Every game server needs an address players can reach: an IP address and a port. By default your server shares its IP address with other servers on the same machine, and each of them gets its own port. A dedicated IP gives your server an IPv4 address of its own. This guide explains what that changes, when it is worth it, and how to add it.
Shared IP or dedicated IP
With a shared IP, your address looks something like this:
45.132.245.89:25816
The IP is shared by several servers, so yours is told apart by the port at the end, and that port is rarely the game's usual one. It works perfectly well. Players just have to type the port, and anyone who drops it lands on the wrong server or on nothing.
With a dedicated IP, the address belongs to your server alone. That means it can usually run on the game's default port, which most games fill in automatically. For Minecraft the default is 25565, so players can connect with nothing but the IP:
45.132.245.89
When it is worth it
- You want a short, clean address. Easier to share, easier to remember, and no port for players to get wrong
- Your community already knows the address. An address that is only yours can follow the server for as long as you keep the add-on
- You point your own domain at the server. A plain A record to your own IP is simpler than a record that also has to carry a port
If your players join through a saved server list, an invite or a join code, and nobody minds the port, a shared IP does the job and you can skip this.
How to order a dedicated IP
You can add it when you order a server, or later to a server you already have. It is a monthly add-on, and the price is shown next to the option in your currency before you pay.
With a new server
In the cart, look for Configurable Options and switch on Dedicated IP. The price is added to the server's monthly total.
On a server you already have
- Open your server in the game panel
- On the Overview tab, find Server Details and click Upgrade Server. The same link is also in the More actions menu at the top of the page
- Under Configurable Options, click Dedicated IP so it is selected
- Check the summary. Adding it mid period charges only a prorated amount for the days left until your next renewal, then the full monthly price from the next period
- Click Confirm Upgrade and complete the payment
Only the account that owns the server can upgrade it. If there is an unpaid invoice on the server, pay that first, because the upgrade page will not go through while one is open.
Once the add-on is active, Dedicated IP shows up with a tick under Server Details on the Overview tab.
After ordering: tell us, and we move the server
Moving a server to its own IP is done by our team, not automatically at checkout. When you have paid, open a ticket from the support page with the name of the server, and we will move it onto its own address and let you know when it is done.
What changes afterwards
- The address changes. Your server gets a new IP, and usually the game's default port. The old address stops working, so share the new one with your players
- The panel shows the new address. Copy it from the connection card on the Overview tab
- Update anything that points at the old address. Saved server lists, links on your Discord or website, and any DNS record you made for your own domain all need the new IP
- Your files stay as they are. Worlds, mods, settings and backups are not touched by the address change
On Minecraft, server.properties is updated with your server's port every time it starts, so you do not need to edit anything there after the move.
Removing it again
Open Upgrade Server and click Dedicated IP again to deselect it. Nothing is refunded for the period you have already paid, and your recurring price drops from the next period. Without the add-on your server goes back to a shared IP with its own port, so expect the address to change again and let your players know.
Frequently asked questions
Does a dedicated IP make my server faster? No. It changes the address, not the hardware or the network route. Ping and performance stay the same.
Does it protect against DDoS attacks? Every server includes DDoS protection either way. The add-on does not change it.
Can I keep my current port? The point of a dedicated IP is usually the default port. If you need a specific port, mention it in your ticket and we will tell you what is possible.
Can I get an IPv6 address? This add-on is an IPv4 address.
Can I move my dedicated IP to another server? Ask in a ticket. It belongs to the service you ordered it on.
Does it work for every game? You can add it to any game server. Whether the game has a well-known default port that players can skip depends on the game.
Unsure whether you need one? Ask on the support page, and tell us which game you run. For everything else about your server, browse the help center.