There are many things to consider when launching a new website.
One has to take into consideration what content the site will contain, the layout and design have to be visually appealing, and the site should be easy to use and compatible with social media networks and easy purchase (if you’re selling something). One also has to make sure all the bugs are worked out.
The layout alone is already a big undertaking to design. There are many aspects people don’t realize when it comes to creating a new website. One crucial decision that could be very beneficial to a new website is deciding between a shared IP or a dedicated IP server.
IP stands for Internet Protocol. The IP address is the sequence of numbers assigned to every device that uses the Internet. The domain is your website's address, and the IP address allows the Internet to recognize your particular device when it uses any website. Which means every cell phone, computer, or laptop will have their own exclusive IP address.
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Dedicated IPs vs. Shared IPs
Data centers usually offer two different categories of hosting, which include dedicated server hosting and shared server hosting. Shared hosting means that the server is hosting multiple sites at once. When a website or business decides to go with shared hosting—you don’t usually get to choose who shares the server and IP with you. When you decide to go with dedicated hosting—all of the power and resources are reserved for only your site. The person renting the server also gets to choose how they use the power and resources.
When it comes to shared hosting—your website could be sharing a server with hundreds or even thousands of sites. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing, but it just depends on who and what other websites you are sharing a server with.
Risks of Sharing IP Addresses
There are some risks you take when sharing an IP address with other websites. If you happen to be sharing a server with primarily spam blogs, websites that practice black hat antics, and pornography websites, there is good possibility that Google could devalue everything that happens to be on that IP address. Even if your website contains good content—your website could, unfortunately, be lumped with the bad ones. This means there could be a possibility of being penalized without doing anything wrong.
Malware and spoofing are other risks one may encounter when sharing an IP address. Once hackers are able to break one site—there is a possibility he or she can breach the others on the same IP address. If your web host uses proper security and segregation your site should be safe. Make sure your host is trusted and uses the right precautions, so your site is covered from all aspects.
Your web host should be using Sandboxing software to isolate all the different websites on the server. This line of protection is an essential layer of security which means hackers can’t damage your website directly. Although they can’t directly damage your site, you will be affected in regards to the power usage hackers will be taking away from the server. Your site will load slower than usual.
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Benefits of a Dedicated IP Address
There are many benefits to having your own dedicated IP address. If you’re looking to sell anything you will want to have an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. This is the standard in security measure for determining an encrypted link between browser and server. People will not want to enter their credit card information if your website isn’t secure. For your website to have an SSL certificate — you need a dedicated IP.
Dedicated IP and dedicated hosting could also help maintain the speed and performance of your website. Having a dedicated IP and host could potentially decrease the chance of your website crashing. Speed can also help with your sites Search Engine Optimization. Google takes into account the websites speed and uses it as a ranking factor. A dedicated IP is crucial to your website’s speed.
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Conclusion
There is a lot of time and effort that goes into building your website. You are creating great content and making the site design aesthetically pleasing—having a dedicated IP can be very beneficial in the security of your site. Having a dedicated IP can also be very beneficial when it comes to the speed and performance of the site. Taking this extra step to ensure your site is secure and running at top-notch speeds isn’t just beneficial but a necessity.
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