Anycast vs Unicast: How IP Routing Affects "Speed"

Users ask "How fast is this IP address?" technically, that's the wrong question. An IP address is a destination. The speed depends on the Route.

1. Unicast (The Traditional Way)

Most servers use Unicast. One IP = One Server. If that server is in New York and you are in Tokyo, physics guarantees ~180ms latency.

2. Anycast (The CDN Way)

Services like Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) announce the same IP prefix via BGP from hundreds of data centers worldwide.

When you ping 1.1.1.1, BGP automatically directs your packet to the geographically closest data center. This is why checking the latency of Anycast IPs is the best way to test your "Last Mile" connection health.