Knowing whether you need a dedicated IP address for your website used to be a highly technical question. And one that led to different answers depending on who you asked. While opinions vary, here’s what we recommend today based on real-world performance and modern server technology.
Why We Used to Need Dedicated IPs
Dedicated IP addresses used to be considered the best option for several reasons, including:
Security
A dedicated IP address helped isolate a website from other sites on the same server, reducing the risk of cross-site vulnerability exposure. It also helped separate clients and traffic, which can help administrators mitigate Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. (e.g., when hackers flood a website with so much traffic that it slows down or crashes.)
Speed
A dedicated IP address helped improve website loading speed by allowing faster communication between the website and visitors. When a visitor came to a website on a dedicated server, the server didn’t have to search for the website.
Without a dedicated IP, you risked a “common name mismatch” error. You know those “Your connection is not private” browser warnings that can scare users away. That all changed with Server Name Indication (SNI) technology.
Why You Don’t Need a Dedicated IP Anymore
These days, you don’t need a dedicated IP address because:
- Performance and security concerns that once justified dedicated IPs have been addressed through better server architecture, resource management, and protections that are in place regardless of IP setup.
- SNI allows servers to host multiple SSL certificates on a single IP address. That means you no longer need a dedicated IP; your site’s SSL certificate is selected automatically based on the domain name.
As Cloudflare explains, it’s like mailing a letter to an apartment building instead of a house.
The IP address is the street address, but the domain name is the apartment number. Without both, your data (or SSL certificate) might end up in the wrong place.
That’s exactly what SNI solves. It makes sure every request gets to the right “apartment” securely.
Greg Whitehead, Senior Web Developer at inConcert Web Solutions, says, “We’ve yet to run into a use case where a dedicated IP address is required. Between SNI, solid server performance, and smart configurations, it’s just not a factor anymore.”
At inConcert Web Solutions, we assess each website’s unique needs and proactively monitor CPU, RAM, and disk space to help ensure optimal performance. And because we use high-performance servers, our clients already get top-tier performance, without needing a dedicated IP.
What About Advanced Security Needs?
In rare situations, such as when your company requires specific security compliance, a dedicated hosting environment with its own IP address may be necessary. inConcert Web Solutions offers and supports secure, dedicated hosting solutions tailored to meet these specialized scenarios.
Got Questions About Hosting or IPs? We’ve Got Answers.
Dedicated IPs used to be essential. Now, thanks to SNI and modern hosting environments, they’re usually unnecessary. If you want to ensure your website is fast, secure, and stable, inConcert Web Solutions can help. Contact us and let’s review your technical setup.
