What is a dedicated IP

Some VPN providers offer the option to request a dedicated IP. This means that you get a unique, static IP address that is only used by you, while your échte IP address is still hidden. This has several advantages:

• You’re less likely to end up blacklisted.
• You don’t have to go through any extra verifications.
• You can email faster and without problems.
• You can easily work from home.

A dedicated IP address also has some potential drawbacks. For example, it reduces your online privacy and often costs extra. Nevertheless, it is a perfect solution for many VPN users. Do you also want a dedicated IP address? Not all VPN providers have this option. A good provider that has this wél is NordVPN: If you re comparing VPN’s, you probably come across the term ‘dedicated IP’ regularly. Many VPN’s that offer dedicated IP mention this as a plus. What exactly is dedicated IP? And why would it be an advantage over a regular VPN subscription? In this article you will read all about the concept of ‘dedicated IP’.

What is a dedicated IP?

A dedicated IP is an IP address that is used alléén by you. With most VPN’s you share an IP address with other users of the same provider. You choose a server location, for example Amsterdam, and are assigned an IP address in that location. However, this same IP address is also attributed to other users who have chosen the location Amsterdam. So there is data traffic from more than ééone person passing the same VPN server. This is not the case with a dedicated IP.

• If a VPN offers dedicated IP addresses, it means that you can choose to request a personal IP address. This address is of course different from your actual IP address.

People and websites can therefore still not link your internet behavior to your person.

• If you choose a dedicated IP address, you can request a personal IP address. All your traffic goes through that IP without you losing your privacy or others using it.
• Unfortunately, there is often a price tag on the purchase of a dedicated IP..

What is the difference between a dedicated IP and a shared IP?

Although it may already be clear from the description above, we’d still like to briefly explain to you the difference between dedicated IP’s and shared IP’s. With a dedicated IP you always have ééone and the same IP address, wherever you are. You can then through your VPN provider always connect to the same specific server to make use of that specific IP address.

• A ‘shared IP’, or shared IP, you share with others. With many VPN providers this is the norm. This means that you take on the same IP address as other users of the same provider. For example, you will be accessing the Internet with 50 different people from all over the world with the same IP address.

For example, multiple people use the same IP address in New York to watch the American Netflix for example. Often, with a shared IP, you are assigned a different IP address each time. Whether you connect to a different server location or not, there is a chance that your publicly visible IP address will change. In the picture below you can see schematically the difference between dedicated IP’s and shared IP’s explained.

The advantages of a dedicated IP address

Using a dedicated IP address has many advantages. For example, it can be useful for both business and residential VPN users. Below are the biggest advantages of a dedicated IP address:

Less likely to be blacklisted

Eéone of the main reasons that many VPN users purchase a dedicated IP address is that your IP address is less likely to be blacklisted. With a dedicated IP address, you are the only one using that IP address, whereas with shared IP addresses this is several people. The use of all these people has an effect on how that shared IP is received by websites.

• An example: imagine that you use a shared IP from a VPN provider to watch Netflix. Probably you are not the only one in this. Because many people try to access Netflix from this shared IP address alarm bells ring for the streaming service. This way they know that they are dealing with a VPN.

This means that they don’t know where the different users of this IP address are at the moment. Netflix’s offerings vary depending on your location. If Netflix cannot determine your real location with certainty, it will deny you access altogether. The shared IP address will be added to Netflix’ blacklist. With this IP address you will then no longer get to see movies and series. You will only get an error message saying that you have to turn off the proxy to get access again.

How a dedicated IP helps with this

The advantage of a dedicated IP is that you are the only one trying to access Netflix with that IP address. This makes it much less likely that Netflix and other websites will recognize your connection as a VPN connection. Do you want to avoid suddenly being unable to access Netflix, including the American Netflix with a wider range of movies and series? Then it’s better to use a (US) dedicated IP address than a shared IP address. Keep in mind that a dedicated IP address does not guarantee that the VPN will not be detected by websites. However, the chance of being blacklisted is lower.

No extra verification required

When websites blacklist your IP address, that action usually stems from distrust. The use of your IP address, especially in combination with your account on a website, was probably very irregular and unpredictable. Because of this, the website suspects abuse and takes action. Sometimes it puts your IP on the blacklist in the process. In other cases, this means you have to provide additional verification before you can fully log in.

• Some well-known sites such as Gmail, PayPal and eBay see with a shared IP address that you are logged in from a different IP address than the one the account was created on. They do not trust this, so they want to verify your identity. Every time you connect to a different IP address and want to access, say, eBay, you will have to repeat this process. With a dedicated IP address, this is not necessary. This saves you a lot of time every day.

Faster and hassle-free emailing

Another advantage of a dedicated IP address is that emails coming from these addresses are trusted more by email services, like Gmail, than emails coming from shared IP addresses. Email traffic from static IP addresses, as with a dedicated IP, are given priority over email traffic from shared IP addresses. 

