Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

December 29, 2008

Multiple Domains and Your IP Address

Even though more people are doing it, the question still remains the same - should you host multiple domains on a single IP address?  Many of the experts have stated that you should always have one IP address for each unique domain while others have contested that it really doesn't matter.  Most providers today do not offer static IP addresses unless the customer needs to configure SSL on their site.  In any event, if you absolutely need a separate address, be prepared to pay a few extra dollars each month.

Multiple Domains, IPs and Search Engines

The focal point of hosting multiple domains on a single IP address has always revolved around the search engines.  Years ago, search engines such as Google and Yahoo collected the IP address of a single website rather than the web server into its database.  Today's search engine technology has changed, catering to virtual domains as URLs are more of a priority than a website's IP address.

Another issue relates to search engine banning.  Because web hosting companies really have no way to thoroughly screen their customers, practically anyone can sign up for an account.  This includes those planning to create sites hosting malicious software, adult content and much more.  With everyone trying to fight their way to the top of the rankings, several people are cheating the search engines in order to receive a higher spot.  The speculation here is that if the search engine finds out, it disqualifies that listing and bans the entire IP address.  This would mean that any other user sharing that IP address would have their website banned as well.  Some have said that the possibility alone is enough to want your own dedicated IP address.  On the other hand, shared and virtual hosting is quite popular and serviced by a number of reliable providers.  This has led others to believe that sharing an IP address is fine as long as every user is following the rules and not spamming the search engines.

Do You Need a Dedicated IP Address?

Although a large company should definitely have its own IP address, small to medium sized businesses and personal users hosting on a header-based Unix-like server can get away without it.  The IP address of the web server is enough to enable access to FTP or SSH.  There tends to be no performance issues or access restrictions when using headers other than IP addresses.  However, if you want anonymous FTP and SSL on your site, you may feel more comfortable with a dedicated IP address.

Tags: Yahoo,  unique domain,  static IP address,  SSL,  search engine,  multiple domains,  IP address,  IP,  Google