5 benefits of static IP address for business

Do you know the difference between a static IP address and a dynamic IP address? Most people don’t, and you may not realise that your IP address changes all the time. This is called a dynamic IP – and it can reset any time from every few hours to every few months. To the average internet user it’s not so important, as it won’t affect your everyday activities like browsing, shopping or using social media.

For businesses though, it’s a very different story. Having a fixed or ‘static IP’ is practically essential. Critical systems, like email servers, websites or remote access tools, need the same known address to know where to contact, every time.

Simply put, a static IP makes things more seamless, stable, and secure for organisations. And beyond that, it can bring a range of operational advantages that many businesses can’t afford to overlook.

What are the 5 benefits of a static IP for business?

1. Consistent hosting services

If you host your own email or website server, customer portal or file sharing system – having a static IP keeps your online services accessible, 24/7. That means fewer ‘server not found’ errors, fewer delivery issues, and no more time spent updating and refreshing connection settings when they cut out.

For websites – certain features, like SSL certificates that authenticate your website’s identity, may even require a static IP. And just having a fixed IP address can benefit your page loading times and overall site performance. It also boosts your SEO standing and reputation as a reliable or safe connection – reducing the chance of being mistaken for suspicious traffic.

The same goes for mail servers – if they use static IP, they’re much less likely to be flagged as spam. So, it’s worth considering if you’re sending out lots of marketing or automated emails.  

2. Improved remote access

63% of UK employees are now working remotely for some of their week. And naturally, most organisations want that office-level user experience for their workforce, wherever they are.

Popular remote access tools like Remote Desktop Protocol and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) perform much better with a static IP, as it provides more stable connection and reduced latency.

By using a static IP, businesses can also offer a single secure login to company systems or resources, all through the one address. No reconnecting, no dropouts or delays. It’s a smoother remote experience – and there’s no managing a stream of new IPs.

3. Enhanced security

On the whole, security is much easier and more effective with a static IP. IT teams only have to set up firewalls once and then they work consistently. They then choose a fixed ‘approved’ list (or whitelist) of known employees, suppliers or partners that are allowed to connect, protecting your business from unknown actors.

Your business can then operate confidently, knowing the exact identities of everyone using your systems and resources. It also makes monitoring activity much easier, allowing you to pick up on any unusual activity, like hackers, very quickly.

4. Reliable communication

Collaboration tools with VoIP services, like Teams and Zoom, are also now daily staples for many businesses.  
Static IP makes sure these tools run smoothly, at high quality, with significantly less call dropouts or mid-meeting connection resets.

By now, we’ve all seen how dropouts and poor connection quality can affect important meetings and conferences. But when it happens too often, it can start to affect your reputation professionally.  

5. Better online services and applications

For businesses running online stores, eCommerce platforms or any custom applications, having static IP improves management, performance and customer experience.

Crucially, its stable connection means smoother app-based interactions and much less risk of unnerving dropouts, mid-payment.  

It’s also now far more common for third-party apps or services to ask for a fixed IP before they can integrate. So it’s becoming a vital stepping stone, if you want your tech stack to grow.

Can I use a dynamic IP address for business?

Despite all the benefits of a static IP, there may be reasons why some businesses still choose to use dynamic IPs:

• Some organisations may have basic security needs and don’t allow their employees to work from anywhere

• Some organisations may feel they can get by on a simple router that doesn’t need complex configuration

• Certain businesses expect they’ll only need to use relatively limited IT services or basic public cloud services like Google Apps or OneDrive

• Some companies may not want to spend the extra money or IT resource on setting up a static IP

Disadvantages of dynamic IP address for business

Today, these reasons don’t reflect the reality of most growing or forward-thinking businesses. For the majority, it’s only a matter of time before they’ll have to make the move to using a static IP if they haven’t already. In fact, sticking with dynamic IP can create a number of challenges for organisations as they grow including: 

1. Added complexities and costs
   Not having static IP can mean more complex or costly workarounds for things like multi-site networking

2. Total reliance on third-party providers
   Without self-hosting, control over your data or applications is limited. This is why self-hosting is usually the natural choice – even for smaller enterprises and start-ups

3. Following cybersecurity best-practice 
   Most cybersecurity professionals will recommend IP-authentication for things like firewalls, payment gateways and cloud services

Weighing up the pros and cons, it’s easy to see why a static IP address can seem like a more cost effective, efficient and secure alternative in the long run.  

How can LightSpeed help? At LightSpeed, we offer free static IPs to customers on business plans like the 5gbps business internet option  
 
They’re available when you order online or over the phone. But if you don’t already have one, you can request one through your My Account or if you speak directly to one of our team. Equally, if you just want to know more about how static IP can benefit your business specifically, or how it can fit into your existing IT set up, we’d love to talk it through with you.