Dynamic DNS Archives - ClouDNS Blog https://www.cloudns.net/blog/tag/dynamic-dns/ Articles about DNS Hosting and Cloud Technologies Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:00:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6 What is DDNS? How does it work and how to setup DDNS? https://www.cloudns.net/blog/what-is-dynamic-dns/ https://www.cloudns.net/blog/what-is-dynamic-dns/#comments Thu, 24 Oct 2024 06:58:00 +0000 https://www.cloudns.net/blog/?p=237 Dynamic DNS (DDNS) is a solution that keeps your services accessible even when your IP address changes. For users with dynamic IPs, DDNS automatically updates DNS records, ensuring uninterrupted access to home servers, remote cameras, VPNs, and other devices. In this guide, we’ll explain what DDNS is, how it works, and how to set it …

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Dynamic DNS (DDNS) is a solution that keeps your services accessible even when your IP address changes. For users with dynamic IPs, DDNS automatically updates DNS records, ensuring uninterrupted access to home servers, remote cameras, VPNs, and other devices. In this guide, we’ll explain what DDNS is, how it works, and how to set it up for seamless network access without needing a static IP.

What is a DDNS (Dynamic DNS)?

DDNS, most commonly known as Dynamic DNS, is an automatic method of refreshing a name server. It can dynamically update DNS records without the need for human interaction. It is extremely useful for updating A and AAAA records when the host has changed its IP address.

Imagine this situation. You have a server in your office, and you are providing some service to your employees. You are using a standard/consumer-grade internet from a typical ISP (Internet service provider). You are getting a temporary IP address that could change the next type you connect or change automatically after some time. To provide a service, you 3 options:

  1. A Static IP address that could be expensive.
  2. Change the IP address manually every time it changes
  3. Automatically update the IP addresses – Dynamic DNS or DDNS!

DDNS is a service that automatically and periodically updates your DNS’s A (IPv4) or AAAA (IPv6) records when your IP address changes. These IP changes are made by your Internet provider.

With DDNS you don’t need to worry about the changes in IP addresses!

In this article, you can find more information about what DNS is!

How does DDNS work?

The DDNS works in the following way: The DDNS client monitors the IP address for changes. When the address changes (which it will if you have a dynamic IP address), the DDNS (or Dynamic DNS) service updates your new IP address.

Let’s get back to the same example from before, you owning a server, connected to the Internet, and want to share service from it. 

This server will be connected to the internal network, and it will communicate with the Internet via NAT (Network Address Translation) router. The NAT router will provide an internal IP address to the server, probably via DHCP. To Make it available externally, we will need to perform port forwarding and get external Port (Portex) and external IP address (IPex). Now the service you want to share is visible with IPex and Portex, and people can use it through the Internet. The problem comes when this IP changes. 

First, you will need to register with a Dynamic DNS provider like us and set up a client software on your server. In the Dynamic DNS settings, you will give a fixed name to this server. Put the IPex, and we need to tell the NAT to automatically update it and send the data to the DNS server.  Inside the NAT’s settings, we will put the data from our Dynamic DNS service provider (our account and password). Now everything is ready. 

Free Dynamic DNS Service!

Why is it useful?

It can be very useful for people who want to host their website, access CCTV cameras, VPN, app or game server from their home computer. It is cheaper than to have a static public IP and by setting up DDNS, you will avoid the need to update all of your records whenever your IP changes manually. Also, a static IP address is not always an option; it depends on your Internet provider.

Feature Dynamic DNS (DDNS) Static IP Address
Nature Changes periodically Remains constant
Setup Requires DDNS service & software Assigned by ISP; manual setup
Cost Often less expensive; many free DDNS services Typically more expensive
Maintenance Automatic updates with changes Manual updates required for changes
Use Cases Home servers, VPNs, CCTV cameras Large businesses, dedicated hosting
Ease of Access Continual, despite IP changes Always accessible via the same IP
Security Depend on timely updates; can be secure with proper configuration Generally considered more secure due to its consistent nature
Flexibility Suited for dynamic environments Best for environments needing consistent IPs

DDNS is a very flexible option. The way that Dynamic DNS gives a connected device the ability to notify DNS servers to automatically update, alongside the active DNS configuration, IP addresses, configured hostnames and some other information. This saves the need of an administrator who should do the changes.

