How to change the IP address of a VPS without moving to a new server

You can change the IP of a VPS at LuxHost without moving to a new server: a new address is bought in the billing and added to the server in a couple of minutes without a reboot, while your files, settings and sites stay in place. Below: where to buy it, how to switch off the old address and what to update afterwards so the site and the VPN keep working without interruptions.

Why change the IP of a server

A new address is needed in three situations:

- The address is blocked on the platform you need, or in the network you connect to your VPN from.
- The address got into blacklists, and some services refuse to accept requests from it.
- A second site or service needs a separate IP, so that projects on one server are not linked to each other.

Moving to a new server in any of these cases means moving files, databases and settings. An additional IP solves the task without that work.

How to buy a new IP in the LuxHost billing

1. Log in to the LuxHost billing.
2. Choose the server in the list of services.
3. Open the "Network" tab.
4. Buy an IP address and pay for it with cryptocurrency or a card.

The new address is added to the server in a couple of minutes and registers itself in the system, so you do not need to reboot the server or configure the network by hand. The old IP keeps working. If you no longer need it, remove it from the network settings of the system yourself, or ask support to switch it off completely.

What to do after the purchase

Check that the server answers on the new address. Run this on your computer:

ping NEW_IP

If the replies come, connect over SSH to the new address:

ssh root@NEW_IP

Update the A records of your domains. While the records point to the old IP, the site opens at the old address, and if you switch the old address off, the site will stop opening at all. Change the A record in the DNS settings of your domain to the new IP.

Update everything where the old IP was used. That is the server address in the VPN configurations on the clients (the Endpoint line in WireGuard), the IP whitelists in APIs and payment services, and the firewall rules. If you forget even one place, that service will stop connecting as soon as you switch the old address off.

Summary: the new IP is bought in the "Network" tab and works in a couple of minutes. Switch the old one off only after you have updated the A records and every place where it was set.

FAQ

Do I need to reboot the server after buying an IP?
No. The new address is registered in the system automatically and starts working in a couple of minutes.

Can I get the old IP back?
Yes, if you only removed it from the system settings: the address is still assigned to the server and can be added back. If the old IP was switched off completely through support, it can no longer be returned.

Can I send email from a VPS?
No. Port 25 on LuxHost servers is closed to protect against spam, so use an external mail service for the emails of your site.

Need help?
If the server does not answer after the IP change, write to support and give the old and the new address.

Great insights, thanks for sharing. I'd like to ask a question about restoring an old IP: If I just removed the old IP in the LuxHost system network settings, and later realized I missed updating the whitelist for an old payment gateway, will re-adding it take effect immediately? Or do I need to update the DNS again? Also, how long is the old IP usually retained before it gets permanently reclaimed by the official team?