3 reasons dynamic IP addresses are better than static ones

Networking can be a confusing topic, and the various considerations for security and setup depending on the type of network and whether you’re using a public or private IP address will only add to the confusion. While your home router is connected to the internet, it gets a public IP address from your ISP, so that the internet knows how to route data back to your home. This is usually a dynamic IP; that is, it changes occasionally as your ISP reconfigures its network. Businesses and those hosting servers often pay for a static IP from their ISP so that it never changes, but it’s not really necessary nowadays for most users. Furthermore, a dynamic public-facing IP address is more secure, easier to configure, and saves money.

3 More security conscious

Dynamic IP addresses cut down on tracking and attacks

Public-facing dynamic IPs are superior to static IPs for most internet users. They are easier to set up and maintain (as you don’t have to do anything) and bring a host of security benefits you’ll appreciate. Note that we’re not talking about IP addresses used on your home network behind your router, only the IP address that the internet-at-large sees you as, which is given to you by your internet provider. Having a dynamic IP shown to the world helps with security, as hackers often scan for static IP addresses to focus on. If your IP changes frequently, the target you present to the world is smaller. It’s not exactly gone, but it’s definitely smaller, and every bit of reduction helps.

So the temptation and ability to track you from hackers is reduced, but also the likelihood of targeted IP-based cyberattacks goes down. This might not be hacking, but other annoyances like DDoS attacks that could knock you off the internet while they are ongoing. I’ve been targeted in this way before by hackers who found my public IP address from IRC and knocked me offline for a day or so at a time until the ISP changed my public IP address again. It’s not fun, and nowadays, most messaging platforms obscure your public IP from view, so these attacks are harder to pull off. Dynamic IPs also reduce tracking for other reasons, like advertising.

2 Dynamic DNS is superior for hosting

Don’t pay your ISP for a static IP

One reason you might think you want a public static IP is to host servers, perhaps one running Minecraft for you and your friends to connect to as a private space. However, have you considered the security and privacy implications of that? Companies with public-facing static IPs pay large amounts of money to companies like Cloudflare to maintain DDoS protection, among other security tools, so that the servers aren’t knocked offline by bored hackers or script kiddies.

Instead, you can sign up for a dynamic DNS (DDNS or DynDNS) provider. These services act as an intermediary, constantly remapping a hostname to the changing public IP address that your ISP gives out. Then, instead of pointing web services to your public IP, you use the hostname, which is safer, easier to remember, and often significantly cheaper than paying for a static IP and the necessary security tools. Some routers also have their own DynDNS services, which could either be free to use, like on Asus devices, or part of a subscription, like on Eero routers.

1 UPnP and NAT handle the complicated parts

No need to manually forward ports or manually assign IP pairs

In the early days of the internet, every device had a public-facing IP address and could be directly addressed by games, servers, and any other services. This wasn’t a problem back then, as the number of devices was smaller than the number of IPv4 addresses available. However, this has become a big problem thanks to an explosion of internet-connected devices. To fix this, Network Address Translation (NAT) was invented, which allows devices on your home network to talk to the wider internet, all without running out of IPv4 addresses. Under NAT, all your home devices look like they have a static IP to the devices on the internet that they’re talking to.

Similarly, applications and services on the internet use specific ports to enter and exit your home. You can think of them as little doors at the ends of tunnels if that helps with visualization. This had to be set up manually at one time until UPnP came along, which was designed to automatically forward these ports to the devices and services that needed them. Modern services and games take advantage of UPnP, so the user doesn’t have to worry about manually port forwarding, and you still don’t need a static IP address to use it.

You probably don’t need a static IP address

So, aside from security benefits, resistance to tracking for advertising and other purposes, and technology like Dynamic DNS and UPnP making static IP addresses unnecessary at the consumer level, are there any reasons you might want one? Sure, if you’re using them within your home network. That gives you consistent, reliable connections to individual devices, like a home media server, so that other devices on your network know how to reach them. However, you still shouldn’t set the static IP on the device. Set it in the DHCP settings of your router as a reserved IP address for that device. That way, DHCP will always give it the same IP address, without running into issues like two devices getting the same IP address.