My DSL service provider said I have a static IP, and they don’t give those out any more. What is the advantage, if any, in having a static IP?
It allows you to reliably link to stuff on your computer without paying a domain-name registry fee.
Notice the web-page in my profile doesn’t have an URL? I wouldn’t be able to do that if I had a dynamic I.P.
Not very memorable, but it’s convenient.
Yeah, it’s great if you want to run a game server, or host files on your own machine. I used to leave my computer up with an FTP server running when I went to fix someones machine. I knew every file I might need was only a click away.
It’s against some ISPs TOS to run servers, though, so be careful.
Just to follow-up, every computer connected to the Internet has an IP address. If you have a static IP, it (obviously) never changes. So you can run a web or FTP server from your home and will always be able to connect by using the same IP address. Likewise, you will always be able to connect to your home PC from your work PC if you use pcAnywhere or Terminal Services with your static IP.
Most of us that connect via cable, DSL (and especially) dial-up have dynamic IPs that change each time you connect to the 'Net. So it’s more difficult (but hardly impossible) to do any of the above things if your IP (i.e. “phone number”) changes every time you connect to the 'Net.
Even if you’re not using your system for any kind of server or remote access, it’s still a good thing to have. You might need the static IP one day and most of us would have to pay extra for that - if your ISP even allows that!
Rex
A domain name won’t help you if you don’t have a static IP. A domain name must point to an IP, and if your IP is dynamic this will change all the time.
Basically, with a static IP, your computer will keep the same address, and you can set your computer up so that you or someone else can connect to it from anywhere on the net. A domain name is just easier to remember but you still need the static IP.
Even if you have a dynamic IP, you can use a dynamic DNS service (like dyndns.org) to let people access whatever server you’re running. Each time you connect, you run a program that connects to the dynamic DNS provider and gives them your new IP address, then they update their nameservers so that your hostname points to your new address.
A dynamic IP doesn’t change that often with a DSL or cable connection. (Unless you’re constantly rebooting your modem.) I’ve used a free domain hosting service in conjunction with an old cable connection w/ a dynamic I.P. before. When the links stopped working, I’d check out the new I.P. on the gateway and make an update. Obviously not a reasonable solution for anything of importance (and if you’re going to spring for domain-name registration, it only makes sense to pay for hosting, too.) But it made it a hell of a lot easier than trying to change the links that were floating around out there to get them working again.
Oh, hi Mr2001. Isn’t redundancy cool?
Ok you’re right, but don’t DNS changes take some time? This could mean your server is not accisable for some time. for me this would be a problem.
If you are going to host a server of any type, you want a static IP, period. There are services that proxy a static IP for you by basically redirecting to your current (or last) dynamic IP, but that is a poot substitute for those poor souls who either can’t get broadband or have crappy broadband.
If you host a server and own your domain name, changing the domain to a new IP usually takes a day or two to propagate (that is, for all the DNS servers worldwide to update and start directing to your new IP).
If you need to host reliably and can’t get broadband or a static IP (many dialups provide static IPs at added cost), you’d be better off finding a real hosting service, but that costs the bling-bling, yo. (Sorry.)
Absolutely, running a server at home with no hassle is probably the main advantage of static ip’s.
Another one that hasn’t come up yet is it makes it a bit easier for Lynn to identify returning trolls.
Are there any others? I’ll be bumfuzzled if I can think of any.
I guess, if you hadn’t payed your electricity bill, and were anxious about the possibility of returning home to a dark house, you could leave your computer on and periodically ping it from work, just to make sure. Or something.
Many VPN applications require you to have a static IP.
The info. from everyone is helpful because I have the option to keep my static IP address when I move. So, thanks!
Nice web site, Larry Mudd!
Fallus, DNS changes do take some time, but dynamic DNS services turn down the “time to live” so the address won’t be cached very long by other nameservers. We’re talking minutes, not hours or days.