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Static IP addresses

Our Broadband Expert says...

A business broadband package can make a real difference to your home office. While advertised speeds might not be much higher than those offered by a standard home broadband provider, you'll usually get a faster, more reliable connection as well as a host of benefits and added extras that take your business to the next level.

Static IP address

IP addresses are essentially a set of unique numbers that are used to identify your computer - much like your home address or credit card number. Your computer - or any other web-enabled device - needs an IP address in order to access the internet and you automatically get one when you sign up to your broadband provider.

Most home broadband connections come with a dynamic IP address which is refreshed with a new set of numbers at regular intervals. Because a static IP address remains the same, you can use it to run different applications.

A static IP address allows you to do new things with your internet connection, such as running your own email or FTP server so that you can share large files with clients over a secure connection.

A static IP address also lets you connect to your work computer from any other PC. This means that as long as your home office computer is switched on, you'll be able to access all of your files remotely and use it just as you would if you were at home.

Other static IP benefits include the ability to:

• Run your own website - By installing web server software on your PC you can set up your own website, which will save you money if you need one for your business, or just want one for personal use. There are plenty of free programs available on the internet but make sure you do your research and check customer reviews before installing anything.
• Receive emails direct to your PC - A static IP address allows you to get rid of your Hotmail or Yahoo! account and set up your own email address with your choice of domain name. This is especially useful if you run a small business as you can choose a domain name to suit your business. Again, you will need to install specific mail server software to do this, but there are free programs available.
• Run an FTP server - File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an efficient and reliable way to transfer data from one computer to another, and you can share much larger files than you could send in an email. Again, specific software must be installed in order for you to set up an FTP site, but this is easy to do and free software is available online. Once you’ve set up the site, clients simply need to log in to access, edit or uploads files.
• Less downtime - Each time a dynamic IP address refreshes you run the risk of downtime from the server. While this is usually only for a very short time, it can affect emails or file transfers. A static IP address eliminates this risk.

While almost all business broadband packages come with at least one static IP address, you don’t necessarily need a business broadband provider to get one. ISPs like O2 Broadband (www.O2.co.uk) and BE Broadband (www.Bethere.co.uk) offer static IP addresses as standard with selected broadband packages.

Plusnet Broadband (www.Plus.net) customers on its Extra or Pro packages also have the option to upgrade to a static IP address.

Alternatives to a static IP address

If you don’t want to switch to a package with a static IP address - or if your contract with your current provider hasn’t expired yet, there are alternatives.

Software such as those provided by No-IP.com and Dyndns.com simulate static IP address, updating all of your applications each time your dynamic IP refreshes, allowing you to use remote PC access, FTP servers and receive emails direct to your PC.

Other business broadband benefits

While a static IP address offers a range of benefits, a good business broadband package will bring a number of other great features that will enhance your business.

Other business broadband benefits include:

• Faster, more reliable broadband - Although your business broadband package might advertise the same “up to 8Mb broadband” or “up to 20Mb broadband” as your old home connection, priority network access means that your traffic will be prioritised over other traffic on the network, giving you a better connection.
• Assured bandwidth - If your business uses bandwidth-reliant applications like VoIP internet telephone calls, then assured bandwidth is something you'll be interested in. It sets apart a minimum amount of bandwidth for specific applications so that no matter what happens to your connection, your internet telephone calls or FTP server won’t suffer.
• Priority customer support - As well as priority network access, which gives your internet traffic priority on the network, business broadband also offers priority customer support. ISPs know how important your internet connection is so any problems you have will be dealt with as soon as possible.
• Email addresses and web space - Small businesses can benefit hugely from free web space and dedicated .co.uk email address, which make your business look more professional and accessible to your customers and clients.
• Lower contention ratios - While your home broadband package probably has a contention ratio of 50:1 - meaning that you essentially share your connection with 49 other people on your road - some business broadband packages offer lower contention ratios of 20:1 or even 1:1 - though a dedicated line will set you back more than £100 a month.
• Free security - Almost all business broadband packages come with free security to make sure that your business stays safe from viruses, trojans and hackers.

Cheap business broadband

A good business broadband package doesn’t have to cost the earth - especially if you're a home office user and don’t need to connect 20 employees to the internet at the same time.

NB Best buy tables (orange background) are always current.

Examples in the text of the article (white background) are correct at time of publication.

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If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at OurExpert@broadbandchoices.co.uk

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