If you take web hosting seriously, you must have probably researched SEO, IP addresses, and other related things about your website. You must have also found conflicting information, which is a normal thing to experience, especially when dealing with stuff online.
One of the questions website owners ask is the viability of shared hosting. They may ask, Is shared hosting safe? What effect does it have on my SEO? Why is it cheaper than a dedicated IP address? and many more related questions. Even though these questions are important yet they can only be answered when you have a piece of sound knowledge on how dedicated and shared hosting works.
In this post, we will look at what dedicated and shared IP addresses are all about and how they work.
What Is A Dedicated IP Address?
A dedicated IP address, also known as static or fixed IP, can be defined as an address used by a single web hosting account. It is the permanent assignment of a single Internet Protocol (IP) address for a website that is provided by an Internet service provider (ISP) or network administrator (NA). It is used by a website that needs Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) verification.
With a dedicated IP, the provider assigns you a static IP address that you can only use, which will be different from your actual local IP, so you’ll be protected online. All your data traffic is sent via that IP without you losing control of your privacy. However, it may cost you much more than a shared IP.
The main reasons for a dedicated IP include:
- Security from sharing an IP address that is banned or blacklisted due to any unauthorized activities engaged by another server user
- Using a private SSL certificate that demands that the domain has a dedicated IP address
- Access the website by IP address instead of the server or domain name.
What Is A Shared IP Address?
A shared IP address is also referred to as Dynamic IP. It is assigned to different websites, which means that all data you get is sent via the same server used by other websites instead of fixed or dedicated IP. So, when you type in the IP address, it will bring you to a generic page instead of the site you desired.
A shared IP address implies that multiple websites share the same address so web servers can determine the site requested by the domain entered in a user’s browser.
To minimize the number of IP addresses, many Internet nodes and sites share IP addresses because they are a limited resource.
Dedicated IP vs. Shared IP Address
The difference between a dedicated and shared IP address is simple. While a shared IP address is a single address shared by different websites within one web server. In this situation, the web server does the extra work of parsing the user’s request to the right website.
Having a Dedicated IP address implies that the website has its unique address, and your site’s domain name or IP address can be used to access it from the web.
What Type Of IP Should I Use?
It would help if you had understood the basics of the different IPs by now, so find out which of them is best for you.
Knowing that a dedicated IP is not right for everyone is important. You have to be sending enough emails regularly via your SMTP2GO account to maintain the reputation of your IP address. The minimum volume suggested daily is 5,000 emails for at least three days weekly.
Use a dedicated IP if:
- You send high-volume emails consistently. As a result, you will be able to build your reputation quickly without receiving support from other senders on the same IP.
- If your shared IP partners are giving a bad reputation to the IP, It can be hard to snap back from a bad IP since only your efforts are not likely to balance out other senders’ unauthorized activities.
- You have a verified record, and you can bear the cost because dedicated IPs are more expensive than shared IPs,
Also, consider shared IP if: –
- If you do not send a high volume of emails consistently. Therefore, it will take longer to build your reputation with a low sending volume; however, with a shared IP, you can legitimize a domain with a low static sending pattern.
- Your other partners have built a good reputation. This will help you bask in that glow while your domain starts its journey.
- You just started and have a low budget. Shared IPs are cheaper than dedicated IPs
Conclusion
Finally, Suppose a sender meets or exceeds the minimum requirement and has a track record of good email sending practices. In that case, they may experience an improvement in deliverability with dedicated IPs because that’s the only thing that influences a dedicated IP.s.
On the other side, where a sender has low volumes and is not consistent, they will experience a positive influence from the consistent volumes and established reputations of the shared IPs. Also, it can be otherwise, too. If the sender has a situation that negatively influences their sending reputation, it will be reduced by the collective positive reputation of the shared IPs.
Knowing what is best for you from the information provided above, you should start your journey of signing up for your IP address from the source: https://nordlayer.com/blog/benefits-of-a-dedicated-ip-vs-a-shared-ip/
