Choosing between a Dedicated and Shared IP address completely depends on your business needs and the web hosting services you opt for.
For instance, with a Dedicated Hosting solution, you’ll get a Dedicated IP address for your website—that is private and much secure. On the other hand, a Shared Windows or Linux Hosting with cPanel offers Shared IP addresses that come with their own exclusive features and benefits.
Note: It’s critical to note that just because you’re using a Shared IP address doesn’t mean your business website is hosted on a Shared Web Hosting solution. You can also use a Shared IP with WordPress or other hosting services.
Most of the time, it’s said that you don’t require a Dedicated IP address for your website, but it may differ and conflict with your business requirements.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into what each of these IP addresses means, their benefits, and which one can be suitable for your business. Let’s go!
What is a Dedicated IP address?
Dedicated IP addresses are ones that are identified with only your website domain, and no other website can use the same IP address as yours. You’re the sole owner of this IP address.
Typically, your web hosting provider will assign this address to your domain. Or, you can also purchase one yourself as an add-on.
What is a Shared IP address?
In contrast, Shared IP addresses are identified with multiple website domains. It means your website domain is mapped to an IP address used and shared between multiple domains.
It’s typically used with Shared Hosting plans, where you share the server space and resources with multiple other websites besides the IP address.
Benefits of Dedicated IP address
Dedicated IP addresses offer the following advantages to your website:
- You get complete control over your communications and message sending reputations. It eliminates the risks of other domains that may send spam or other unsolicited and negative emails—bringing down your business reputation.
- It gets easy to pinpoint and fix IP-related issues when using a Dedicated IP address with your hosting plan.
- Some larger internet and web hosting service companies don’t permit Shared IPs—securing the environment as a whole and avoiding security vulnerabilities.
Benefits of Shared IP address
Here are the benefits offered by Shared IP addresses:
- Shared IPs are much more affordable and cost-efficient than dedicated ones.
- A clean IP reputation is a critical requirement. Hence, many reliable Windows and Linux Hosting providers ensure that the domains on the Shared IPs are in good shape.
So, which IP should you use?
Use a Dedicated IP if you wish to go for an advanced Dedicated Server, send consistent and high-volume emails, ensure maximum security against online threats, receive a large volume of website traffic, or if you can afford it for your business.
Or, you can use a Shared IP address if you’re tight on budget, receive lower website traffic, or send inconsistent or low-volume emails. First, however, make sure you choose one from a reliable service provider that doesn’t hinder your IP and brand reputation.
Conclusion
Both Shared and Dedicated IP addresses come with their unique perks and cater to different business needs.
So, analyse your specific requirements and choose a suitable solution from a reliable Windows or Linux Website Hosting provider.
