanceType(self):
+		return "ip" if self.isValid else "dns"
+
 	@property
 	def plen(self):
 		return self._plen
@@ -598,6 +619,9 @@ class IPAddr(object):
 	def isInNet(self, net):
 		"""Return either the IP object is in the provided network
 		"""
+		# if addr-set:
+		if isinstance(net, IPAddrSet):
+			return self in net
 		# if it isn't a valid IP address, try DNS resolution
 		if not net.isValid and net.raw != "":
 			# Check if IP in DNS
@@ -675,15 +699,32 @@ IPAddr.IP6_4COMPAT = IPAddr("::ffff:0:0", 96)
 
 class IPAddrSet(set):
 
-	hasSubNet = False
+	hasSubNet = 0
 
 	def __init__(self, ips=[]):
+		ips, subnet = IPAddrSet._list2set(ips)
+		set.__init__(self, ips)
+		self.hasSubNet = subnet
+
+	@staticmethod
+	def _list2set(ips):
 		ips2 = set()
+		subnet = 0
 		for ip in ips:
 			if not isinstance(ip, IPAddr): ip = IPAddr(ip)
 			ips2.add(ip)
-			self.hasSubNet |= not ip.isSingle
-		set.__init__(self, ips2)
+			subnet += not ip.isSingle
+		return ips2, subnet
+
+	@property
+	def instanceType(self):
+		return "ip-set"
+
+	def set(self, ips):
+		ips, subnet = IPAddrSet._list2set(ips)
+		self.clear()
+		self.update(ips)
+		self.hasSubNet = subnet
 
 	def add(self, ip):
 		if not isinstance(ip, IPAddr): ip = IPAddr(ip)
@@ -696,6 +737,69 @@ class IPAddrSet(set):
 		return set.__contains__(self, ip) or (self.hasSubNet and any(n.contains(ip) for n in self))
 
 
+class FileIPAddrSet(IPAddrSet):
+
+	# RE matching file://...
+	RE_FILE_IGN_IP = re.compile(r'^file:/{0,2}(.*)$')
+
+	fileName = ''
+	_shortRepr = None
+	maxUpdateLatency = 1 # latency in seconds to update by changes
+	_nextCheck = 0
+	_fileStats = ()
+
+	def __init__(self, fileName=''):
+		self.fileName = fileName
+		# self.load() - lazy load on demand by first check (in, __contains__ etc)
+
+	@property
+	def instanceType(self):
+		return repr(self)
+
+	def __eq__(self, other):
+		if id(self) == id(other): return 1
+		# to allow remove file-set from list (delIgnoreIP) by its name:
+		if isinstance(other, FileIPAddrSet):
+			return self.fileName == other.fileName
+		m = FileIPAddrSet.RE_FILE_IGN_IP.match(other)
+		if m:
+			return self.fileName == m.group(1)
+
+	def load(self, ifNeeded=True, noError=True):
+		try:
+			if ifNeeded:
+				tm = MyTime.time()
+				if tm > self._nextCheck:
+					self._nextCheck = tm + self.maxUpdateLatency
+					stats = os.stat(self.fileName)
+					stats = stats.st_mtime, stats.st_ino, stats.st_size
+					if self._fileStats == stats:
+						return
+					self._fileStats = stats
+			with open(self.fileName, 'r') as f:
+				ips = f.read()
+			ips = splitwords(ips)
+			self.set(ips)
+		except Exception as e: # pragma: no cover
+			if not noError: raise e
+			logSys.warning("Retrieving IPs set from %r failed: %s", self.fileName, e)
+
+	def __repr__(self):
+		if not self._shortRepr:
+			shortfn = os.path.basename(self.fileName)
+			if shortfn != self.fileName:
+				shortfn = '.../' + shortfn
+			self._shortRepr = 'file:' + shortfn + ')'
+		return self._shortRepr
+
+	def __contains__(self, ip):
+		# check it is uptodate (not often than maxUpdateLatency):
+		if self.fileName:
+			self.load(ifNeeded=True)
+		# inherited contains:
+		return IPAddrSet.__contains__(self, ip)
+
+
 def _NetworkInterfacesAddrs(withMask=False):
 
 	# Closure implementing lazy load modules and libc and define _NetworkInterfacesAddrs on demand: