Spammy sites on same IP address as my domain - can it hurt?

[Ma2T]

I just used a service to reverse look up my server ip address from my domain to see the sites which also share my server.
I found that there were over 250 sites / domains using this server, most of which were spammy / low quality sites.

Could my sites be effected by these sites on my server sharing my ip address and google could think i run them / am linked to them in some way. The sites of course do not link to mine, but could google see some kind of association and look down on my sites in anyway?

Many thanks guys.

[SEOPTI]

You say it's your server, why do you host them?

[Ma2T]

No it's not my server, im on shared hosting. These sites are also on the same server as my sites.

[tedster]

SEOPTI, I think the word "my" in this case must mean "the space I lease".

Ma2T, if there is no linking between your domain and any of those other domains using your IP address, then ranking trouble based on your IP address is very unlikely. There have been some reports (I have not verified) of an entire IP address being taken out of Google when a large number of the domains that use it are involved in something quite underhanded and deceptive -- but not just a little keyword stuffing.

Shared IP addresses are not the problem that they once were -- but there still is added security in having your own dedicated address if the extra expense make sense to you.

[Ma2T]

Many thanks for your reply Tedster, sorry I was not more clear on the "my server", it is shared hosting.
Thanks for the clarification, I did not think it would be a problem as many people use shared hosting, and google knows that, but I thought it was worth asking just in case this is a problem.

I would ideally like dedicated hosting, but I can not afford it at the moment unfortunately, I have been looking into it.

I think my shared hosting offers a "static IP" for about $2 a month. I don't know if this is just "mine" or not though.

Thanks again mate.

[jtara]

I think my shared hosting offers a "static IP" for about $2 a month. I don't know if this is just "mine" or not though.

It is "yours".

$1 or $2 a month is a typical charge for a static IP address.

I am lucky to have a host that charges only a $2 one-time fee.

[Leosghost]

agree with jtara ..if you must go with shared hosting apply to your host for separate Ip addy ( jtara quotes for rates are industry normal )..otherwise you may well affect your ranking etc ..( to search engines you may appear to be in the same bad area as any of your co hosted sites ) but also if any one of them finds their way onto any bad address list for spam emails ..( of course the existence of such lists are denied everywhere ..and exist in almost as many places ;-))..AOL particularly uses these non existant lists ..OH.. the irony there within .. ) your emails to customers will risk being blocked ..

BTW ..if any of the other sites are warez and or IRC fora ..expect many server outages as the other "groups" attempt to crash your server ..Plus depending on the config of your server and it's traffic and their cron jobs etc ..it can go from "treacle" to ..the connection has timed out ..to any and all of your visitors ..

if you know already that you are in a bad neighbourhood ..move ( change hosts ) or use a PO box ( separate IP addy ) for important communications ( like visitors ) ..

your website's security and online time ..depends upon your hosts hardware and their expertise and what ever the other sites on your IP know about protecting their shells ( vastly simplified way of looking at things ..but most script kiddies dont go much beyond two syllables ..read your nearest ascii file to see what I mean ..in some the artwork is beautifull ..in most it's .....) ...most IRC is run by the monosyllabic folks who may be on your server ..

[Ma2T]

Many thanks for the replies guys they are very helpful.

Before I step into the world of dedicated hosting I will (and have) go with the dedicated IP address. I like the thought of having mu own address and not sharing it with those hundreds of spammy sites.

Im paying $2 a month which seems (for posts here) at little over the top, but its okay, much cheaper than dedicated. Some day I can hopefully go dedicated.

Thanks again.