---
name: virtual-servers-how-are-server-ip-addresses-assigned-softlayer-network
title: Assign server IP addresses
description: IBM Cloud® configures virtual server instances with an IPv4 address on the private network, and if requested, a public (internet-facing) IPv4 address. Additionally, you can request an IPv6 address on the public network. All of these IP addresses are collectively referred to as _primary IP addresses_.
last-updated: 2024-07-23
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/virtual-servers?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Assign server IP addresses
{: #assigning-server-ip-addresses}

IBM Cloud® configures virtual server instances with an IPv4 address on the private network, and if requested, a public (internet-facing) IPv4 address. Additionally, you can request an IPv6 address on the public network. All of these IP addresses are collectively referred to as _primary IP addresses_.
{: shortdesc}

Extra IP addresses can be bound to virtual server instances after you purchase secondary subnets through the IBM Cloud console. IP addresses that are purchased in this way and managed by you are referred to as _Secondary IP addresses_.

For more information about options available for acquiring IP addresses, see [Subnets and IPs](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/subnets?topic=subnets-about-subnets-and-ips&format=markdown).

## Bind secondary IP addresses
{: #binding-secondary-ip-addresses}

After a secondary subnet is purchased and routed, you must configure the operating system to use one or more of the newly available IP addresses. The configuration steps for the new IP addresses are different for each operating system, but the setup is typically referred to as setting up "interface aliases." See your operating system documentation for more configuration details.