An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a sequence of numbers assigned to every device that accesses the Internet. In addition to computers and mobile devices, web servers have their own unique IP addresses.
In the case of shared hosting, hundreds (or potentially thousands) of websites all reside on the same server, and each one of the hosting accounts associated with every one of those sites will have the same IP address.
This is not necessarily a problem, but some websites may benefit from having their own dedicated IP address that is unique to their hosting account.
When Do I Need a Dedicated IP Address?
In the past, a dedicated IP address was a technical requirement for having an SSL certificate, but that's no longer the case. Some firms would argue a dedicated IP address improved SEO (search engine optimisation) for a website, but that's largely debunked.
What's still true today is a dedicated IP address can add more trust to a website/brand, primarily by isolating it from other websites. Generally speaking, it can be a good way of ensuring your website does not share an IP address with any website that's potentially dubious, although at Maxer we're careful about who/what we host and strive to keep our network clean.
Therefore, a dedicated IP address has limited benefits, it's really optional, but many businesses still opt for one.
For SSL Certificates
In the past, it was a technical requirement that an SSL certificate required a dedicated IP address. This is no longer the case.
For Cloud/Dedicated Servers
These servers will be assigned a dedicated IP address in all cases, so you don't normally need to pay for one. If you have multiple sites on one cloud/dedicated server, you may optionally want additional dedicated IPs to assign to those websites, should there be a technical reason for this.
Updated by SP on 16/10/2023
