PrivateVPN offers dedicated IP addresses, but the format and delivery style differs from what you get from other providers. Thus, the VPN provider stands out with its free dedicated IP address offer, the flexibility of server locations for connection, and the availability of these addresses to multiple users.
Even so, there are drawbacks to the dedicated IP address model chosen by PrivateVPN.
That’s why I discuss what the PrivateVPN dedicated IP address offering entails, how to get the best of it, when to use it and when to steer clear.
I also mention alternative providers with robust dedicated IP address provisions.
What Kind of Dedicated IP Addresses Does PrivateVPN Offer?
PrivateVPN offers dynamic dedicated IP addresses, which sounds like a contradiction.
Dedicated IP addresses are supposed to be a single value address that a user can privately retain to connect to the internet via secure VPN tunnels.
So, that makes it always look like you’re in one place and limits red flags associated with VPN-related internet requests.
However, PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP addresses change on every connection.
Thus, choosing a single dedicated IP server doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the same IP address used the last time.
Then, why is it referred to as a dedicated IP address?
Unlike the shared IP addresses, PrivateVPN assigns a dedicated IP address under the relevant server to one user per time. After the dedicated IP address is used, it never goes back into the dedicated IP pool.
That way, you always get a fresh, unused, and never-to-be-reused IP address whenever you connect to its dedicated IP servers.
If you’ll instead have static dedicated IP addresses, keep reading to find my alternatives to PrivateVPN’s offering.
How to Setup PrivateVPN’s Dedicated IP Address?
Setting up PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP address is easy, and the process is replicable across your mobile and PC devices.
I’ll use my Windows PC for this example:
- Buy a PrivateVPN plan.
- Download the VPN app for your preferred device. I recommend downloading the app from PrivateVPN’s website or your official app store. Never sideload from external sources.
- Login with your account credentials.
- Once in the account “Dashboard” section, click “Change.”
- Click the “Dedicated IP” tab.
- Browse the list to choose a preferred dedicated IP address.
- Double-click the dedicated IP address to connect.
Is a PrivateVPN Dedicated IP Worth It?
PrivateVPN’s dynamic dedicated IP offering doesn’t have the stability of static IPs, but that doesn’t make it all bad. In fact, it’s better than static dedicated IPs in several areas, as I share below:
- Improved privacy: Shared IPs are great since thousands of users are on them, and you can’t be singled out. But static dedicated IPs narrow the traffic/activity to you. With PrivateVPN’s dynamic addresses, you never spend too long on a single IP to get deanonymized.
- Free of charge: Every other reliable provider with a dedicated IP address prices it as an add-on to the basic VPN package. But PrivateVPN includes it in the basic price. Even so, it remains one of the most affordable VPN providers.
- More locations: PrivateVPN gives you access to dynamic dedicated IPs in 15 countries and 16 cities. In comparison, the paid providers usually only offer up to six locations, and you can only get one of these locations after paying.
- Works on multiple devices: All alternative dedicated IP address providers only allow you to use it on one device per time. With PrivateVPN, you can enjoy these dynamic dedicated IP addresses simultaneously on up to ten devices.
But you shouldn’t just believe anything because I said so. So, I’ve included some performance tests on the PrivateVPN dedicated IP addresses below.
PrivateVPN Dedicated IP Address Performance Tests (Speed, Unblocking, and Security)
The first thing I noticed after connecting to the dedicated IPs was a lack of unnecessary Captchas, which usually ruin my search engine experience and web surfing on some Cloudflare-protected websites.
Fortunately, that’s not where it ends.
So, I conducted tests to check these servers’ speed, reliability, security, and other performance aspects from three choice locations: Spain, the UK, and the US.
For the speed tests, I used a base internet speed of 10Mbps as my reference point.
Alright. Let’s discuss the results.
Leak Tests
I first checked that PrivateVPN doesn’t leak IP or DNS requests on its dedicated IP servers.
Luckily, my leak tests show that anyone looking at my traffic only sees the VPN-assigned IP address and a random ISP from the IP address area. I’ve included some proof from my tests below.
On the Spain server:
On the UK server:
On the US server:
Rest assured that your ISP, government, authorities, hackers, or other unauthorized individuals can no longer see your internet activity over these dedicated IP servers.
Speed Tests
PrivateVPN only offers its dedicated IP address on OpenVPN, which isn’t the fastest protocol. Thus, I suffered considerable speed losses when connected to the test servers.
