The difference between a dedicated IP address and a standard IP address
To understand what a dedicated IP means, let’s review the basic definition of an IP address.
IP address (Internet Protocol Address) – is a network address that is assigned to any device when it enters a computer network for the purpose of identification. Within the same network each IP address has no analogues. The presence of a unique address is necessary for the correct transmission of data on the network according to Internet protocol.
According to the way IP addresses are used, they can be:
- External. These are global (public) addresses that are used when accessing the Internet. An external IP address is unique to each network device. This allows websites to track traffic and generate statistics.
- Internal. Private (local) addresses are used within a limited network (home or from a provider). Only network members have access to the network.
Also IP addresses can be:
- Static. These are fixed (permanent) IP addresses. They are automatically assigned to a device when it is connected to the network or assigned manually. A static address can be used for an unlimited time and acts as an identifier for a single network node.
- Dynamic. This address is assigned to the device temporarily, for the duration of the session (from the moment it enters the network until it leaves). Dynamic IP is often used as a masking method because it is technically difficult to track a user or device.
Now let’s move on to the concept of a dedicated IP. When you register a domain name, the site is assigned an external static IP address of the server that hosts the site. If you type the URL of the site in the address bar of your browser, the search engine will send a request to the DNS-server, which by the domain name will determine the IP of the desired website and redirects the request to him.
With standard hosting, dozens or hundreds of websites with a single IP address are hosted on a single server. However, a dedicated IP is attached only to one online resource. That is, the site has its own unique numeric address.
Who needs a dedicated IP and why?
One server can host dozens or hundreds of sites. In most cases a shared IP-address has no effect on the resources, and to go to the desired site just know its URL.
In such a situation it is optimal to provide sites with the same static IP from the same server. A dedicated IP is needed if you want to provide a resource with special capabilities that are not available to sites with a shared numeric address:
- Creation of VPN channels for the interaction of company branches.
- Installation of SSL-certificate for secured connections. An SSL certificate is required for all sites where users provide personal information: account logins and passwords, bank card numbers, email addresses. SSL certificate is necessary for websites of banks, payment systems, online stores, social networks, online forums.
- Create a mail service on your own server with web access. You can send mail from your own site or from a local server and work with correspondence via a web interface from any device that has access to the Internet. Dedicated IP in this case protects from blockage due to suspicion in spam.
- Setting up an FTP server for exchanging files between computers without downloading them to the user’s computer.
- Address to a site not only by URL, but also by IP-address.
