Whitelisting for SFTP Connection

Questions
1

I’ve set up a workflow that will create a CSV and then upload the file to a vendor through SFTP. The challenge is the vendor requires the sender IP address to be whitelisted.

I’m using n8n Cloud and when I asked the AI Assistant, it gave me 22 IPs to whitelist with a warning they can change at any time. Is there any way set a static IP or at least reduce it to only a few?

2

Hi @Steph_Sjostrom

n8n Cloud runs on dynamic infrastructure, and its IP addresses can and do change, which is why you were given a full IP range. Unfortunately, there’s no way to guarantee a static outbound IP from n8n Cloud today.

Options to Solve This:

1. Use Self-Hosted n8n

Host n8n yourself (e.g., on a VPS or in Docker), and then:

  • You control the public IP.
  • You can whitelist your server’s IP with the vendor.
  • Great for SFTP, VPNs, and external services needing static IPs.

2. Use a Proxy Server or Static IP Gateway

If you want to stay on n8n Cloud:

  • Set up a small server (e.g., DigitalOcean droplet) with a static IP.
  • Use SSH tunneling or a SOCKS5/HTTP proxy from n8n to that server.
  • Let the server connect to the vendor’s SFTP — this keeps the n8n Cloud’s IP out of the picture.

3. Use n8n Cloud + External SFTP Microservice

Build a lightweight function (Node.js, Python, etc.) hosted on a static-IP service (e.g., Vercel, AWS Lambda behind NAT gateway).

  • Send the file from n8n to that service via HTTP.
  • Let that service upload it via SFTP.

Summary

  • No static IPs on n8n Cloud.
  • Self-hosting or proxying through a static IP is required for strict SFTP whitelisting.
  • For reliable long-term automation with static IP needs, consider running n8n yourself or routing the upload through a known IP server.