Dedicated Hosting Static IP Address

If you have advanced hosting needs, Dedicated Hosting IP (Internet Protocol) may be for you. A Dedicated Hosting IP means each web hosting account has a unique address, not shared by any other accounts on the same server.

Overview

Since the majority of sites on the Web are hosted via shared IP, most SMP INFO TECH hosting customers don't need a Dedicated Hosting IP. However, you might consider paying the small additional cost for Dedicated Hosting IP if:

You want to access your accounts by FTP as well as the Web when the domain name is otherwise inaccessible, such as domain name propagation periods.
You want your site to be backwards-compatible with older browsers.
You want to create a corporate intranet.

Questions and Answers

Who Needs a Dedicated IP Address?

Most shared hosting users have little need for a dedicated IP address. However, a dedicated IP address does provide certain advantages.

Generally speaking, a dedicated IP allows you to:

View your website via its IP address.

Access your accounts by FTP or the Web when the domain name is otherwise inaccessible, such as during domain name propagation periods.

Ensure faster response during periods of high traffic load.

Set up SSL protection on your website.

NOTE: Our SSL certificates include a dedicated hosting IP, so you do not need to purchase a dedicated IP credit separately if you are adding a certificate to your site on your shared hosting account.

What is a Dedicated IP?

A dedicated IP (Internet Protocol) is a unique Internet address dedicated exclusively to a single hosting account. Normally, several hosting accounts reside on a single server and share that server's IP address. Dedicated IP addresses are usually used for large SSL-encrypted secure websites and particularly large and/or traffic-heavy sites. Most shared hosting users have no particular need for a dedicated IP address.

However, a dedicated IP address for your hosting account enables you to:

View your website via its IP address.

Access your accounts by FTP or the Web when the domain name is otherwise inaccessible, such as during domain name propagation periods.

Ensure faster response during periods of high traffic load.

Set up SSL protection on your website.

NOTE: Our SSL certificates include a dedicated hosting IP, so you do not need to purchase a dedicated IP credit separately if you are adding a certificate to your site.

How Do I Add a Dedicated IP to my Shared Hosting Account?

In shared hosting, many websites use the same IP address. You might require your own IP address if you want to access your website by both the IP address and the domain name. This is especially useful during periods of domain name propagation when you can't access your site by using the domain name.

Additionally, some search engine optimization experts speculate that dedicated IP addresses might improve search engine rankings.

Don't purchase a dedicated IP address if you are installing an SSL certificate. We automatically issue a dedicated IP address when an SSL certificate is installed on our shared hosting servers.

NOTE: Dedicated IP addresses are not available on free hosting accounts.

To Add a Dedicated IP to Your Shared Hosting Account:

Purchase a Dedicated IP credit from our website.

Log in to your Account Manager.

In the My Products section, select Hosting.

Click the applicable hosting account.

In the Hosting Account Details section on the right, click Apply Dedicated IP Address.

NOTE: Dedicated IPs may take 24-72 hours to become active on your hosting account.