An IP address, or an Internet Protocol address, is a 32-bit (or 128-bit) number that identifies an individual Internet connection. In fact every website on the Internet is found, not by its domain name, but by its IP address. It’s when you get into the nitty-gritty, however, that you’ll find not all kinds of VPN IP addresses are created equal.
There are many different types of IP addresses organized by class, version, and type. Usually, there are two variations of IP addresses that VPN service providers sell: shared IP addresses and dedicated IP addresses. The decision between a shared VPN IP service, like IPVanish, and a dedicated VPN IP service, like Hide My Ass!, is a crucial one. And depending on the user’s needs and preferences, this selection can greatly impact an online experience.
Shared VPN IP Address
The key element of a shared VPN IP service is exactly what it sounds like: multiple users share one IP address. In this instance, you may be using an IP address at the same time as 20 other users. Shared IP addresses are inexpensive compared to dedicated IP addresses and often feature a wider selection of IP address locations to use.
Benefits:
- When using a no-log based service, the use of a shared VPN IP service also makes it virtually impossible for any one person’s web activity to be singled out.
- Because the VPN provider doesn’t need to maintain a massive backlog of IPs, the overhead is lower as is usually the price.
Dedicated VPN IP Address
Unlike a shared VPN IP address, a dedicated VPN IP address offers a single IP address dedicated to one person. Each person who pays for the service gets their own IP address and doesn’t have to share with dozens of users. Because you are the only user with that IP address, you are solely responsible for all of the web activity that takes place on it. This service is usually more expensive and more limiting than a shared VPN IP service.
Benefits:
- You determine your online reputation. You won’t be subject to the ramifications of bad behavior from an IP neighbor.
- You’ll have streamlined traffic. Because shared IPs need to spend time figuring out which traffic goes to which user, there is a larger processing overhead. With a dedicated IP, there’s no need for that kind of processing power.
Shared, Dedicated, Static and Dynamic IPs: What’s the Difference?
While these terms may seem confusing, keeping them straight is easier than you’d think. You know the differences between shared and dedicated. Shared is, well, it’s shared — more than one person at a time can use it. Dedicated is equally as simple. It is an IP dedicated to a single person. But what do static and dynamic mean and how do they interact with shared and dedicated IPs?
Static IPs are, by their definition, unchanging. If you’re assigned a static IP, it will not change. Similarly, dynamic IPs do change. The tricky part is that you can have any combination of these IP types. You can have a shared and static IP, a shared and dynamic IP, a dedicated and static IP, and a dedicated and dynamic IP. The question with static and dynamic IPs is similar to that of shared and dedicated — what do they bring to the party?
If you need to always connect from the same IP for your useage (sometimes video streaming services or online video games require this) you need to use a static IP. If you need to use a service where you’re seen as a new member or user often, then you would want to go with a dynamic IP as it would hinder your chance of being tracked.
| VPN IP Type | Low-Cost | Server Switching | Traceable Online Activity | High Speeds | Blackout Risks |
| Shared | X | X | — | X | X |
| Dedicated | — | — | X | X | — |
| Static | — | — | — | X | X |
| Dynamic | X | X | X | X | — |
While deciding the type of IP address you receive from a VPN service may seem like a daunting task, it becomes much easier when you can determine the variables that are most important to you. Are you using an issued IP address so that your web activity is totally untraceable, or solely to encrypt your connection? Do you want an IP address that only comes from Europe, or would you like the option for an address to come from North America? Is cost a factor? When you can answer these questions for yourself, you’ll be more than prepared to decide the kind of IP address you should look for from a VPN service provider.
