How often does CenturyLink change IP address?

When any network device connects to the internet it is assigned an Internet Protocol (IP address) or identification – a unique series of numbers that contain information about the corresponding device’s location. This address allows the device to seamlessly communicate with other networks.

Once you set up an account with CenturyLink, they automatically assign you a unique IP address. One of the most common questions asked by most CenturyLink subscribers is ‘how often does CenturyLink change IP address?’

CenturyLink often changes the IP address frequently after your lease expiration. More often than not, the reason for a sudden change in an IP address is typically due to interruption between your router and the internet. This is mostly caused by power loss or from rebooting the system. Upon reconnection to the internet, CenturyLink immediately assigns a new IP.

Before all else, what is an IP address?

All your network devices need a way to communicate with each other and they also need a way to communicate to the router, so that they can connect to the internet. This is where IP addresses come in. An IP address is the unique address that identifies any network device, whether a laptop, smartphone, printer, etc. on the internet or a local network.

There are two major types of IP addresses in most homes and offices – the Public IP and the internal IPs. The Public IPs, also known as gateway IP, is the unique address assigned by your internet service provider and resides on your router or firewall. Internal IPs, on the other hand, is assigned by your router to each connected device on your Local Area Network (LAN).

What does an IP address look like?

IP addresses are always in the same format as a 32-bit number, separated by periods. They are expressed as a set of 4 decimal numbers, each with a range of zero to two hundred and fifty five. A good example of an IP address would be 192. 167.2. 35 or 190. 158. 1. 32.

These unique addresses are never random. They are mathematically produced and assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which is under the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN0 that actively maintains the security of the internet.

So, what is the nature of IP address assignment?

To understand this, you need to acquaint yourself with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), which is a client/server protocol that automatically assigns an Internet Protocol (IP) host with an available address as well as any other related configuration information under a lease. In simpler terms, DHCP is the process that CenturyLink uses to assign the IP address to a business or to your home.

Any ISP, including CenturyLink allocates IP addresses in two ways: either static or dynamic. If you pay a premium, CenturyLink allocates a static IP address – one that doesn’t change over time. Residential households, on the other hand, are assigned a dynamic IP address under a lease agreement. The typical lease time is approximately 7 days; however, the router can always renegotiate the lease prior to expiration and can go up to 14 days. In some cases, some homes that have dynamic IP addresses can hold the same IP address for months and even years.

Why does CenturyLink keep changing my IP address?

Here are some reasons why CenturyLink changes IP addresses;

1. The DCHP lease time has expired 

When using broadband internet, your static IP address remains the same every single time. However, there are certain times when the IP address changes. As mentioned earlier, this could be because the DCHP lease time has expired, and in turn the IP address expires and your devices may need a new one. 

2. Network infrastructures such as routers and modems have been altered

In some cases, the IP address may change because CenturyLink has changed or altered the network infrastructures in your home. To make this simpler to understand, if CenturyLink changes the center and router, then the IP address is bound to change. When CenturyLink is struggling with a network failure, the routing tables tend to tend around. This results in a changed IP address. Also, if you change your router, then the IP address is bound to change. 

3. Following a prolonged power outage 

Generally, power outages often lead to alternation of dynamic IP addresses, especially when the outage is there for a prolonged time period. 

A Summary Table 

How much does CenturyLink charge for a static IP address?

If you want an IP address that does not change, then you would need to purchase a static IP address from CenturyLink. Leasing a single static IP address provides you with an IP address for your modem. However, if you want to assign an IP address to other devices behind your modem, then you need to lease a block of IP addresses. The table below outlines CenturyLink’s static IP costs.

Final Thoughts

Frequent changes in IP addresses shouldn’t be a worry. It is not an illegal activity to change your IP address. Most people along with your Internet Service Provider routinely change their IP addresses when faced with an online security threat, when testing any website before it goes live, or when they are simply trying to protect their privacy.

FAQs

1. Can CenturyLink change my IP address?

Yes, it can. Your public IP address is often determined and assigned by your internet service provider. Based on that background, CenturyLink has the right to change public IP addresses. That said, it changes your public IP address depending on your location and how you connect to the internet.

2. What is the IP address for CenturyLink?

The default username for most of the CenturyLink routers is 1234 and they all come with the default IP address of 192.168.2.1. If you want to change the security settings on your router, you will need this information when logging into the routers’ web interface.