What Is a Dedicated IP? Internet Basics 101

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A dedicated internet protocol (dedicated IP) is your ultimate solution for establishing a fast and secure network. It allows business leaders and IT administrators to develop a system where employees can access its network’s resources securely and hassle-free from anywhere.

Here is an overview of a dedicated IP. We discuss how it is different from a shared IP and what its benefits are.

Digital transformation has brought about a great deal of ease for the sharing of information. However, it has put businesses’ security infrastructure at risk at the same time.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 has changed the workspace environment entirely. The lockdown has been essentially lifted nearly everywhere, but companies are still looking for ways to establish remote and hybrid workplaces.

Businesses are also looking for innovative solutions to elevate their system’s security standards. Also, IT managers want to create a secure and fast approach to make it easier for employees to access their system’s resources. They need a protocol that meets the demands of continuously evolving cyber-security standards.

What Is a Dedicated IP?

An IP address assigned to a single hosting domain is called a dedicated IP address. When you opt for this type of services, your service provider gives you an exclusive static IP address that is only accessible to you. With this type of IP address, you can access your website quickly even though the traffic load is high.

It also lets you view your shared hosting website through its exclusive IP address. Additionally, when your domain name is not accessible, such as during your domain propagation, you can effortlessly access your domain via FTP.

How Does a Dedicated IP Differ from a Shared IP?

As we mentioned earlier, a dedicated IP is an IP address exclusively assigned to a website. In comparison, several different users will share a shared IP. Visit NordLayer to learn more about the benefits of using a dedicated IP over a shared IP.

You can compare them better in the context of hosting services. When you choose a shared IP, your hosting service providers are leasing you a server whose IP address is shared with many other users. Comparatively, with a dedicated IP address, you reserve the entire resources of a server exclusively for your use alone.

What Are the Pros and Cons of a Dedicated IP?

Every security protocol has its benefits and disadvantages. the same is true with a dedicated IP. Below are the advantages of using this type of IP address, along with a few of its drawbacks.

Pros

A Dedicated IP Ensures a Secure Remote Workforce

As a remote workforce has become the new normal, a dedicated IP allows employees to access their company’s resources quickly and securely from anywhere. Since the sensitive data of an online system is constantly at risk, this type of IP address ensures that only the right people can access its IP address. That is because each of those people will have a static IP provided by the company.

It Will Give You Faster Emails

Another advantage of using a dedicated IP is faster emails. The mail servers like Gmail consider emails sent via a dedicated IP to be more reliable than emails sent via a shared IP. Further, emails sent using a dedicated IP reach their supposed destination faster. This is the case even under high traffic load. Additionally, the chances of emails ending up in the receiver’s spam folder also become zero with this type of IP address.

You’ll Avoid Having Your Account Blacklisted

When you use a shared IP address, your account can blacklisted even though you are not involved in any suspicious activity. That’s because multiple users are using the same IP address. This makes the usage of that IP suspicious. An exclusive IP address can prevent your account from being suspended or blacklisted.

As long as you are using a dedicated IP, the chances of your account getting blacklisted are zero unless you willingly do something illegal. With this type of IP address, you are the only person accessing a particular website or platform. This makes your identity authentic.

You’ll Need No Additional Authentication

Some platforms like Gmail and PayPal ask you to provide extra verification when you try to access them via a shared IP address. They become suspicious of your identity when they see multiple users using the same IP address. So they ask you for extra authentication to cross-check your identity. This can sometimes be annoying or even troubling for you.

Cons

A Dedicated IP Comes with High Pricing

The downside of using a dedicated IP is that it costs a lot more for than you would for a shared IP. Its cost ranges from a few dollars per month to perhaps two hundred dollars a year.

You’ll Have Limited Online Anonymity

Another drawback of using a dedicated IP is that it provides you less anonymity online. Online platforms can still create a profile of you and send you personalized ads based on your online preferences.

Conclusion

Several concerns are arising regarding cybersecurity with the introduction of a remote workforce. But so are solutions to cope with such circumstances. A dedicated IP over a virtual private network (VPNs) is the most reliable way to circumvent cyberattacks.

This allows a hassle-free and encrypted network. It also provides users with a great experience. Since there are so many options to choose from, it is wise to clearly understand the security needs of your system before investing in any service providers.