There are various points of view to consider for this, which we’ve outlined below. Of course, your situation may vary, but these general guidelines should work for most people’s cases. When in doubt about a particular aspect of the service, consult the company you’re considering getting it from. But in the end, remember that there’s nothing overly complicated about getting a subscription for a dedicated IP in general, and it’s not something you should put off just because it sounds complex.
Is This About Your Home Network or a Website?
One of the first points to consider in your decision is whether you’re purchasing your dedicated IP address (more information here) for use at home, or for a website you’re hosting. The latter case is much more common, but that’s not to say that there are no domestic users out there who can benefit from a dedicated IP address. If this is about hosting, you should start the search with your hosting provider, as they might be able to give you a discounted deal. It’s also possible that you aren’t able to get a dedicated IP address for use on your websites hosted at that company via any other means, so make sure to go through the relevant terms and conditions.
Have You Run into Any Problems Gaming Online?
Gamers are a group of users who often report problems that can be addressed by a dedicated IP address. Connecting over a shared address can turn out to be a problem if the address gets banned for some reason. This can often happen if someone who shares the same IP address as you cheats in an online game and gets banned, which may sometimes affect you just because you’re on the same IP. And while those issues can sometimes be resolved by contacting support, it’s a lot of hassle that nobody wants to go through. A dedicated IP address means that you are the only one behind it, which should prevent others from affecting you. Keep in mind that this can have its downsides, too – for gamers, having your real-life identity compromised is something you need to be wary of, and a dedicated IP can be an easy solution.
Do You Often Need to Access Devices Remotely?
Another potential use case for a dedicated IP address may occur when you have devices in your home that you need to access remotely. Surveillance cameras and baby monitors are a common example, and if you’re running them on a network that keeps changing its IP address, this can be very inconvenient when you want to check those devices up. Sure, you can use some DNS trickery to get around the issue, but it’s much easier to set up a dedicated IP address, and know that you can always access your devices anywhere you are by entering that IP.
Can a VPN Address Your Concerns?
Don’t forget that there are sometimes alternative solutions to your problems in the IT world. In this particular case, you might want to look into a VPN subscription. If it allows you to pick an exit node with a specific IP address, this might be good enough. Make sure that the VPN service doesn’t randomly change your IP address over time, as that’s a “feature” offered by some providers on the market. It makes sense too, as some people are specifically interested in keeping their connections dynamic. Connecting over a VPN might also be a cheaper option compared to paying more for a dedicated IP address. However, you’ll need to confirm this to avoid any disappointing revelations later. If you fall into any of the above categories, it’s a good idea to look into getting a dedicated IP address. Study the market carefully though, as there might be a cheaper alternative right around the corner, and you will be disappointed if you’ve already entered a long-term contract for your current IP address. When it comes to hosting companies, this might also have more significant implications concerning all sites you’re hosting on the platform, so pay attention to that as well if you want to avoid trouble.
