What's the difference between a static and a dynamic IP address?

By Mitz

On your home network, when you connect to the internet your computer is automatically assigned a unique IP Address. This is called a Dynamic IP Address and is randomly chosen and could possibly be a different number each time you connect. If the first computer has 10.0.0.1 as its IP address and another computer connects to the same network it will become 10.0.0.2. If there are two more computers on the network, which ever connects to the internet first will be 10.0.0.3.

If you manually set your computer a permanent IP Address it is called a Static IP address. You must assign each individual computer on your network a unique number to avoid conflicts. Or on the other hand you can set one or two computers a static IP and let the rest get theirs randomly. I set my main computer in my home network a Static IP as I need to know what it is for file sharing and remote desktop. I do not want to have to look up the IP every time I use remote desktop.

Notes

• If there are two computers on the network with the same computer name, they may be assigned the same IP Address which will cause a conflict. You will have to change one of the computer name's. Then you may also have to renew or repair your connection.