The IP Address: Unique Down to the Last Character
In our “What is” series, we are diving into a mini-series that breaks down one of the most asked DNS terms according to our Customer Support team: The IP Address.
Basics
First, let’s explain what an IP address is. An Internet Protocol Address, or IP address for short, is like your computer’s phone number. Without it, your computer wouldn’t be able to connect to the Internet. Every computer, tablet, smartphone, and Internet-enabled device has its own IP address. Even some light bulbs have an IP address these days. An IP address consists of numbers and periods. For example, “192.168.1.1” is an IP address that routers like Linksys and other brands utilize as an access point or gateway.
Static IP Address
A static IP address does not change; It is assigned to you by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and often costs extra money. A static IP address is yours and will never change (unless you cancel the subscription).
Dynamic IP Address
A Dynamic IP address is not static; It changes from time to time and isn’t always the same. You most likely have a dynamic IP address if you have a residential cable or DSL service. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) assign customers with dynamic IP addresses because they are cost-effective. Instead of one IP address always being yours (a static IP address), your IP address is pulled from a pool of addresses and then assigned to you. After a few days, weeks, or sometimes even months, that number is returned to the pool. You are then assigned a new number.
This is why a dynamic IP address can make it tricky to access your PC, DVR, or webcam remotely. Even if you know your IP address at this moment, five minutes from now it could be different. If you want to access your computer remotely, but you have the wrong IP address, you will not be able to connect to your computer.
How Does it Work?
Dynamic DNS makes a dynamic IP address act as though it’s static (does not change) even though it is not. With a dynamic DNS service provider, such as No-IP, you create an easy-to-remember hostname. This hostname is the URL you type into your browser to connect to your remote device.
Most of the time, routers have dynamic DNS or DDNS built into the router. With this feature, you do not need to download our Dynamic Update Client. You will just need to login to the admin settings on your router and configure it with your No-IP username, password, and hostname. This will keep your connection active for you automatically.
Dynamic IP addresses are a bit annoying, but with the right software you can get around them easily and for free. Most ISPs will not provide a static IP address to residential customers. Even if they do, they are often very expensive.
No-IP Solutions
Take a look below at what No-IP can provide to support your network management:
Remote Access
Check out the services No-IP offers to help keep your dynamic IP address updated and your server running.
Dynamic Update Client
Our Dynamic Update Client (DUC) takes the hostname that you created (http://yourname.ddns.net ) and points it to your IP address. When your IP address changes, our DUC updates your IP address on our servers. Therefore, your hostname always points to your network’s IP address. This enables you to always connect to your devices.
We Want to Hear From You!
Questions? Feel free to reach out to our awesome Customer Support team here.