diff --git a/app/config.go b/app/config.go
index 69313ae..bb46f9d 100644
--- a/app/config.go
+++ b/app/config.go
@@ -12,15 +12,16 @@ import (
 
 // Config represents the configuration of the server application.
 type Config struct {
-	Address string
-	Port    string
-	Prefix  string
-	Dir     string
-	TLS     *TLS
-	Log     Logging
-	Realm   string
-	Users   map[string]*UserInfo
-	Cors    Cors
+	Address                            string
+	Port                               string
+	Prefix                             string
+	Dir                                string
+	TLS                                *TLS
+	Log                                Logging
+	Realm                              string
+	Users                              map[string]*UserInfo
+	Authentication_Bypass_IP_Addresses []string
+	Cors                               Cors
 }
 
 // Logging allows definition for logging each CRUD method.
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ func setDefaults() {
 	viper.SetDefault("Prefix", "")
 	viper.SetDefault("Dir", "/tmp")
 	viper.SetDefault("Users", nil)
+	viper.SetDefault("Authentication_Bypass_IP_Addresses", nil)
 	viper.SetDefault("TLS", nil)
 	viper.SetDefault("Realm", "dave")
 	viper.SetDefault("Log.Error", true)
@@ -110,7 +112,14 @@ func setDefaults() {
 }
 
 // AuthenticationNeeded returns whether users are defined and authentication is required
-func (cfg *Config) AuthenticationNeeded() bool {
+func (cfg *Config) AuthenticationNeeded(requestIpAddress string) bool {
+	if cfg.Authentication_Bypass_IP_Addresses != nil {
+		for _, bypass_ip := range cfg.Authentication_Bypass_IP_Addresses {
+			if bypass_ip == requestIpAddress {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	return cfg.Users != nil && len(cfg.Users) != 0
 }
 
diff --git a/app/security.go b/app/security.go
index 63136da..3f61dec 100644
--- a/app/security.go
+++ b/app/security.go
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ package app
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
-	"net/http"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 type contextKey int
@@ -39,8 +41,8 @@ func NewBasicAuthWebdavHandler(a *App) http.Handler {
 	})
 }
 
-func authenticate(config *Config, username, password string) (*AuthInfo, error) {
-	if !config.AuthenticationNeeded() {
+func authenticate(config *Config, username, password string, requestIpAddress string) (*AuthInfo, error) {
+	if !config.AuthenticationNeeded(requestIpAddress) {
 		return &AuthInfo{Username: "", Authenticated: false}, nil
 	}
 
@@ -72,6 +74,11 @@ func AuthFromContext(ctx context.Context) *AuthInfo {
 }
 
 func handle(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, a *App) {
+	requestIpAddress, _, ipFetchError := net.SplitHostPort(req.RemoteAddr)
+	if ipFetchError != nil {
+		log.WithError(ipFetchError).Error("Error fetching remote address ??")
+	}
+
 	// handle a preflight if such a CORS request would be allowed
 	if req.Method == "OPTIONS" {
 		if a.Config.Cors.Origin == req.Header.Get("Origin") &&
@@ -83,7 +90,7 @@ func handle(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, a *Ap
 	}
 
 	// if there are no users, we don't need authentication here
-	if !a.Config.AuthenticationNeeded() {
+	if !a.Config.AuthenticationNeeded(requestIpAddress) {
 		a.Handler.ServeHTTP(w, req.WithContext(ctx))
 		return
 	}
@@ -94,7 +101,7 @@ func handle(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, a *Ap
 		return
 	}
 
-	authInfo, err := authenticate(a.Config, username, password)
+	authInfo, err := authenticate(a.Config, username, password, requestIpAddress)
 	if err != nil {
 		ipAddr := req.Header.Get("X-Forwarded-For")
 		if len(ipAddr) == 0 {
@@ -120,7 +127,13 @@ func handle(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, a *Ap
 }
 
 func httpAuth(r *http.Request, config *Config) (string, string, bool) {
-	if config.AuthenticationNeeded() {
+
+	requestIpAddress, _, ipFetchError := net.SplitHostPort(r.RemoteAddr)
+	if ipFetchError != nil {
+		log.WithError(ipFetchError).Error("Error fetching remote address ??")
+	}
+
+	if config.AuthenticationNeeded(requestIpAddress) {
 		username, password, ok := r.BasicAuth()
 		return username, password, ok
 	}
diff --git a/app/security_test.go b/app/security_test.go
index 847c24a..d290840 100644
--- a/app/security_test.go
+++ b/app/security_test.go
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ func TestAuthenticate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			got, err := authenticate(tt.args.config, tt.args.username, tt.args.password)
+			requestIpAddress := "" // todo: test Authentication_Bypass_IP_Addresses, somehow..
+			got, err := authenticate(tt.args.config, tt.args.username, tt.args.password, requestIpAddress)
 			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
 				t.Errorf("authenticate() name = %v, error = %v, wantErr %v", tt.name, err, tt.wantErr)
 				return
diff --git a/examples/config-sample.yaml b/examples/config-sample.yaml
index fb15ccc..e239ebe 100644
--- a/examples/config-sample.yaml
+++ b/examples/config-sample.yaml
@@ -51,6 +51,16 @@ users:
     password: "$2a$10$yITzSSNJZAdDZs8iVBQzkuZCzZ49PyjTiPIrmBUKUpB0pwX7eySvW"
 
 
+# ---------------------------------- Authentication bypass IP Addresses --------
+
+# A list of IP addresses that bypass authentication
+#
+#Authentication_Bypass_IP_Addresses:
+#  - '127.0.0.1'
+#  - '::1'
+#  - '984.49.158.188'
+
+
 # ---------------------------------- Logging -----------------------------------
 #
 # Seperated loglevels for file / directory operations. All set to false per