Can I Change a Fixed IP Address?

by Carla Jean McKinney, Demand Media

Fixed IP addresses can be changed.

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A computer's Internet Protocol address is a set of numbers assigned by an Internet Service Provider to each device that uses the IP to communicate on the Internet. Used to identify a host or network as well as the location of a particular computer, IP addresses can be either fixed (static) or dynamic. Both types of IP addresses can be changed, but changing a fixed IP address permanently requires contacting the ISP as well as reconfiguring settings on the computer.

Dynamic and Fixed IP Addresses

IP addresses assigned by an Internet provider serve as a computer's address on the Web. Original IP addresses -- Internet Protocol version 4, or IPv4 -- consist of four numeric segments separated by periods. A later address system -- IPv6 -- is also in place for newer addresses and consists of numeric strings separated by colons. Dynamic addresses are new, temporary numbers assigned whenever an Internet connection is made, while fixed IP addresses are assigned to a computer by the ISP and remain in place whenever the device connects to the Internet.

Reasons to Change an IP Address

An IP address may need to be changed. IP addresses can be banned from certain servers to deny access to certain sites and content, also called blacklisting. A user may be the victim of malicious attacks by other users, or of viruses. Other reasons to change an IP address include stopping floods of spam or other kinds of unwanted email, or to change a user's profile, such as switching from a personal to a business presence on the Web.

Changing Fixed IP Addresses

Although dynamic IP addresses are temporary and change every time a user accesses the Internet, fixed addresses assigned by the service provider are permanent. A user is likely to have a fixed IP address if connecting to the Internet via a cable modem or DSL, and Macintosh users may have an IP address based on the Internet Mac address. Changing a fixed address generally begins with a request to the ISP. Documentation may be required to show reasons for the change, and frequent changes are discouraged.

Reconfiguring IP Address Settings

If the service provider grants a change of the IP address, it either provides new settings or instructions for reconfiguring settings on the computer. Windows users can configure the IP address by clicking Start > Control Panel > Network Card > TCP/IP > IP Address, or, for XP users, Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > Local Area Connection > Properties > Internet Protocol. Mac OS X users can make this change through the Apple menu by clicking System Preferences > Network > Airport or Ethernet -- depending on the kind of connection -- > Advanced >TCP/IP > Renew DHCP lease.

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References

  • What Is My IP: Find Your IP Address
  • IP Address World: Fixed and Dynamic IP Addresses
  • Tech FAQ: How to Change Your IP Address
  • Computer Hope: How Do I Change My IP Address?

About the Author

Carla Jean McKinney has been writing professionally since 1989. She is the author of three nonfiction books and numerous published short works, as well as articles on natural sciences and the environment. Also a photographer, McKinney earned her Master of Arts at the University of Arizona and is a graduate of the Sessions School of Design.

Photo Credits

  • Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images