Writer: Andrew Wandola
Editor: Christina Lewis
Reviewer: Lynn Cadet
An IP address is a unique string of numbers assigned to each device connected to the internet. This string of numbers allows computers to communicate with each other over a network.
IP addresses are similar to home addresses but for your computer or mobile device. There are two types of IP addresses: shared and dedicated. While a shared IP can be assigned to any number of devices, dedicated RPs are more exclusive. This type of IP address is exclusively assigned to your website or server; you don’t share it with anyone else.
This article will discuss the most important things you need to know about dedicated IP addresses, including their pros and cons, how they work, who needs them, and how to get them.
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Understanding Dedicated IP Addresses
A dedicated IP address is an IP address belonging exclusively to a single user or entity.
These IPs are usually given to businesses or individuals that need a stable online presence and don’t want to bear the risks associated with shared IPs, such as lower email deliverability.
VPN services use dedicated IPs to provide secure, personalized connections. Business email servers also use dedicated IPs to maintain a trusted sender reputation and avoid blacklisting.
The table below sums up the key differences between dedicated and shared IPs.
Dedicated IP vs. Shared IP Comparison Table
| Feature | Dedicated IP | Shared IP |
| Security | Higher security, ideal for sensitive data | Standard security, shared among multiple users |
| Performance | Consistent performance, no sharing | Varied performance, shared resources |
| Cost | Higher cost, usually an extra fee | Lower cost, included in basic plans |
| Scalability | Greater scalability for large sites | Can handle smaller sites but has less control over resources |
From the above table, a dedicated IP is the better option if you’re looking for consistent performance, higher security, and better IP management. However, it is more expensive than a shared IP, which may put off some users.
Benefits of Using a Dedicated IP
Using a dedicated IP offers numerous advantages for businesses and individuals.
Enhanced Security
When your IP address is unique to your website or server, there’s a lower risk of being blocked because of the actions of others sharing the same IP. This is especially important if you run a business that handles sensitive customer information or conducts financial transactions online.
A dedicated IP gives you more control over access and security settings. This accessibility allows you to implement specific protocols and measures tailored to your needs.
To give you some perspective on the level of control you’ll have over your server, you can configure firewalls and VPNs and ensure only authorized users can access it.
Improved Performance
You need a stable and consistent connection, especially if running a website with high traffic volumes. Unfortunately, that’s not guaranteed if you share an IP; you may also end up sharing other users’ problems.
Stability aside, a dedicated IP can improve your website’s overall performance. This means faster load times, better handling of large volumes of simultaneous requests, and a more seamless user experience.
If you want improved performance and a stable connection, a dedicated IP address is the way to go.
Email Deliverability
One of the biggest challenges of using a shared IP is that you share the consequences of the actions of other users. For instance, your emails can be marked as spam or blocked altogether if they come from a compromised shared IP.
Enter a dedicated IP, which is a better way to gain control over your email-sending practices. This setup ensures that your messages reach their intended recipients without being flagged.
If you run a business that relies on email marketing, customer communication, and transactional emails, you understand the importance of achieving high email deliverability.
Access to Geo-Restricted Content
If you’re a consumer, you probably already know that streaming services, online gaming platforms, and even corporate networks often restrict access based on IP address location.
If you want to watch a show on a streaming service unavailable in your country, a dedicated IP address can help you overcome geo-restrictions.
You can purchase a dedicated IP address from a location where the content is not restricted, effectively masking your actual location from the streaming service.
Reputation Management
I mentioned that when you share an IP with other websites, their actions can negatively impact your reputation. These can include pamming, malware hosting, or even distributing illegal content.
For example, malicious parties often launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, a form of cybercrime, from shared IP addresses. When the victim responds to the attack, they will block all traffic associated with that IP.
Blacklisting can cause reduced trust from users and service providers. With a dedicated IP, however, your reputation is solely based on your actions.
SEO Benefits
Dedicated IPs provide a more stable and reliable online presence. The user isn’t the only one who matters; search engines such as Google consider site speed a key ranking factor.
A dedicated IP can also contribute to faster load times and fewer interruptions because visitors have direct access to your site. Shared IP addresses involve more steps, which slows down the process.
