The majority of modern businesses have already gone digital, and while this is seen as a necessity for many, there are still a good number of precautions business owners needs to take when dealing with any number of digitally related factors, including IP addresses.
Fortunately, purchasing your Internet services from a trustworthy, local Bradford business internet company means that half of the battle has already been won, and with their help, you can keep all of your online dealings, secure and convenient. But for those who are new to the world of business internet, let’s take a closer look at IP addresses, otherwise known as a ‘static internet protocol (IP):
What is an IP address?
Telling other computers where you are using a string of uniquely assigned characters – in much the same way as a physical address – your IP address doesn’t change, and is invaluable for any business with needs related to the internet such as web hosting, apps, email, and video conferencing.
Vital to internet usage, your IP address is constantly busy swapping data with the websites you visit, and contrary to what many may believe, isn’t typically a threat to anyone’s personal privacy. But should you have a dynamic IP address or a static one?
What’s the difference between dynamic and static IP addresses?
The majority of devices will have a dynamic IP address, meaning that in the long term, they will alter; when a device connects to the internet, servers or routers assign a dynamic IP address.
Static IP addresses, on the other hand, remain fixed and stay with the device they were initially assigned to until that device is decommissioned. Communications are made easier with the latter; hence most business servers tend to carry static IP addresses.
What are the benefits of static IP addresses for businesses?
For anyone using the internet on a casual, non-business basis, an IP address that’s dynamic works perfectly well, but for anyone running a business, an IP address that’s static can provide better business internet connectivity, and several other benefits:
- Better accessibility – other computers can easily reach your business’s server, no matter where they are in the world, and accessing your website is made much quicker for customers.
- A simpler set-up – much simpler to administer and have management of, a static IP address makes connecting webcams, network printers, and other devices, much easier.
- Better geolocation services – if such services as mapping and weather forecasting are important to your business, you’ll find you get much more accurate results with a static IP address, as the data will be specific to your precise location.
- Enhanced remote access – employees are able to work remotely with far less hassle when using a VPN, otherwise known as a ‘virtual private network, or other such solution that gives remote access, thanks to a static IP address.
- More stability – because it remains unaltered, a static IP address gives a much stabler network and connections that are more reliable. Using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is simplified, too.
If you’re just setting up a business and need to get securely connected to the internet, a local company could give you all the guidance you need, and help answer any questions you might have about dynamic and static IP addresses.
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