Reasons to Get a Dedicated IP Address

IP or Internet Protocol refers to the unique address that is given to every computer which is part of a network. So, the IP address basically provides the location of a site within a network or location of a specific machine in a network. Dedicated IP and shared IP address is not one and the same thing. A shared IP address refers to an address which can be used by more than a single website. So, the web servers will have to do additional work to pass user requests to the right site. A dedicated IP address implies that the site in question has its own address which may be used by the users to access it.

Why is a dedicated IP address needed?

• There are multiple reasons why dedicated IP becomes necessary for websites. To start with, this address will let you access a website whenever required. Before launching a site on the Internet, it may be a good idea to see how the site will appear. With dedicated IP addresses you can directly access web servers without having to change DNS settings for domain names.
• The dedicated IP address is also very beneficial for the reputation of the email sender. There are instances when users who share the same IP may get blacklisted for spamming. This also affects email services; sop, when you can send emails from a dedicated IP address, it promotes credibility and brand image. Besides a dedicated IP will also keep your email services free from harmful consequences that may be caused because of malicious activities by other sites.
• A dedicated IP address will always be useful for building brand image. When you wish to host an online ecommerce store you will not be using third parties for processing and managing online financial payments. So, you must get a dedicated IP address which is a prerequisite for SSL certification. Without this certification, customer related financial data cannot be protected securely.
• At times, to run specific scripts and third party applications you will need to have a dedicated IP address. When you have SSL certificates in shared IP addresses it may lead to issues with the earlier versions of certain browsers, and visitors to such sites get messages warning them of untrusted connections. But using a dedicated IP will help you stay away from such problems.

When is a dedicated IP address required?

You will need a dedicated IP address for maintaining a secure website with SSL certificate which can carry out financial transactions. It is also needed when you have a high traffic website which requires dedicated resources for sustaining high-end performance. Dedicated IP is also needed to access the site through FTP. These are also signs that it is perhaps time for you to upgrade the hosting plan for your site from shared hosting to dedicated hosting. However, this is not to suggest that you cannot have shared IP on dedicated servers. This is possible when you are hosting many websites on a single server.

For companies which are building ecommerce stores online dedicated IP becomes indispensable. When you want your clients to provide you with their credit card details and bank account information you have to convince them that your site is secure. This is possible only with a SSL certification and you must have dedicated IP to get this certification. For high traffic sites, it is more important to choose dedicated hosting plans rather than simply choosing a dedicated IP address. This is because ecommerce stores which have bought the SSL certificates will in any case have dedicated IPs. Regardless of whether your site is an ecommerce store or not, when you get high web traffic regularly, you should choose a dedicated IP address.