diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index d985314..1714864 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -141,6 +141,15 @@ app = FastAPI(title="Thermograph", version="0.2.0", lifespan=_lifespan)
 app.add_middleware(GZipMiddleware, minimum_size=1024)
 
 
+def _client_ip(request) -> "str | None":
+    """The real client IP: the left-most X-Forwarded-For hop when a proxy fronts us
+    (Caddy on prod sets it), otherwise the direct peer address (LAN dev)."""
+    xff = request.headers.get("x-forwarded-for")
+    if xff:
+        return xff.split(",")[0].strip()
+    return request.client.host if request.client else None
+
+
 @app.middleware("http")
 async def revalidate_static(request, call_next):
     """Serve the frontend with no-cache (NOT no-store): browsers may keep a copy
@@ -152,7 +161,13 @@ async def revalidate_static(request, call_next):
     response = await call_next(request)
     path = request.url.path
     try:
-        metrics.record_inbound(metrics.classify_inbound(path, BASE), response.status_code)
+        cat = metrics.classify_inbound(path, BASE)
+        metrics.record_inbound(cat, response.status_code)
+        # Retain per-request client IPs for later analysis; skip static assets and the
+        # dashboard's own metrics polling to keep the log to real, meaningful traffic.
+        if cat not in ("static", "metrics"):
+            audit.log_access({"ip": _client_ip(request), "method": request.method,
+                              "path": path, "status": response.status_code, "cat": cat})
     except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - never let instrumentation break a response
         pass
     pages = (BASE, f"{BASE}/", f"{BASE}/calendar", f"{BASE}/day", f"{BASE}/compare", f"{BASE}/legend", f"{BASE}/alerts")
diff --git a/audit.py b/audit.py
index 29cadda..1c8fbcb 100644
--- a/audit.py
+++ b/audit.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import uuid
 LOG_ROOT = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "logs")
 AUDIT_DIR = os.path.join(LOG_ROOT, "audit")
 ERROR_DIR = os.path.join(LOG_ROOT, "errors")
+ACCESS_DIR = os.path.join(LOG_ROOT, "access")
 
 _lock = threading.Lock()
 
@@ -65,6 +66,13 @@ def log_event(tag: str, record: dict) -> dict:
     return rec
 
 
+def log_access(record: dict) -> None:
+    """Append one request line (client IP, method, path, status) to the daily access
+    log, so request/IP data is retained for later analysis. Best-effort; never raises
+    into the request path."""
+    _append(os.path.join(ACCESS_DIR, f"access-{_today()}.jsonl"), {"ts": _now_iso(), **record})
+
+
 class RunAudit:
     """Times a graded run and writes one audit line when the ``with`` block exits.