What Is a Dedicated IPv4 Address?

A dedicated IPv4 address is a public internet address that belongs to your server alone. Every port on it reaches your server, including the standard web ports 80 and 443. You point your domain at it and visitors reach your server directly.

How it works

The provider takes an address from its pool and routes all traffic for it to your server. Your server's operating system is told to answer on that address, and from then on it behaves like a machine with its own connection to the internet.

Because IPv4 addresses are scarce, providers usually charge for them separately and limit how many one account can hold. Many also let you move an address from one server to another, so a replacement server can take over without a DNS change.

When to use it

• A website or app on your own domain that must answer on ports 80 and 443 over IPv4, and that you run on a server rather than on managed hosting.
• Getting HTTPS certificates on the server itself, which usually needs port 80 or 443 (see Let's Encrypt certificates).
• Services that clients expect on their standard port, rather than on a port number you hand out.
• Keeping one address while you swap the server behind it.

When not to use it

• SSH, dashboards and apps on custom ports. The shared IPv4 port block every server gets already covers them.
• A website you can run on managed web hosting, which serves your domain over HTTPS without one.

How it works on VeloxaHost

• A paid add-on. A dedicated IPv4 address is charged by the hour from the hour it is assigned to your account until you release it, whether or not it is attached to a server, and stops at its monthly price each month. The console shows the current price on the create page and the IP Addresses page.
• Limited. How many addresses you can hold depends on your plan, and an address is only available while the region's pool has one free. If none is free, the request is refused; when you asked for it while creating a server, no server is created.
• At creation or later. Choose Dedicated under Network access when you create a server, or request an address later on the IP Addresses page.
• Move it. Attach the address to another server, or detach it, from the IP Addresses page or the API.
• Add it to the server. The address is routed to the server, which then has to answer on it: add it to the network interface and to the network configuration so it survives a reboot.
• Reverse DNS on request. Request a reverse DNS name (PTR record) for the address from the IP Addresses page. It opens a support ticket and takes effect once support has published it, not instantly.

FAQ

Do I need a dedicated IPv4 address to host a website?

Not on managed web hosting. On a VPS, you need one for a site on your own domain on ports 80 and 443 over IPv4, because US East has no IPv6 yet and the shared block cannot offer those ports.

Can I move the address to another server?

Yes. Attach it to a different server from the IP Addresses page or the API. Point your DNS at the address once and it stays valid.

Can I set reverse DNS for my address?

Yes, for a dedicated address. Request the hostname on the IP Addresses page; support publishes the PTR record. Reverse DNS maps an address back to a hostname, the opposite of an A record.

Am I charged for an address that is not attached?

Yes. An address is charged from the hour it is assigned to your account until you release it. Release it when you no longer need it.