Static vs Dynamic IP

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 08:10:53 +0000

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Just like all working phones have a phone number assigned to them, all working devices connected to the Internet have an IP address assigned to them. There are two types of IP address: static, and dynamic.

A static IP is usually used for a business and/or corporate setting. These are assigned addresses that never change. A dynamic IP is one that always changes. For instance, if you *shudder* are using dial up, you know that every time you want to get online you have to connect through your modem. Every time you connect, you receive a different IP address. Dial up accounts use dynamic IP addresses within a range assigned to each provider and location. If you’re on DSL or cable, your IP address rarely changes. I am using a cable connection, and in over a year my IP address hasn’t changed. To me, that’s close enough to be called a static IP.

So which one is the better to have? If you want to be able to connect to a computer on your home network using a program from say a laptop in another country when traveling, you’ll need to know your IP address. This is basically impossible with a dynamic IP, since it changes virtually every day, or even every hour. What if you want to use a program I’ve raved about many times called SlingBox? Again, you’ll need to know your IP address.

If at all possible, I recommend having and using an assigned, static IP address. Know what it is, and use it wisely.

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Static vs Dynamic IP

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Static vs Dynamic IP