Internet service providers (ISPs) collect and use your IP address to identify your device, browser, operating system, and other information about your online activity. ISPs also use this information to deliver content and advertisements that are tailored to you. IP addresses are unique identifiers for every device on the internet. ISPs use these identifiers to route traffic and provide services to their customers. Your IP address is also used by advertisers and other third-party companies to track your online activity. ISPs can share your IP address with other companies for a variety of reasons, including: Delivering targeted ads: Advertisers can use your IP address to target ads specifically to you on websites or apps. This allows them to make more money by selling more products or services. Advertisers can use your IP address to target ads specifically to you on websites or apps. This allows them to make more money by selling more products or services. Providing customer support: ISPs sometimes need access to your IP address in order to provide customer support or troubleshoot problems. ISPs sometimes need access to your IP address in order for customer support or troubleshoot problems. Protecting the network: ISPs use tracking technology in order protect their networks from abuse and unauthorized access by users. This includes blocking malicious traffic, detecting spam, and identifying attacks against the network infrastructure. ..
Image courtesy of EasyDNS, a dynamic DNS service provider.
Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.
The Question
SuperUser reader Agz is curious why his ISP just doesn’t give him a fixed IP address:
Why indeed? Why not just assign a permanent address to every customer?
The Answer
SuperUser contributor Flimzy offers some insight into the IP assignment methods:
Now that you know why you routinely receive a different IP address, check out our article How To Easily Access Your Home Network From Anywhere With DDNS to configure your home network to use a free dynamic DNS service to easily find your way home no matter how many times your ISP changes your IP.
As broadband connections have become more common, the practical reasons for not assigning a static IP have become much less noticeable, as now the majority of connections are “always-on”–even when nobody is (actively) using the Internet.
So there’s a bit of a historical reason not to use static IPs–customers are already accustomed to using dynamic IPs.
When modern ISPs enforce dynamic IPs these days, it may be in part to distinguish between “consumer” and “professional” services–by reserving static IPs for customers who pay more, it gives customers who need that feature an incentive to upgrade their service level.
It can also serve as a deterrent for people abusing their consumer-grade service. Many ISPs, for instance, explicitly prohibit running “servers” on a home Internet connection. If every home user had a static IP, they’d be more inclined to abuse such terms of service.
It’s also less of a management problem to assign customers dynamic IPs. If you move across town (but within the same ISP’s service area), there’s no need to re-assign how your static IP is routed; you’ll just get a dynamic IP that exists in the new neighborhood.
Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.
