diff --git a/openwisp_radius/api/freeradius_views.py b/openwisp_radius/api/freeradius_views.py
index b69232e5..0ff5614e 100644
--- a/openwisp_radius/api/freeradius_views.py
+++ b/openwisp_radius/api/freeradius_views.py
@@ -105,7 +105,9 @@ def _check_client_ip_and_return(self, request, uuid):
 
         for ip in ip_list:
             try:
-                if ipaddress.ip_address(client_ip) in ipaddress.ip_network(ip):
+                if ipaddress.ip_address(client_ip) in ipaddress.ip_network(
+                    (ip or "").strip(), strict=False
+                ):
                     return (AnonymousUser(), uuid)
             except ValueError:
                 invalid_addr_message = _(
diff --git a/openwisp_radius/base/models.py b/openwisp_radius/base/models.py
index 808b8640..909426fa 100644
--- a/openwisp_radius/base/models.py
+++ b/openwisp_radius/base/models.py
@@ -1338,8 +1338,11 @@ def __str__(self):
     @property
     def freeradius_allowed_hosts_list(self):
         addresses = []
-        if self.freeradius_allowed_hosts:
-            addresses = self.freeradius_allowed_hosts.split(",")
+        addresses = [
+            (ip or "").strip()
+            for ip in (self.freeradius_allowed_hosts or "").split(",")
+            if (ip or "").strip()
+        ]
         return addresses
 
     @property
@@ -1383,7 +1386,9 @@ def _clean_freeradius_allowed_hosts(self):
             else:
                 try:
                     for ip_address in allowed_hosts_set:
-                        ipaddress.ip_network(ip_address)
+                        ip_str = (ip_address or "").strip()
+                        if ip_str:
+                            ipaddress.ip_network(ip_str, strict=False)
                 except ValueError:
                     raise ValidationError(
                         {
diff --git a/openwisp_radius/tests/test_api/test_freeradius_api.py b/openwisp_radius/tests/test_api/test_freeradius_api.py
index 64968edd..82d022f5 100644
--- a/openwisp_radius/tests/test_api/test_freeradius_api.py
+++ b/openwisp_radius/tests/test_api/test_freeradius_api.py
@@ -2385,6 +2385,67 @@ def test_ip_from_radsetting_valid(self):
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
         self.assertEqual(response.data, _AUTH_TYPE_ACCEPT_RESPONSE)
 
+    def test_ip_from_radsetting_cidr_range_valid(self):
+        with mock.patch(self.freeradius_hosts_path, []):
+            radsetting = OrganizationRadiusSettings.objects.get(
+                organization=self._get_org()
+            )
+        radsetting.freeradius_allowed_hosts = "172.18.0.0/16"
+        radsetting.save()
+
+        with mock.patch(
+            "openwisp_radius.api.freeradius_views.get_client_ip",
+            return_value=("172.18.0.10", True),
+        ):
+            response = self.client.post(reverse("radius:authorize"), self.params)
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(response.data, _AUTH_TYPE_ACCEPT_RESPONSE)
+
+    def test_ip_from_radsetting_spaces_and_host_bits_valid(self):
+        org = self._get_org()
+        with mock.patch(self.freeradius_hosts_path, []):
+            radsetting = OrganizationRadiusSettings.objects.get(organization=org)
+
+        radsetting.freeradius_allowed_hosts = "127.0.0.1, 172.18.0.5/16"
+        radsetting.save()
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            cache.get(f"ip-{org.pk}"),
+            ["127.0.0.1", "172.18.0.5/16"],
+        )
+
+        with mock.patch(
+            "openwisp_radius.api.freeradius_views.get_client_ip",
+            return_value=("172.18.0.10", True),
+        ):
+            response = self.client.post(reverse("radius:authorize"), self.params)
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertEqual(response.data, _AUTH_TYPE_ACCEPT_RESPONSE)
+
+    @capture_any_output()
+    def test_ip_outside_cidr_range_rejected(self):
+        with mock.patch(self.freeradius_hosts_path, []):
+            radsetting = OrganizationRadiusSettings.objects.get(
+                organization=self._get_org()
+            )
+        radsetting.freeradius_allowed_hosts = "172.18.0.0/16"
+        radsetting.save()
+
+        with mock.patch(
+            "openwisp_radius.api.freeradius_views.get_client_ip",
+            return_value=("10.0.0.5", True),
+        ):
+            response = self.client.post(reverse("radius:authorize"), self.params)
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            response.data["detail"],
+            "Request rejected: Client IP address (10.0.0.5) is not in "
+            "the list of IP addresses allowed to consume the freeradius API.",
+        )
+
     def test_ip_from_setting_valid(self):
         response = self.client.post(reverse("radius:authorize"), self.params)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)