Hi Richard, I'm not Andrew, but hopefully I can try and explain. A Static Internet Protocol (IP) address is rather akin to having your own telephone, as opposed to using say a choice of 4 or 5 payphones near your house. If you have your own telephone, your friends can call you at home because you have a telephone number that doesn't change. On the other hand, if they were to try and call one of the payphones, it would be somewhat hit and miss as to whether or not you happened to be near one of the payphones when they called. In my case, I travel a fair amount, and there are times when I want to contact my office or home systems to perhaps get mail, or to send and received files. If I didn't have a specific IP address for each location, I would not be able to reliably communicate. I hope this is clear, but don't hesitate to ask if I've not explained something very well, and I'll try to do better. George. > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Richard Godfrey > Sent: 28 November 2005 21:16 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Service Providers > > Andrew, What is the practical difference of using a static IP > address please? Thanks. > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.8/183 - Release > Date: 25/11/2005 > > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq