[Spliff]

What advantages are there to having a static IP address from your ISP instead of a dynamic IP?

My brother has a home-based business. He has a ADSL connection with a static IP address. There are 5 computers (Macs and PCs) on his network running through a hub and SMC Barricade router.

He's fed up with the poor performance and reliability problems of the ADSL connection and wants to switch to cable now that it's available in his neighbourhood. However, a static IP address from the cable internet provider is significantly more expensive than a dynamic address.

Would he run into any problems if he moved to a dynamic IP address?

He doesn't have a website served locally. He and his employees use the internet connection primarily for email and web-browsing.

[fulmer]

I don't see any problems with switching.
Static is nice if you are hosting from the computer, but not necessary even for that.

[ghporter]

Static IPs are the way to go if you are hosting a site or games or anything else that others need to be able to connect to over the Internet. A static IP can be registered with domain name services, so your server can be found by users simply typing in a human readabale URL.

There's no problem with using dynamic IPs if you aren't hosting anything. The thing is, some ISPs provide static IPs as part of a business package (for example SBC has one business DSL package that comes with five static IPs) and it may be simpler to stay with what they have than to get an "a la carte" pricing for separate dynamic addresses. Or it could work out that the ISP has a good deal for dynamic IPs that fits the needs of your brother's company.

He also have the "I'm switching" advantage: "You ISP folks don't care that you're providing lousy service, so I'm looking at your direct competition. Fix things and cut my costs, and my business stays with you. Otherwise, you're history." It's worked before.