What is a shared IP?
A shared IP is an IP address shared between multiple dissimilar domains. Unlike having a dedicated IP address, having a shared IP address indicates that the user’s domain is mapped to an address used by more than one other domain. A shared IP address is standard practice among hosting companies in the modern era. Smaller businesses that employ managed WordPress hosts or shared hosting providers typically use a shared IP address.
What is the difference between a dedicated IP and a shared IP?
A dedicated IP is assigned to a single user or organization, giving them full control and ensuring exclusive use for their traffic. A shared IP, on the other hand, is used by multiple users or websites, meaning traffic from different sources is routed through the same IP address.
Benefits of a shared IP address:
- Cost-effective. A shared IP is less expensive than a dedicated IP. When paired with hosting, it saves money because the user is able to split the cost of the server with other customers. This arrangement is beneficial for new firms and organizations with smaller starting funds.
- Easy setup. A shared IP can also indicate that the hosting is shared. With shared hosting, users can use software that has already been installed on the server for their website or business.
Limitations of a shared IP address:
- Different websites share the same server. One or more websites with high traffic or exponential growth can affect all other domains in the shared hosting pool.
- One domain attack can expose others. Since they share a directory, a hacked website might make others more vulnerable.
- One domain's bad reputation can damage others. If one domain participates in this forbidden activity and blocks the IP, it can harm others with the same IP address.
See also: dedicated IP, IP aliasing
