Reserving an IP Address on Sky Broadband

saf1976

Hi all,

Sky broadband operates a dynamic IP.

Is there a way of reserving an IP address for a set PC that I use whilst the rest operates a dynamic IP?

Saf

enigma52

leave the router switched on 24/7 then ip doesn't change

fwor

The dynamic IP address that Sky allocate applies to the internet side of their router, and that's the one that is visible externally.

Assuming your PCs are connected to the router via Ethernet, they will have IP addresses that are not visible externally. Normally the router assigns these addresses when each PC is booted up, but you can set them statically yourself.

The router uses Network Address Translation so the PCs all appear to the outside world to be using the external IP address.

saf1976

Thanks for the replies.

Router is switched off when not in use to save on the bills.

Fwor - are you saying that I could set a static line for one pc on Sky? The others can run as dynamic.

-TangleFoot-

saf1976 wrote: »

are you saying that I could set a static line for one pc on Sky?

Not exactly. Your service provider assigns the router a public IP address which all connected devices share. These devices (your computers) are assigned their own 'private' IP addresses by the router, which handles communications between them and the Internet at large.

If you disable the router's DHCP server you may find that Sky will assign each computer its own WAN address, but chances are you'll have to pay extra for such a service. Most home broadband packages are priced on the assumption that only one device will be connected directly to the internet at any one time, hence the widespread use of NAT to share a connection.

You can give each computer on your network a static IP address quite easily, but this has no effect on the address assigned by your ISP. Public IP addresses cost money whether they're static or dynamic. If it's just a reliable means of accessing your network from elsewhere you're after, a dynamic DNS service such as DynDNS should be sufficient.

AirCooledHeaven

Why specifically do you want a static IP address?

robt_2

saf1976 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

Router is switched off when not in use to save on the bills.

Fwor - are you saying that I could set a static line for one pc on Sky? The others can run as dynamic.

They are designed to be left on - it must be saving you £1 a year by turning it off.

Sky assign you a dynamic IP. ALL the computers connected to the Internet on your home network use this IP to communicate with the Internet. The router routes traffic from the Internet IP address to the individual computers on your home network which YOU can set to use a static IP. However, they will still have a dynamic IP as far as the Internet is concerned, for example, this website will see all computers on your home network using the same IP address if you were to make a post using each computer.

Why do you want a static IP? There might be alternative answers to the problem you are trying to solve.

TimothyEBaldwin

Whilst public IPv4 addresses are scarce (expected to run out in 2011) and expensive, you can get more than a septillion IPv6 addresses for free.

-TangleFoot-

And how do we migrate to this new-fangled address system? :rolleyes:

S0litaire

TimothyEBaldwin wrote: »

Whilst public IPv4 addresses are scarce (expected to run out in 2011) and expensive, you can get more than a septillion IPv6 addresses for free.

Only problem is that only a very few ISP's give out IPv6 addresses and only slightly more actually can use them..

Think currently only Academic Networks (Like "Janet" and other universities networks) routinely use IPv6 addresses.

Strider590

Dunno if it helps, but if you use a DDNS service (which you can get for free), you can have a domain name which is updated to sync with your IP everytime it changes.

Hard to explain in terms that everyone will understand, check out http://www.no-ip.com/

You get basically something like "blahblah.noip.com", this then translates via their server to your current IP address.