A dedicated IP address is one that you have exclusive access to. It is not shared with any other domain names. Your domain name and IP address are inextricably linked. So, if you enter your IP address, it will take you right to your website.
Consider it similar to your home’s address. Your IP address is your address, and your website is your home.
Some types of hosting may offer dedicated IP addresses as part of the plan, while others may need you to add them to your purchase.
HTS Hosting, one of the best web hosting company, includes a dedicated IP address as part of their dedicated hosting plan.
In this article, we will define an IP address, explain a dedicated IP address and discuss the benefits of having a dedicated IP address.
Let’s get started!
What is an IP address?
Before we go into the many types of IP addresses, let's first explain what an IP address is. First, IP stands for Internet Protocol, although you will usually simply see the acronym.
An IP address is a one-of-a-kind series of digits that identifies a machine that is linked to the Internet. In the case of your website, this IP address will identify the dedicated server where your website's files are kept.
If you have a dedicated IP address, you can access your website by simply putting in the IP address. It will show the same as if you had just put in your domain name.
IP addresses are the component of the DNS system, also known as the Domain Name System.
Essentially, the DNS is a massive address book. Domain names are assigned to various IP addresses. As a result, when you put a domain name into your browser’s address bar, your ISP will search up the domain name and determine the IP address connected to it.
All of this happens in a split second. You'd have to put in an IP address every time you wanted to visit a website if this system wasn't in place. Given the number of websites we visit every day, this may be time-consuming and near-impossible.
IP addresses are classified into several kinds. Initially, there were just IP addresses, but owing to the internet's rapid expansion, they actually ran out of IP addresses. As a result, we now have IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
Examples of IPv4- 104.28.208.210
Examples of IPv6- 0:0:0:0:ffff:d83a:d9ce
What is a Dedicated IP address?
A dedicated IP address is precisely as it sounds: your domain has been assigned an IP address that is not shared or used by any other domains. It is your domain's web address.
Consider this to be a dedicated phone line. A dedicated IP address is generally provided to your domain by your hosting provider or is available as an add-on for a nominal price.
Instead of matching the IP address, the SSL certificate will match the server’s names.
A dedicated IP address used to be a requirement to obtain an SSL certificate.
However, a new technique known as SNI (Server Name Identification) allows for the acquisition of an SSL certificate without the requirement for a specific IP address. Instead of matching the IP address, the SSL certificate will match the server’s names.
You may still acquire an SSL certificate with a dedicated IP address, but it is no longer required. However, this also depends on your hosting provider, since they may have specific criteria for the sort of IP address necessary for an SSL certificate.
Adding an SSL certificate to your site improves security, and it's a requirement if you run an e-commerce store or any other type of site that requires your users to enter sensitive information.
Benefits of Dedicated IP address
Having a dedicated IP address might be advantageous for several reasons. It is not suitable for every type of website, but it may be beneficial to your site if you believe the benefits listed below are worthy:
The following are the most significant advantages of adopting a dedicated IP address:
Simple Website Access
You might wish to access your website directly via FTP from time to time. You may remotely access your server at any time if you have a dedicated IP address.
There may be times when you need to visit your website via its IP address. For example, suppose you haven't published your site yet and want to check how it appears before doing so.
A dedicated IP address will provide you direct server access without requiring you to alter your domain's DNS settings.
Some application necessitates it
If you have a unique server configuration or your site will require certain scripts and programs to function, you may want a dedicated IP address. Because shared IP addresses are so prevalent, most apps will work just fine with one.
However, if you are running unique programs or server scripts, be sure that a dedicated IP address isn't required.
It might help Your Email Capabilities
If you are using a domain-branded email address, you may send emails via your host. If you are hosting your website from a shared IP address, there’s a potential you’ll have problems with your email.
Although it is unusual, another person who is using the same IP address may have the IP addresses blacklisted or prohibited. In this instance, it may have an impact on your email capabilities, as well as the send and deliverability rates of your email.
In this scenario, a dedicated IP address may be preferable since it will separate your website and related email from any other website. Consider it a technique to safeguard both your email and your website’s reputation.
If you're going to send a lot of business emails, it's usually a better idea to just utilize a third-party email service. These web hosting companies are set up in such a manner that you will have significantly greater deliverability rates, as well as a team working to guarantee that blacklisting does not occur.
Higher Level of Server Control
You can accomplish a lot more with your server if you use a dedicated IP address. You'll have a lot more freedom and customization options because you'll have direct server access. Of course, this is dependent on whether you have the necessary technical abilities.
With a dedicated IP address, you might operate your own IP-based server environment. Of course, you'll need your host's permission to accomplish this. However, if you want this degree of control for your website or online initiatives, then adopting a dedicated IP makes perfect sense.
It could be required for your SSL certificate
It was once necessary to have a dedicated IP address to install an SSL certificate. This is no longer required by every hosting provider, although some still do.
Some server configurations will require it, while others can use SNI to install an SSL certificate on a shared host.
Finally, a dedicated IP address may improve your performance and security. However, this is typically only the case if you're utilizing a low-quality web host that doesn't truly prohibit customers that have spammy websites or behavior. Most of the time, the domain is merely blacklisted, however, the IP address may also be blacklisted.
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