Dan Howdle | August 30th, 2024
A static IP address isn't something you'll see offered with consumer broadband deals very often. More likely you'll see it included as part of a business broadband package, but what exactly is a static IP address and why would you want one?
Read on and we'll explain what a static IP address is and, importantly, how it differs from what you're more likely to have at home – a dynamic IP address. Most people will only need a static IP address for one of a limited number of use cases, so by the end of this guide you should be pretty clear on whether you need one or not.
Getting hold of a static IP address will usually go hand in hand with signing up to business broadband. The UK's big four broadband providers – BT, Virgin Media, Sky, and TalkTalk – do not offer static IP addresses to residential customers. All suggest getting in touch with their business broadband teams if this is something you'd like to pursue.
EE and NOW Broadband don't offer any way of getting a static IP address, as you might expect for providers more focused on mobile and TV respectively.
Hyperoptic, which specialises in fibre broadband, now offers static IP addresses as standard. Plusnet lets you switch between dynamic and static IP addresses for a £5 set-up fee if you're on its home broadband package. If you're on a legacy Plusnet deal, you'll need to check with the provider as some older packages don't support static IP.
Gigaclear, which provides ultrafast broadband to rural communities, offers static or fixed IP addresses on certain packages for an additional £2 a month. You can do this by contacting customer services.
You cannot get a static IP address with Vodafone's home broadband. If you sign up for Vodafone’s business broadband, you can get up to eight static IPs.
Provider | Static IP Availability | Cost | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
BT Business | Available with business broadband | Included with most packages | Only available for business customers |
Virgin Media | Available with business broadband | Included with most packages | Not available for residential customers |
Sky Business | Available with business broadband | Included with most packages | Requires business package subscription |
TalkTalk | Available with business broadband | Included with most packages | Not available for residential customers |
Plusnet | Available on request for residential broadband | £5 one-time setup fee | Available for residential customers |
Vodafone | Available with business broadband | Cost varies by package | Up to 8 static IPs available with business broadband |
Hyperoptic | Available as standard with all packages | Included | Provided as standard with Hyperoptic’s residential and business packages |
Gigaclear | Available on select packages | £2 per month | Available for specific ultrafast broadband packages |
An IP address, or Internet Protocol address to give it its full name, is a number assigned to your device by your broadband provider. Usually this number is dynamic – it changes every time you connect to the internet. The difference with a static IP address is that, as the name suggests, the number doesn't change. This is important for a number of reasons, which we'll get into soon.
IP addresses are important because they are the number that devices connected to a network use to communicate with each other. In the same way we use street addresses to know where letters and parcels should be delivered, IP addresses are used by network devices to determine where data should be sent. Static IP addresses are useful when external devices or websites need to remember your IP address and use it again in future.
To be clear, the IP addresses we're talking about here are public IP addresses – this is the one your broadband provider and others use to communicate with you. This is different to your private IP address, which is the number assigned to your router and the other devices connected to your LAN (local area network). If any of these terms need further clarification, check out our helpful jargon-busting guide.
We've said it before but it's worth saying again – most people will not need a static IP address. That said, there are some specific use cases in which it's either necessary or simply helpful to have a static rather than dynamic IP. Let's get into them now.
There are a few disadvantages to using a static IP address, although for most of us the reason not to bother is simply that we won't see any benefit.
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IPv6 is the latest version of the Internet Protocol (IP). IP version 4, which you're likely to have at the moment, is made up of four hexadecimal numbers separated by dots and looks like 172.16.254.1. There are about 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses and we've almost used them up.
IPv6 addresses look more like 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 and there are absolutely loads of them, so we're unlikely to ever run out.
If you're on a residential (consumer) broadband package and haven't specifically requested a static IP address, you'll have a dynamic IP address. If you're unsure, ask your broadband provider.
If you're talking about your public IP address, the one that others see when making a connection with your device, then this changes all the time if it's a dynamic IP address. If it's a static one, you may need to ask your broadband provider whether it can be changed. If you're talking about the private IP address that is assigned to your router and private network, changing it is as easy as going into your router settings.
If you're looking to host the website yourself then a static IP address may be helpful. If you're going to run a website hosted on a remote server, such as a WordPress site, then you probably have no need for a static IP.
You don't need a static IP address in order to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) but if you want to build your own VPN, then you may do.