Faster load times and fewer interruptions inform search engines that your website or application is stable, resulting in higher search engine rankings, increased visibility, and more organic traffic.
Drawbacks of Using a Dedicated IP
Any good thing has a bad side to it. While a dedicated IP offers several benefits, it also has certain drawbacks.
Cost
In any industry, dedicated services cost more than shared ones. Take transportation as an example. It costs far more to own your vehicle than taking the bus.
The same principle applies to dedicated IP addresses.
It costs more than shared IPs because the infrastructure needed is expensive to acquire and maintain. A lot goes into managing a dedicated IP. You need regular updates, security checks, and all other administrative tasks, which are expensive.
Complexity
You need technical knowledge to understand how a dedicated IP works and use it to your advantage. Some things you should be familiar with include setting up DNS settings, managing SSL certificates, and ensuring proper configuration.
If you don’t have a solid technical background, the other option is to outsource this task to a professional, which costs more money. Even if you decide to learn everything about this type of IP, it’s not something you’ll understand overnight.
Keep in mind that if you have a business or project to run, that’s where you should dedicate most of your time and energy.
Scalability Issues
Dedicated IPs are not as flexible for rapidly changing IP needs. For example, your organization may experience sudden growth or require frequent changes in IP addresses. In that case, managing a dedicated IP can become quite stressful and overwhelming.
This problem primarily affects larger organizations. As the number of devices and users increases, such organizations might have a mountain to climb to ensure that the dedicated IP meets the growing demands.
Other Types of IP Addresses
You need to understand that IP addresses come in different types, each serving unique purposes and use cases. Having this knowledge in the back of your head can help you select the right IP address for your specific needs.
1. Dynamic IP Addresses:
A network usually assigns IP addresses upon establishing a connection. This type of IP is dynamic, meaning it can change over time.
Dynamic IPs are pretty common in home internet connections. Here, the service provider assigns an IP address from a pool of available addresses.
However, because of their temporary nature, they’re less ideal for services requiring a constant IP address. That said, they’re also more cost-effective for everyday internet usage.
2. Static IP Addresses:
As the name implies, static IP addresses are fixed and do not change over time
Because they don’t change you’ll find them in services such as web or email hosting. The whole point of having a static IP is to achieve reliability and stability. However, they come at a higher cost and require more management.
Are you feeling a little bit confused? This guide on static vs. dynamic IP addresses can help.
3. Shared IP Addresses:
I’ve discussed shared IP addresses several times throughout this article, mainly from a not-so-positive perspective. Make no mistake; they also have unique advantages over other forms of IPs.
You’ll find shared IP addresses in multiple websites or services hosted on the same server. Since several users share the same IP address, the management costs are significantly lower.
4. Public vs. Private IP Addresses:
It’s also worth noting that some IPs are public while others are private. Public IP addresses are unique and used to identify devices on the internet.
In contrast, private IP addresses are used within private networks to identify devices locally and are not routable on the public internet. Unlike public IPs, they are not used to communicate over the internet.
Who Should Consider a Dedicated IP?
Having a dedicated IP sounds great, but like any other technology, it’s not for everyone. Let’s look at different scenarios where having a dedicated IP makes sense.
1. Businesses:
Let’s say you’re running a business, especially an eCommerce or high-traffic website. In such a scenario, a dedicated IP can be a game changer.
It ensures that your site loads quickly and consistently, which leads to customer satisfaction.
A dedicated IP in a business environment also helps achieve reliable and consistent email communication. That way, your important messages won’t end up in the user’s spam folder.
When a user reports a sender who shares your IP address, your emails can also be marked as spam.
2. Individuals:
Dedicated IPs aren’t just meant for businesses — at the individual level, they come in handy in many different environments and situations. For example, you may need a dedicated IP to access your company’s work environment if you work remotely.
You may even use this IP to access geo-restricted content or achieve a more stable connection for online gaming.
3. Specific Industries:
Certain industries, such as healthcare and finance, don’t take security lightly. Such industries are always a security breach away from an expensive lawsuit or even a loss of their licenses.
In such environments, a dedicated IP provides an added layer of security, assisting with compliance to industry standards and protecting sensitive information.
