Dedicated IP -- a big deal or not?
Is my web host shining me on?
Background - I signed on with my present host 3 years ago & have had very good service. Recently a minor technical question came up, which caused me to visit my host's home page -- you know, the page where he sells his services -- for the first time in a long time.
Being naturally curious, I looked at the ingredients my host is now offering for the particular hosting package I use. To my surprise, I noted that this package now includes "FREE Dedicated IP" (to quote my host's site's exact wording).
I do NOT have a dedicated IP. Rather, I am on a shared IP. I asked my host's Tech Spt WHY. Here is a partial quote of the reply I got...
Regarding the IP addresses. When this package was setup we were not allowed to provide dedicated IP addresses for shared hosting by the upstream provider. However subsequent to Aug, 2000 our Upstream provider allowed us to obtain and use a dedicated IP for every full package but still, to this day, will not allow us to obtain dedicated IP addresses for those setup prior to that.
[It] ...has absolutely nothing to do with having 'Less standing' just the way the system has to work. If you were to order an additional full package that package would be placed on a Dedicated IP.
So my host is saying, in effect, that a dedicated IP is no big deal. If that's true, it makes me wonder -- why does my host's sales spiel on his web page list "FREE Dedicated IP" as a selling point?
Is my host shining me on? It doesn't seem right that new customers get MORE than old customers, but at the same price. Do you agree? If you were me, what would you do about this?
I will appreciate any comments or advice you can give me,
Bellgamin
Busy posted this at 21:50 — 9th March 2002.
He has: 6,151 posts
Joined: May 2001
I thought that getting a dedicated IP is pretty hard to get these days as they are running out of numbers,
Suzanne posted this at 22:23 — 9th March 2002.
She has: 5,507 posts
Joined: Feb 2000
If you really want a dedicated IP, ask them to set you up as a new account and close your old one.
You'll probably have to pay some fees because this would require some changes to settings on the server.
A better question would be: is a dedicated IP better than a shared IP? Because if the answer is no, you know they are just using the illusion to sell hosting. If the answer is yes, why? And is it something you want?
Wil posted this at 23:23 — 9th March 2002.
They have: 601 posts
Joined: Nov 2001
The only reason you need a dedicated IP address is that if you are running a) a secure site - https:// b) using anonymous FTP to your site or c) using some sort of streaming media - realvideo/realaduio. Otherwise, do the 'net a favour and stay on your shared IP - we're running out of numbers, you know! Some also like to have a dedicated IP to their database machine, if hosted on a seperate machine. No big deal!
- wil
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