Elastic Internet Protocol (EIP) is an address that can be used as the public IP address of the EC2 instance. The public IP address is used to access the EC2 server from the outside and the Private IP is used to access it internally. AWS allows the association of the EIP with the instances to make public IP static.

This guide will explain EC2 Elastic IPs bandwidth, usage, and charges.

What are AWS EC2 Elastic IPs?

Elastic IP addresses are the standby public IPs that can be created and associated on the EC2 dashboard. These are used to attach with EC2 instances so that the public IP of the instance does not change after the restart. It is used to make the public IP static in case the instance is rebooted or stopped, as the AWS changes the public IP address after each restart and which can be frustrating sometimes.

Bandwidth Charges for Elastic IP

AWS allows one Elastic IP to be attached to the EC2 instance without charges. If the EIPs are attached to the running instance it charges according to the bandwidth and its usage. It charges hourly for the extra Elastic IPs that are not attached to the EC2 or attached to the “stopped” instance. The hourly charges are 0.005 USD on a pro-rata basis.

How to Use Elastic IP With the EC2 Instance?

To attach EIP to the instance, visit the EC2 dashboard and click on the “Elastic IPs” page from the left panel:

Select the Elastic IP to be associated with the instance:

Expand the “Actions” menu and click on the “Associate Elastic IP address” button:

Select the “Instance” option from the resource type section:

Select the instance to associate the EIP and then click on the “Associate” button:

The success message is displayed on the screen:

To verify the association, click on the “Instances” page from the EC2 dashboard:

Select the instance and check the Elastic IP address attached to it:

That’s all about the Elastic IP address, its cost, and its usage.

Conclusion

AWS offers Elastic IPs to be attached to the EC2 instance so its public IP remains static. It’s the rule of the AWS that each time the instance is restarted, it changes its public IP which can be confusing. To keep the public IP constant, associate an elastic IP with the EC2 instance from the EC2 dashboard. This guide has explained the AWS EC2 EIP, its charges, and its usage.