Technical SEO
Free IP Canonicalization Test
Use our free ip canonicalization test to test whether your server's IP address shows a duplicate copy of your site. Enter any web address below and get your result in seconds, with plain-English fixes.
Free. You see the verdict at once; add your name and email to read the full result. We only read what is public on the page.
What this ip canonicalization test checks
Finds your server's IP address, visits it directly and checks whether it redirects to your domain.
The ip canonicalization test resolves your domain to its IP address, requests the site by that IP and compares the page title with the domain version. If both load the same site, search engines could see duplicate copies.
Why use a ip canonicalization test
If your site loads at its bare IP address, search engines may index a duplicate copy, splitting your ranking signals.
Owners on dedicated hosting or a VPS. Run the ip canonicalization test after a server move.
How to use the ip canonicalization test
- Paste the full address of the page you want to test into the box at the top of this page. Use the exact page you care about, such as your home page or a service page, because each page can give a different ip canonicalization test result.
- Press the button and wait a few seconds. The tool fetches the page the way a visitor and a search engine would, then runs its checks. Nothing is installed, and you only need to enter your name and email to read the full result.
- Read the verdict and the plain-English notes, make the changes listed under the fixes, then run the test again to confirm the problem is gone. Keep a note of the date and the result so you can show progress.
How to read your ip canonicalization test results
- Pass means the IP redirects to the domain or does not serve your site.
- Warning means a duplicate that is not a redirect.
- Shared hosting often shows a different default page, which is fine.
How to fix problems the ip canonicalization test finds
- Redirect requests for the IP address to your domain with a 301.
- Or configure the server to refuse requests for hosts it does not know.
Common mistakes
- Letting the IP address serve the full site with no redirect.
- Linking to the IP in an old email.
- Forgetting that the www and non-www versions also count.
Want everything fixed in one go? Our free website grader checks 40+ things at once, and you can ask for a free quote if you would rather have a person do it.
Ip canonicalization test for Cayman Islands websites
If you moved your Cayman site to new hosting, an old IP address may still answer. A 301 from the IP to your domain keeps one version in Google. Confirm with the ip canonicalization test.
Ranking in the Cayman Islands is a local contest: Google treats a .ky domain as aimed at the territory, and it rewards pages that name the places people search for, such as George Town, Grand Cayman, West Bay and Seven Mile Beach. After you act on your ip canonicalization test result, work through our SEO guides for Cayman businesses, read how the WebGuru features fit together, or see the pricing for the full report.
Cayman Islands local SEO checklist
- Name the place in your headings and first paragraph: George Town, Grand Cayman, West Bay, Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, whichever you serve.
- Keep your business name, address and phone number identical on your website, Google Business Profile, Facebook page and local directories.
- Use a .ky domain where you can. Google treats country-code domains as a signal that your audience is in that country.
- Add a Google Business Profile, ask happy customers for reviews and answer every review.
- Write for local questions, such as hurricane preparation, work permits or ferry times, in the words your customers would use.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
Why does my IP show my site?
Many servers answer any request, including ones for the IP, with the default site.
Does this matter on shared hosting?
On shared hosting the IP often shows a host page or another site, which is fine. The risk is when it shows your own site.
Is this an issue on shared hosting?
Usually not, since the IP serves a default page.
How do I fix it?
Add a server rule that redirects requests for the IP address to your domain with a 301.
Related free SEO tools
- Canonical checker
Test whether http, https, www and non-www all lead to one address.
- Http headers checker
Review your website's server details and response.
- Indexed pages checker
Check whether anything is stopping your pages from being indexed.
More technical seo tools: doctype checker, html language checker, html code checker.