Recently we added static IP addresses to our Anonymous Proxy software.  This is in addition to the randomly changing IP addresses that our anonymous proxy already offered.

So why would we insert static IP addresses?  It would appear that randomly rotating IP addresses would include an extra layer of obscurity.  So why make use of static IP addresses?  The solution is relatively simple, although I will acknowledge was not obvious to us when we first designed the application.  The key reason to employ static IP addresses instead of randomly changing ones is to include some level of consistency when visiting the same site over and over again.  While typically you would suppose that you would not need to be identified through your IP address, now and then you do.

Think about your Internet banking.  If you attempt to access your online bank account from randomly changing IP addresses, it might seem to the bank that someone is trying to hack into your savings account.  Hence the need for static and constant IP addresses.

But this is not only about web banking.  It is also about consistency for any site where you intend to keep a profile.  Even if you are trying to keep an anonymous profile, it still helps to be consistent.

None of this means that randomly rotating IP addresses are a bad suggestion.  They still offer that extra layer of ambiguity.  And you should still use the rotating IP addresses when you are trying to stay anonymous when you are surfing the web.