Dedicated, static, and shared get used as if they mean the same thing, and they don’t. The confusion is understandable, because a single IP address can be two of them at once. Sorting them out takes about two minutes, and it makes choosing the right setup much easier.
In this article you’ll find out the differences between them and how Speedify’s server infrastructure accommodates all three options so you can get the best performance depending on your needs as a business or as an individual.
Shared IP: one address, many people
A shared IP is an address that many users connect through at the same time. This is what you get from most VPNs by default, and from a lot of home and mobile internet connections. It is good for privacy, because your activity is mixed in with everyone else’s. The trade-off is that the address carries the combined reputation of every user on it, and no service can tell that a given request is consistently you.
Speedify makes your uploads and downloads faster, more reliable, and more secure.
Speedify combines Wi-Fi, 4G / 5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink, and other satellites for faster internet uploads and downloads
Speedify is the only software app that combines Wi-Fi, 4G / 5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and other satellites at once for secure, faster, and more reliable internet uploads and downloads so you stay online without interruptions.
Speedify will automatically detect and start using any available Internet connections on your device while intelligently distributing your online traffic between them for optimal performance. If you need help we have quick start guides available for most common set ups.
Speedify gets you faster uploads and downloads from the devices around you
Speedify's Pair & Share feature lets you and the devices around you pair up and share 4G/5G cellular both ways, so every paired device gets faster uploads, faster downloads, and a steadier internet connection. All sides share and use each other's cellular at once, unlike a personal hotspot, where one device gives and the rest take.
Speedify's Pair & Share feature runs over the local network between devices already running Speedify, with no extra hardware and no new data plans. Speedify creates an encrypted pool of shared 4G/5G cellular connections across all paired devices. Each device taps into that shared pool of combined connections for faster upload and download speeds and a more reliable internet connection.
See how you can use Speedify to combine different Internet connections:
Static IP: an address that doesn’t change
A static IP is simply an address that stays the same over time, rather than being reassigned periodically. The opposite is a dynamic IP, which your provider rotates whenever it feels like it. Static matters when something needs to find you at a predictable address: a server you host, a remote-access setup, or a firewall rule that trusts a specific number.
Here is the catch that trips people up. Static does not automatically mean private. An address can be static and still be shared among a small group of users. So “static” answers the question “does it change?” but not “is it only mine?” Speedify covers this distinction in its guide to NAT and static IP addresses.
Dedicated IP: an address that’s yours alone
A dedicated IP is assigned to one account and no one else. It answers the second question: yes, this address is only yours. In practice a dedicated IP is almost always static too, which is why the two terms get blurred. The distinction still matters, because the benefits people actually want, getting on a whitelist, fewer fraud flags, running a reachable service, come from the address being dedicated, not just from it being static.
A quick comparison between shared IP, static IP and dedicated IP
- Shared: used by many, often dynamic, best for blending in and general privacy.
- Static: doesn’t change, may still be shared, best when something needs to find you at a fixed address.
- Dedicated: yours alone and almost always static, best for whitelisting, consistent access, and a clean reputation.
How Speedify handles all three IP options with their servers
Speedify gives you a shared IP for free with every plan. Speedify uses channel bonding to combine Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and satellite into one connection that terminates on the shared Speedify network, across 50+ cities on six continents, which is the right choice for most everyday use.
When you need an IP address that is both static and dedicated, a Speedify Dedicated Server provides a static IPv4 address reserved for your account, along with up to 1 Gbps of throughput, 3TB of monthly bandwidth, and port forwarding. Speedify runs the server and backs it with a guaranteed service level agreement, so the dedicated IP arrives attached to a connection that is faster, more reliable, and more secure.
Get started with Speedify
Start with the free shared network by downloading Speedify, then add a Speedify Dedicated Server if you reach the point where you need a static, dedicated address of your own. See current options on the Speedify store.
Get started with Speedify today!
With Speedify you can combine Wi-Fi, 4G / 5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and other satellites into one bonded super-connection to improve livestreaming, video calling, gaming, web browsing, and everything else you do online.
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