Changing Static IP Address

[#1]

Is there anyway to change my static IP address without having to contact support or disabling the static IP and then restarting the service, which would presumably incur a £5 set up fee each time?

[#2]

Officially not seen any way, BUT Plusnet have seemingly changed peoples statics from time to time, assuming as their IP pools get fragmented, so there is a way its just trying to get to the right person who can help. With a bit of luck one of the staff accounts in support here can help, or maybe try webchat if there is a quiet time.

[#3]

Why do you need it changed?

[#4]

Basically there was a fault on the equipment in the exchange, after that I started having problems with some of the apps that I use, in particular weird DNS issues.  I and the app provider played around with loads of settings changing DNS providers, going back to earlier versions etc.  But it turned out that the problem started exactly when the exchange had a problem and putting a static IP on it fixed it.  However I would prefer to have a dynamic IP for privacy and security reasons and so would like to change it every so often.

[#5]

I think in this instance it's an either / or. If you want a dynamic IP simply cancel your current static one, as changing a static IP on a regular basis kind of defeats the purpose of having one.

[#6]

Also to note, when you are on the new network the pools of IPs are more localised to where you live, so if you reboot your modem you will probably get the same IP back again on a dynamic, you need to be off long enough for someone to get the next one from the pool.

[#7]

The problem is that the static IP has some properties beyond not just changing the IP address.  It's basically a kludge work around.  I actually want a dynamic one and everything was working fine (apart from an annoying line fault that needed 20 BT engineer visits booked, most of which BT cancelled in favour of passing it on to the Local Network team) for well over a year until a problem at the exchange about a month ago. 

[#8]

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@Tony49UK wrote:

However I would prefer to have a dynamic IP for privacy and security reasons and so would like to change it every so often.

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Unless you're involved in serious crime no-one is going to care enough about you to bother tracing you or tracking you(*). And if you are involved in serious crime, tough. The authorities can get PN to trace you regardless of how often you change your IP address.

Truth is that like most of us you're really not important enough for anyone to care. Save yourself the bother.

(*)Except marketing agencies and people like Google - and they use cookies to track you so changing your IP address has no impact.

[#9]

No I'm not involved in crime but I prefer the anonymity of a dynamic IP which can't be tied to anybody.  My cookies all get deleted every 28 days, 3rd party not allowed Don Not Track, beacons etc. not allowed to run and my apparent OS and web browser is changing every 20 minutes or so.  I just like online privacy and don't want Facebook etc. following me around the web and making friend suggestions to my family that they shouldn't be getting..

[#10]

as I said above, even on a dynamic IP I can keep the same IP for several weeks, even with rebooting the modem etc. Dynamic IPs don't really give you much anonymity. If you want to be anonymous use TOR or something like Opera VPN (free).

I'd be interested though in if the problems that you had that needed a static IP are now resolved.

Your IP is not exposed at the exchange level, if you have a static IP you always terminate on one of plusnets "BNGs" so putting you on a static seemed like it was used early on to bypass bits of the new network, but assume they are all fixed now so should allow you to get your dynamic back and have it all working.

Do you have any more info on what problem you had that the static fixed (or a link to an old forum post?)

thanks

MS 

[#11]

Basically on my VPN before the exchange problem, I had absolutely no problems. Then about 2:30 AM one morning the exchange had a problem, I lost internet access reconnected and the problems started. Via the VPN I could access a few websites such as Bing but not most of them such as Google. Rebooting everything, changing remote VPN server, DNS providers, reverting to older versions of the VP software etc had no effect. I almost lost my Windows installation playing around with Ubuntu. It occurred on both Win 7 and Android. Back and forth with my VPN provider and then eventually to Plusnet, Where they immediately suggested a static IP, which has fixed it.