1. Shared IP addresses are in fact extra controlled by mail services. Because of this, these mails sometimes even end up in the recipient’s spam folder automatically.
2. Specially dedicated IP addresses are used to send e-mails from shared IP addresses.
3. With a dedicated IP address you don’t have to bother with this. Your e-mails will arrive faster and be placed in the spam folder less often. So you can email faster and easier with a dedicated IP. Your emails will arrive faster, which in some cases, for example in the workplace, can be of great importance.

Easy to work from home

For business VPN users, a dedicated IP address is useful for accessing specific networks. Some networks are only accessible from a specific IP address because of security reasons. For example, your boss can guarantee that only the people with access to the internet connection in the office can also access important company data. The disadvantage of this is that with your own ‘bare’ internet connection at home or even with a shared IP address from a VPN at the office, you cannot access the company network.

• With the right dedicated IP address, you wél be able to access these networks anytime, anywhere. This makes working from home a lot easier, because you can connect directly to your work’s network through your dedicated IP. This way you can work from your couch and your connection is also well secured with a VPN.
• By the way, you don’t just get access to your company network once you request any dedicated IP from your VPN provider. If you also want to access your company’s network from home or on the road, it’s best to contact your boss. He or she can help you set up a good secure VPN connection with the right IP address.

The disadvantages of a dedicated IP address

Happily, there are also some disadvantages to using a dedicated IP address. For example, a dedicated IP costs extra money with most VPN providers. This makes your VPN subscription more expensive.

1. The cost of such’a personal IP address can vary from a few euros per month, to more than €100 per year. Since this is on top of your normal subscription costs, this is definitely an important factor to consider.
2. A second drawback is that you may sacrifice some of your privacy. With a dedicated IP address, you are easier to track online. Because you are using a static address, which remains the same, the activity on that IP address is easier to link to your person or device. You are therefore less anonymous on the Internet.

Dedicated IP: the advantages and disadvantages at a glance

To make it as easy as possible for you, we have briefly listed all the advantages and disadvantages of a dedicated IP. This way you can decide more quickly whether a dedicated IP is for you.

Excellent VPN’s with a dedicated IP option

Have you decided you want a dedicated IP address, but you’re not sure which VPN to choose? We have listed the best VPNs that offer dedicated IPs for you below.

Dedicated IP with NordVPN

NordVPN is one of the best VPN services of the moment. The VPN service is fast and secure and NordVPN also offers a dedicated IP service. NordVPN is in our opinion the best VPN with a dedicated IP option.

• In terms of dedicated IPs, however, NordVPN is not as far as TorGuard yet. NordVPN offers dedicated IPs in five different locations in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France.
• Nord’s dedicated IP option is unfortunately also a bit more difficult to request than TorGuard’s. You must first have a VPN subscription with NordVPN and then create a new account to pay for your dedicated IP using a special coupon code. You can then contact Nord customer service for further assistance.
• NordVPN is fortunately very competitively priced. This makes NordVPN an excellent VPN whether you want a dedicated IP or not. Nord’s dedicated IP option costs $70 per year on top of your own subscription. When it comes purely to the VPN software and connection, we find NordVPN better and more user-friendly than TorGuard. However, if it only concerns the dedicated IP, we prefer TorGuard.

Dedicated IP with TorGuard

When we think of a VPN with a dedicated IP service, the first thing that comes to mind is TorGuard. TorGuard is a VPN that is especially suitable for more experienced VPN users. We therefore do not recommend this VPN for beginners. The software requires some technical knowledge and is therefore less user-friendly.

1. On the other hand, TorGuard is very fast, has many servers and is very secure. TorGuard also has a lot of choice in terms of locations for dedicated IP users.
2. TorGuard’s dedicated IP option is well priced. In addition, the costs decrease with the monthly price of your subscription if you opt for a longer-term subscription. It is also much easier to request a dedicated IP address at TorGuard, namely directly on the order page.

結論

A dedicated IP address gives you the ability to go online with the same IP address every time, while being protected by a VPN at the same time. This IP address is not the same as your real IP, but it is also not shared with other VPN users. Not all VPN providers offer the option of requesting a dedicated IP address. If the option is offered, it is usually at an additional cost.

1. Having a dedicated IP has several advantages and disadvantages compared to a shared IP address. In general, with a dedicated IP you are more recognizable and you do not have to constantly verify your identity. Unfortunately, this also makes you less anonymous.
2. However, with a dedicated IP you will not quickly end up on a blacklist. This greatly reduces the chance that you will suddenly no longer have access to websites and services such as Netflix. We personally recommend TorGuard or NordVPN if you are looking for a VPN with a dedicated IP option.