For example, businesses in the healthcare field are required to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
On the other hand, when handling online payments, the requirement to comply with Payment Card Industry standards (PCI) kicks in.
How to Obtain a Dedicated IP
If getting a dedicated IP sounds like a good idea, the process is pretty straightforward. You have a few options here, but the right one depends on your needs. Let’s check them out.
Through Your ISP
The first option is to obtain a dedicated IP through your internet service provider. To do this, you may need to submit a request to the ISP or contact their customer support.
Explain that you need a dedicated IP and follow their specific instructions. Some ISPs may ask you to change your plan or pay an additional fee to obtain this IP.
You can find the instructions to obtain a dedicated IP on your ISP’s site or give its support team a call.
Web Hosting Services
If you have a website, you’ll be glad to discover that many hosting providers offer plans with dedicated IPs. Make sure you check if your hosting provider offers this.
For example, if you opt for dedicated web hosting, it should come with a dedicated IP by default. You can also get a dedicated IP address with other hosting types.
Be prepared to upgrade your plan or add it as an extra feature. Once selected, the hosting service should handle the configuration.
VPN Services
Most VPN providers offer packages with dedicated IPs. VPNs are about providing privacy and security. When you look at it from a different angle, these are the exact characteristics of a dedicated IP.
To get started, simply choose a provider that offers this feature, subscribe, and follow their setup instructions.
I took a quick tour of some top VPN providers to see if they offer dedicated IPs. Surfshark and NordVPN both offer dedicated IPs as an addition to their VPN plans.
However, ExpressVPN does not, instead relying on a rotating pool of IP addresses for all users. While dedicated IPs are a common addition for VPN plans, they rarely come included, and may not be available at all.
Cost Considerations
Now, let’s discuss the costs. There is no fixed price for a dedicated IP; it depends on various factors.
Some ISPs charge a monthly fee, and web hosting services might include it in higher-tier plans, and VPN services typically offer it as an add-on.
Prices can range from less than ten dollars a month to several hundred, depending on the provider and the additional features included. To find the perfect fit budget-wise, take your time to compare the different options available.
Common Misconceptions About Dedicated IPs
Before I sign out, I’ll address a few misconceptions about dedicated IPs that often lead to confusion. That way, you’ll know what to expect once you get one.
1. A dedicated IP will solve speed issues.
The first misconception is that a dedicated IP will drastically improve internet speed. While it can enhance website performance and email reliability, this isn’t a magic turbo boost for overall internet speed.
Just because your website performs better or your emails are delivered consistently doesn’t necessarily translate to improved speed.
If your internet speed is slow, you may want to speak with your ISP. The same applies to your web or application hosting environment; your hosting provider might owe you an explanation.
2. A dedicated IP offers anonymous browsing:
If you’re looking to stream geo-restricted content or indulge in everything anonymous browsing allows, a dedicated IP isn’t going to help. Getting a dedicated IP doesn’t provide anonymity the way a VPN does.
Having a dedicated IP means having a unique, stable address — the exact opposite of anonymity. Depending on where your IP is located, you might be able to circumvent geographic restrictions, but you won’t have the flexibility or added privacy a VPN provides.
However, you can still use a VPN if you want to browse anonymously with a mix of privacy, better security, and reliability. Many VPNs include a dedicated IP as an additional feature, allowing you to get the best of both worlds.
3. Everyone should use a dedicated IP:
Dedicated IPs have many benefits and use cases, but not everyone needs them.
Dedicated IPs are especially useful for businesses, certain industries, and specific individual needs, but they may not be necessary for the average user who just wants to connect to the internet, read a blog, watch a video, or do some research, among other basic tasks.
The biggest lesson here is that before you purchase a dedicated IP, you should first consider your specific requirements and determine if you really need one.
Getting an IP Dedicated to the Cause
By now, you should be able to decide if a dedicated IP is right for your needs. If you’re still struggling to decide, consider what your specific needs are. What are you trying to accomplish?
If it’s faster internet speeds and anonymous browsing, a dedicated IP won’t do the job. However, if you need tighter security, better email deliverability, improved performance, a good reputation, or anything else along those lines, a dedicated IP can help.
