Is there really a difference when you have either a static IP or shared IP address? Surprisingly, a lot of site owners are not fully aware of the significance of this particular concern.

For starters, you must understand that you normally get a shared IP when you sign for a shared hosting solution and you get a fixed or static IP when you add a couple of bucks to the basic cost of the plan. The shared and fixed IP are the two types of IP addresses used in web hosting. Although there are no significant differences in the IP address, there are some differences in the way it is configured on the servers that they rest on.

Under the structure of a shared IP address, all the sites inside a particular server will carry the same IP. This means that once the browser submits a request for a particular page from a site found inside that IP, the server will automatically detect the domain that is being requested and will submit the right page. On the other hand, under the structure of static IP address, your website or blogsite will have its own unique IP, even if it is hosted on a server with other websites and blogsites.

There is a raging debate on whether or not the type of IP address has significant impact on site’s search ranking. There are those who believe that it contributes significantly on the search ranking, although a greater majority claim that the type of IP address does not make any difference as far as Google and other search engines are concerned.

While we may not find a definitive answer to this particular issue, one must be aware of the fact that there are certain instances where a shared IP can affect your site. For instance, you site will encounter problems if another site that shares the same IP will get flagged for spam or adult content. This means that your site will also suffer the same consequences or penalties imposed on the erring site.