--- title: "Proxmox IPAM: built-in IP address management ยท NexoVirt" description: "Proxmox IPAM in the panel: define IP zones, get the next free address and a static IP injected at create time. IPv4 and IPv6, with discovery. Free CE." url: https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-ipam --- # Proxmox IPAM: IP address management built in Proxmox VE has no built-in IPAM, so most teams track addresses in a spreadsheet. NexoVirt adds it to the panel: define an IP zone once, and every new VM or container gets the next free address with a static network config injected at boot. Free in the Community Edition. [Install free](https://docs.nexovirt.com/getting-started/installation/) [See how zones work](#ipam-features-heading) ![IP zones in NexoVirt with subnet, gateway and the allocated addresses per zone](https://nexovirt.com/assets/img/screenshots/ip-zones-light.webp?v=1792068738) Each zone shows its subnet, gateway and which guest holds which address. ## What is Proxmox IPAM? IPAM (IP address management) decides which IP each guest gets, records what is in use and stops two servers from claiming the same address. Without it, every new VM means looking up a free address and pasting a static config by hand. That is where typos and duplicate IPs come from. In NexoVirt, an IP zone is a subnet with its gateway and nameservers. Once it exists, guests draw their address from it automatically when you create them. ## How does IPAM work in the panel? Everything you would otherwise script or track by hand, applied at create time. - ### IP zones from any CIDR Enter a subnet with its gateway and nameservers. NexoVirt does the subnet math and previews the usable addresses before you save. - ### Next-free allocation Pick a zone in the create wizard and the next free address is handed out in one transaction, so two guests created at once never get the same IP. - ### Static or DHCP per guest Choose a zone for a fixed address injected at boot, or keep DHCP for networks that hand out leases themselves. - ### IPv4 and IPv6 Give a guest a v4 address, a v6 address or both. IPv4 enumerates the range, IPv6 draws from a bounded range. - ### Discovery and scan A new zone is prefilled from the node's bridges, then addresses already used by running guests are reserved with a note. - ### Change or release per guest Change or release an IP from the guest page. Reinstall keeps the address, delete returns it to the pool. ## Why does IPAM matter when you host on Proxmox? Once VMs go to customers, every VPS needs its own correct address on the first boot. These are the cases a spreadsheet gets wrong. [How to host and sell VPS](https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-vps-hosting) - ### Addresses already in use The scan finds IPs that running guests already hold and reserves them, so the pool matches reality from day one. - ### Two orders in the same second Allocation is transactional. Parallel creates from your billing system can never receive the same address. - ### Private networks behind NAT Private zones pair with NAT and port forwarding from the same panel, so private guests still reach the internet. - ### Addresses you keep elsewhere Gateways and addresses used outside Proxmox can be reserved, so they are never handed to a guest. ## Proxmox IPAM FAQ What is IPAM in Proxmox?IPAM (IP address management) is the system that assigns an IP to each guest, records which addresses are in use, and stops two guests from claiming the same one. Proxmox VE has no built-in IPAM, so teams usually track addresses by hand. NexoVirt adds IPAM to the panel: you define an IP zone and it allocates the next free address and injects a static network config at create time. Does Proxmox have built-in IP address management?No. Proxmox VE does not ship an IPAM system, so operators typically keep a spreadsheet and paste a static config into each new VM. NexoVirt adds IPAM directly to the panel, so allocation and tracking happen automatically when you create a guest. Does the IPAM support IPv4 and IPv6?Yes. Zones can be IPv4 or IPv6, and a guest can get a v4 address, a v6 address, or both. IPv4 enumerates the range and IPv6 draws from a bounded range; the gateway and nameservers from the zone are written into the guest network config automatically. Can I still use DHCP?Yes. IP source is chosen per guest in the create wizard: pick a zone for a fixed, injected static address, or keep DHCP for networks that hand out leases themselves. Is the IPAM free?Yes. IPAM is part of the Community Edition, which is free and self-hosted up to two Proxmox nodes with unlimited VMs. What happens to a guest IP when I reinstall or delete it?Reinstalling a guest keeps its IP; deleting a guest releases the address back to the pool for the next server. You can also change or release an IP from a guest's detail page at any time. ## Related pages - [ NAT and port forwarding Private guests that reach the internet. ](https://nexovirt.com/blog/proxmox-nat-port-forwarding) - [ Networking features IPAM, NAT, firewall view and network map. ](https://nexovirt.com/features/networking) - [ Proxmox VPS panel Plans, IPAM and customer portals together. ](https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-vps-panel) - [ Proxmox VPS hosting guide Where IPAM fits in the six steps. ](https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-vps-hosting) - [ Cloud-init on Proxmox How the static config reaches the guest. ](https://nexovirt.com/blog/cloud-init-on-proxmox) ## Start running NexoVirt today Free for homelabs with unlimited VMs on up to 2 nodes. Running a hosting business? Upgrade in place when you grow, no migration. [Install free](https://docs.nexovirt.com/getting-started/installation/) [See pricing](https://nexovirt.com/pricing)