What Is a Static IP Address and How Do You Get One?

“Static IP” can mean two completely different things: giving a device on your home network a fixed local IP, or getting a public IP from your internet provider that never changes. The first is free and takes a few minutes in your router's settings; the second can only come from your provider and usually costs extra. This guide explains the difference, how to set a local static IP, who actually needs a public static IP and how to get one, why CGNAT gets in the way, and how free dynamic DNS can be an alternative.

Static vs. Dynamic IP Addresses

A dynamic IP is an address assigned temporarily from a pool, and it can change over time. On most home connections, your provider gives your router a public IP from its pool every time the router connects; that address may change when the router restarts, when the connection drops or at regular intervals. Inside your home, your router hands out local IP addresses to your computers, phones and TVs the same way, using a system called DHCP.

A static IP is assigned permanently and doesn't change. Because the address stays the same, a device can always be reached at that address, which is why static IPs are preferred for remote access and hosting. For browsing, streaming and online gaming, a dynamic IP works perfectly well.

Local Static IP vs. Public Static IP

If you're setting up remote access, you often need both: the public IP gets connections from the internet to your router, and the local static IP makes sure the router always passes them to the right device.

How to Set a Local Static IP

If you're forwarding a port, the device you forward to must keep the same local IP; otherwise, the day it restarts and gets a new address, your rule points at nothing. There are two ways to do this.

1. DHCP reservation (recommended)

Log in to your router and open the section called something like “DHCP Reservation,” “Address Reservation” or “Static Lease.” Pick your device from the list by its MAC address and reserve an IP address for it. You don't have to touch the device's settings; the router will always give it the same address. This is the most practical method, and the device keeps working normally if you take it to another network.

2. Setting the IP manually on the device

In Windows 11, go to Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → your connection's properties → IP assignment → Edit → Manual and turn on IPv4. Fill in the IP address, the subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0 on home networks), the gateway (your router's address) and a DNS server. Choose an address outside the router's DHCP pool; otherwise the router may hand the same address to another device and cause an IP conflict. For example, if the router hands out 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.100, you could pick 192.168.1.200; you'll find the pool range in the router's LAN or DHCP settings. On cameras and DVRs, the same settings are in the device's network menu.

Who Needs a Public Static IP?

• Remote camera and DVR viewing: connecting to a recorder from outside at the same address every time.
• Hosting: running a web, email, game or file server at home or in the office.
• VPN servers: connecting securely to your home or office network from anywhere.
• Remote desktop and remote management: reaching office computers or devices from outside.
• IP allowlists: company systems, server control panels or software licenses that only accept connections from specific IP addresses.

How to Get a Public Static IP

Only your internet provider can give you a public static IP. Most providers offer it as a paid add-on, and some only on business plans; pricing, terms and which plans qualify vary from provider to provider. Ask for a “static IP” through customer support or your online account.

The setup is usually done on the provider's side. Afterwards, you may need to restart your router or enter new connection details your provider gives you. Once it's active, the IP address shown on our home page should stay the same even after the router restarts. On mobile connections, a public or static IP is generally only available through business solutions.

Before you sign up, asking your provider a few questions saves surprises later:

• Will the address be a genuinely public IP, or will I still be behind CGNAT?
• Is there a monthly fee or a one-time setup fee, and does it require a particular plan or contract?
• Are any incoming ports blocked?
• Will it work with my current router, and will I need to enter new connection details?

A static IP also has a security side: because your address never changes, bots that scan for open ports can keep coming back to it once they've found it. Only open the ports you really need, and keep your devices' firmware up to date.

CGNAT: Why Port Forwarding Doesn't Work

Because IPv4 addresses have run out, many providers, especially mobile carriers and some home broadband providers, share a single public IP address among many customers. This is called CGNAT (carrier-grade NAT). Behind CGNAT, incoming connections never reach your router, so port forwarding can't work.

To find out where you stand, compare the WAN (internet) IP address in your router's admin page with the IP address shown on our home page:

• If they match, the public IP is assigned directly to your router, and port forwarding will work.
• If the WAN address is in the 100.64.0.0/10 range (100.64.x.x to 100.127.x.x), you're behind CGNAT.
• If the WAN address is a private one such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x, there may be another router in front of yours (double NAT). If there's no such device in your home, your provider may be using private addresses for CGNAT.

To get out of CGNAT, ask your provider for a public IP address. Some providers do this for free, while others only offer it as part of a paid static IP service.

Free Alternative: Dynamic DNS (DDNS)

If all you want is to reach a device at home from outside, dynamic DNS can replace a static IP. A DDNS service gives you a hostname such as myhome.example.net and automatically points it at your new IP address whenever it changes, so you can always reach your devices by the same name.

• Services such as DuckDNS and No-IP have free plans; some free plans require you to confirm your hostname periodically.
• Many routers have a DDNS client built in. If yours doesn't, you can run a small update program on a computer at home.
• Many camera and DVR brands also offer their own cloud (P2P) apps that don't need port forwarding and can work even behind CGNAT.

DDNS does not fix CGNAT: even if the name points to your shared IP address, incoming connections still won't reach you. It can also take a few minutes for the name to update after your IP changes.

How to Check Whether Your IP Address Changes

1. Write down the public IP address shown on our home page.
2. Turn off your router and leave it off for 5–10 minutes.
3. Turn it back on, wait for the connection to come up, reload the page and compare the addresses.

If the address changed, you have a dynamic IP. If it didn't, you may have a static IP, or your provider may simply keep the same address for a long time; your provider can tell you for sure. Once you have a public IP, you can test the ports you open with our port checker and follow our port forwarding guide for the setup steps.