Static v Dynamic IP address

[CharlieOneSix]

A few months ago I was told by my local Council that my location was one of the 5% in Scotland that would never be upgraded to the Superfast broadband infrastructure. I decided to look for ways of improving my 1.25 mb/sec service using the £350 voucher I received for an alternative technology installation charge. I recently had a 20mb/sec wireless broadband service installed. The installer said that because I want to be able to look at my CCTV cameras on my ipad and iphone I would need to have a static ip address - and this is now what I have.

For years I had a dynamic ip address and happily saw my cameras on my ipad and phone by using a free DDNS provider so I don't really understand why I had to change. At least I'm not being charged extra for the static address.

So, my friendly experts, what disadvantages are there to having a static ip address? Any security implications that I should be aware of?

[admin]

I tend to see more advantages than disadvantages in having a static IP address. Whilst DDNS services do give the appearance of having a static address they will increase latency, which is the time taken to access a site. Pinging times for an address that uses DDNS can be significantly greater than going direct via a static address.

Once tried to set up a VPN system - Virtual Private Network, for a legal centre so the solicitors could access their documents from home. The idea was to put all the connection code on a USB stick, which they could just plug into their home computer and go. At the time the MS Windows VPN software would not play happily with the available DDNS services. Spent a lot of time and money to no avail, ending up a disaster.

For quite a few years I had what was referred to as a "naked" ADSL service, where my copper ended up at a DSLAM - Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer at the exchange. Using a technique known as Annex M and a static IP address, I was able to run a couple of web servers at home. This site started off using these, two and a bit years ago. Having a static address was essential for this requirement. Using a dynamic address would have been possible, but it tends to introduce an extra layer of complexity which I could well do without.

C16 I cannot see any security downsides to static over dynamic. Quite the opposite. Far easier to hack/misdirect a dynamic site than a static one. Quite a few serious hacks have taken place by the hackers getting a DDNS service to point to bogus sites.

Alison

[CharlieOneSix]

Thanks for that info, Alison. Very reassuring.

[admin]

Oh, and wecome back C16. We missed you.

Hugs Alison

[CharlieOneSix]

Thanks Alison - hoping to drag my mate FD2 back here so we can get the Rotary side moving!

[Ex-Ascot]

We are blocked from viewing many UK based sites, film clips. Any advice on the best free VPN to use which we can select UK on. I had one once but for the UK you had to pay.

[Boac]

Have you tried Firefox and 'Best Proxy Switcher'?

"Other browsers may be available"

[Pontius Navigator]

Didn't know C16 had been away

[Boac]

Didn't know C16 had been away

- 2017?

[Capetonian]

I'm told Nord VPN and Express VPN are the best for higher volume use.

I've been using one called Tunnel Bear which is free for a certain amount of data, which has been far more than I've ever needed, however it doesn't enable me to access things like BBC IPlayer when I'm out of the UK as it knows that I'm not in the UK, whereas I believe the others offer a higher level of location masking. It's incredibly simple to set up and use.

[Ex-Ascot]

I'm told Nord VPN and Express VPN are the best for higher volume use.

I've been using one called Tunnel Bear which is free for a certain amount of data, which has been far more than I've ever needed, however it doesn't enable me to access things like BBC IPlayer when I'm out of the UK as it knows that I'm not in the UK, whereas I believe the others offer a higher level of location masking. It's incredibly simple to set up and use.

Thanks Cape. In fact you put Tunnel Bear on my smart phone for me but it seems as if none of the above are free for Windows. Not prepared to pay just to watch the odd film clip then to find they block UK at some time in the future.

Boac:

Have you tried Firefox and 'Best Proxy Switcher'?

Thank you I do not fully understand this but looking into it.

[Boac]

Ex-A - BPS with Firefox routes your internet connection through a provider in a country you choose which can eliminate the 'national' limitations, but not always. Some systems will not allow connection through proxy providers, which are fairly easily identified, TOP did not. It is worth a go and free.