The test results below show how PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP addresses manage on a 10Mbps connection.
On the Spain server:
On the UK server:
On the US server:
Note that you’ll still get relatively fast enough speed to browse the web, depending on what base connection you start with. However, I would have preferred that this feature works with the PPTP or L2TP protocols, which are faster.
Unblocking Tests
Given the speed drop on these dedicated IP addresses, I was skeptical about their unblocking speed, especially for content streams.
Luckily, PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP address easily bypasses censorship and manages crisp streaming quality too!
Here, I looked for services that are strictly restricted to the UK (BBC iPlayer), the US (CNN Go), and Spain (RTVE). See how each server performs on the first attempt.
On the Spain server:
On the UK server:
On the US server:
That’s a testament that these dedicated IP servers are also great for unblocking content anywhere.
Should I Connect to PrivateVPN’s Static or Dedicated IP Address?
PrivateVPN’s static and dedicated IPs offer the same level of encryption, leak prevention, and work with the provider’s kill switch technology. Thus, the choice of which to connect to depends on what you’re doing on the web.
It’s best to connect to the dedicated IP address for tasks such as torrent downloads, secure file sharing, and bypassing censorship/firewalls.
On the other hand, regular static servers are best for everyday internet tasks.
I’ve compiled some general internet activities and what kind of PrivateVPN IP address to use below.
| Web Activity | PrivateVPN Static IP | PrivateVPN Dedicated IP |
|---|---|---|
| Torrent downloads | ❌ | ✅ |
| Content streaming | ✅ | ❌ |
| Content unblocking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bypassing firewalls/censorship | ❌ | ✅ |
| Bypassing VPN traffic blocks | ❌ | ✅ |
| General web browsing | ✅ | ❌ |
| Secure social media usage | ✅ | ❌ |
| Accessing secure work networks | ❌ | ✅ |
That’s not an exhaustive list, but it gives you a basis to start with regarding what either IP types are best for.
Alternatives to PrivateVPN’s Dedicated IP Address
Suppose you don’t like the dynamic nature of PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP addresses.
In that case, other trustworthy providers can get what you want.
In fact, another one of them offers a free service that’s a wildcard, like PrivateVPN.
Find out below:
- NordVPN – Dedicated IPs are paid and only available in the US, UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Likewise, it only works with the OpenVPN protocols. Still, you get a personal, unchanging IP address you can rely on every time.
- PureVPN – Offers the best price on the VPN + dedicated IP package since it’s already highly affordable. It also supports more locations than NordVPN, spanning the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Singapore, and Malta.
- Surfshark – Features shared static IPs to mimic dedicated IP addresses. It solves the privacy issues on static dedicated IP addresses by giving you unchanging IPs used by multiple Surfshark users. This comes with the basic subscription at no additional cost, like PrivateVPN’s.
Whether you want the traditional solution or something extra, the providers above have you covered.
FAQs
Can PrivateVPN Dedicated IPs Be Detected?
PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP addresses can easily bypass detection since they’ve never been used and won’t be logged in any web platform’s database as a VPN IP.
Likewise, PrivateVPN uses AES 256-bit encryption which is responsible for safely tunneling your data and preventing leaks that would cause detection.
Thus, avoiding blacklists, captchas, VPN traffic blocks, and detection with its dedicated IP address is easier.
Is PrivateVPN’s Dedicated IP Secure?
PrivateVPN’s dedicated IPs are secure since they use the same level of encryption as other servers and are compatible with the VPN’s kill switch technology.
They’re also dynamic, making it impossible for your internet activity to be traced back to you, compared to if you were using a static dedicated IP address.
Is PrivateVPN’s Dedicated IP Address Faster?
PrivateVPN’s dedicated IPs aren’t faster than the regular servers since they can only use the comparatively slow OpenVPN protocols. However, they’re only extremely slow if you have a slow base connection.
Enjoy Dynamic IPs With PrivateVPN
I like the dynamic IP model that PrivateVPN uses, and I’m particularly impressed that it offers the service for free. So, you can choose to test it without incurring additional costs.
However, if you’d like static dedicated IPs, you should consider the alternative providers I discussed.
But if you’re interested in the improved privacy and security model of PrivateVPN’s dedicated IP addresses, grab our PrivateVPN offers to save more on your plans and get a 30-day risk-free guarantee.
