dynamic IP versus static IP which is better?

Question

Quick! Help!

My mom is transferring her utilities to a new house and AT & T wanted to know which she'd like lol and we had nooo clue what we had to start with. Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

Unless your Mom is using a VPN for work (which she'd know and be coincidentally much more aware of this issue) you just need a dynamic address. It will work just as fast and reliably, and will be easier to work with.

Answer 2

If you're a user, dynamic is better. If you're operating a server, static is better. But you're probably just a user if you don't know about this already. Get a dynamic IP. Good luck!

I'm shocked that anyone recommends a static IP for an ordinary user. Unless you have a pressing need for a static IP (in which case you would know about it, or upgrade to a static IP address later), you should get a dynamic IP. Some programs require a static IP between you and your router (eg, your local network) for port forwarding, but you would know if you needed that. That has nothing to do with the static IP your ISP can provide if you pay extra. It is an unnecessary expense and no major websites recognize you entirely by your IP address (because so many users have dynamic IPs). Having a static IP address makes your visiting (and searching) habits more apparent to sites who monitor IP addresses, and it also makes it a lot easier to hack your computer. (A static IP alone is not enough to make a computer vulnerable to attack, but it is extremely difficult to attack a machine whose IP changes periodically.) If you signed up for the static IP against my advice, you can always downgrade your service. Good night!

Answer 3

I will reply as fast as I can however you omitted the critical information needed to advise you.

Neither is better in and of itself. Either will work for many applications.

Dynamic IP addresses are commonly used by many users including dial up users, almost all home users, and many busines users. There is no value for these users to have a static IP.

Static IP addresses are used whenever the IP cannot be changed without causing great disruption. If you host a web server, host a FTP server, have a VPN to your location, or cannot have an altering static IP because of your use needs then it is cost effective to pay more for a static IP.

Given the nature of your question, I suspect you are a home user and you do not need to pay more for a static IP.

Answer 4

Hi. This depends on your situation. Dynamic IP addresses are not encouraged because many programs and websites recognize your computer by your IP address, and if it changes constantly, you are able to get away with a lot of things that I will not mention here. Static IP addresses are the standard by which wired networks recognizes and register your machine, but because it is unchanging, it is some times prone to hacker and virus attacks; but a good anti virus will solve you issue.
Also I don't think static/dynamic IP address is much of a choice to you. Usually when you are on a office network, your IP has to be static so that security does not take you as an unidentified intruder. Your IP address on wireless network, on the other hand, should be dynamic by default.

Answer 5

Well, there's two sides on this, LAN (Local Network) and WAN (Internet), I'm not sure which one you're asking about. Both Static and dynamic have their good sides, depending on your uses.

Static IP is better if you use the PC to host files, a website, or just sharing things using FTP and so on. I personally like it for WAN and LAN, because you never have to reconfigure anything once you set it up (my bank website for example recognises my IP address so I can log in, if I had dynamic it would suck to set it up every time).

Dynamic IP is assigned by DHCP, it's used to eliminate the need to assign addresses to every computer, you simply log on and use the network. It's useful in LAN if you have for example 10 slots and 11 machines, whichever are on, will get an address. For WAN, .... well, you're harder to ban from chat servers, game servers and sites, you just reset your IP and you're back on.

For most generic uses though, you'll never know the difference. Internet will be on and working the same both ways.
Most Dial-Up and DSL providers have a dynamic IP address and cable internet has a static address.