Common use cases for DDNS

DDNS is a valuable tool in scenarios where devices are assigned dynamic IP addresses. Here are the key use cases:

  • Home Servers: If you’re hosting a personal website, game server, or file storage at home, DDNS ensures you can always access your server via a fixed domain name, even if your IP changes regularly.
  • Remote Access to Security Cameras: Many people use DDNS to view their home CCTV cameras remotely. Instead of updating the IP address every time it changes, DDNS keeps the connection steady through a permanent domain name.
  • VPN and Remote Desktop: Whether for work or personal use, accessing a home or office network remotely via VPN or remote desktop is easier with DDNS, allowing uninterrupted connections despite changing IP addresses.
  • IoT and Smart Home Devices: DDNS is often used to manage smart home systems or IoT devices. It ensures that even when your home’s IP changes, you can always reach devices like smart lights, thermostats, and more from any location.
  • Game Servers and Media Streaming: Hosting a game or media server at home? DDNS provides consistent access for friends or family to your server, regardless of your ISP changing your IP.

By automating IP updates, DDNS saves you the hassle of manually tracking and updating IP changes, offering convenience and cost savings compared to static IPs.

Benefits

As you can see DDNS is a very convenient solution, and it has different advantages, but the main ones are the following:

Accessibility – You will be able to access your website or server, easily, without being worried. The IP will change, but this won’t stop any of your activities.

PracticalityYou don’t need a network administrator to check and reconfigure your settings.

Economic – DDNS makes it cheaper; you won’t have IP address conflict in case you have many addresses, and they are used at the same time.

There are many other advantages, and you are probably thinking about how to start using DDNS. Luckily for you, it is relatively easy to switch to it. You can get a free DDNS service from ClouDNS. We provide it with all our plans, including the entirely free one. Just sign up for a new free account  and start using it.

Configuring Dynamic DNS

With each A and AAAA record, we provide a unique URL, so-called DynURL, when you are using our Dynamic DNS.
You can read the following step by step explanations on how to configure it, depending on your operating system down below.

First for Windows users, regardless of the version you have on your device:

Dynamic DNS for Windows

Or watch the video tutorial:

If you are a MacOS or Linux user or another type of NIX system, you can follow these instructions:

Dynamic DNS for Linux, Mac and all types of *NIX systems

Or watch the video tutorial:

If you have multiple Internet providers:

Dynamic DNS for Linux, Mac and all types of *NIX systems with multiple network interfaces (Internet providers)

And even if you are using the data solutions of Synology, you can still benefit from the DDNS

DDNS for Synology

With the help of ClouDNS, you can start using DDNS right away. This can help your business or personal project.

So what are you waiting for, start using it today!

The challenge without DDNS

Imagine owning a server that’s pivotal for your business operations. While internally connected, it communicates externally via a Network Address Translation router. Without DDNS:

  1. Every time your external IP changes, you risk downtime or inaccessibility.
  2. Manual updates are tedious and can lead to errors or oversights.
  3. Business operations relying on constant server access might face disruptions.

Conclusion

In a digital era where consistency is king, DDNS stands out as a beacon, ensuring that shifting IP addresses don’t impede server access. As businesses increasingly rely on online operations, services like DDNS aren’t just conveniences—they’re necessities.

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Can we use free DNS? Free DNS vs. Premium https://www.cloudns.net/blog/free-dns-premium-dns/ https://www.cloudns.net/blog/free-dns-premium-dns/#comments Tue, 03 Sep 2024 08:08:00 +0000 https://www.cloudns.net/blog/?p=537 If you are searching for free DNS, you know what DNS is and for what it serves. The DNS will resolve your domain name. If you have more DNS servers and they are spread around the world, this process will be faster, and it will reduce the load. It will even add an extra level …

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If you are searching for free DNS, you know what DNS is and for what it serves. The DNS will resolve your domain name. If you have more DNS servers and they are spread around the world, this process will be faster, and it will reduce the load. It will even add an extra level of protection, imagine if one of the servers is down, the users can still find your domain using the rest of the DNS servers.

Understanding DNS

Before delving further into DNS plan types, let’s familiarize ourselves with what DNS really is.Each time you enter a web address into your browser, a DNS server translates that address into an IP address, guiding your request to the right web server. Simply put, the DNS is the phone book of the internet – converting human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses.

Free DNS

Different companies offer such a Free DNS plan like us from ClouDNS. With this plan, you can manage your DNS. It has many of the features of a professional DNS plan. You can use up to 4 DNS servers and 1 DNS zone. You will have one mail forward. This plan is popular among people who need Dynamic DNS for their connected devices like CCTV cameras and other security measurements. It is used for personal blogs or parked domains.

Using this plan, the user can use all kinds of DNS records, including A, AAAA, MX, TXT and more. Something that is rarely found in such Free DNS plans is that we provide unlimited DNS queries. This can be a big plus.

It is a good plan for starters, who wants to learn using DNS. People who want to experiment and get how does the DNS work. It can be useful for small blog sites that still don’t get too much traffic. This kind of plans can’t offer the uptime of the Premium DNS plans so users of it, can experience occasional downtime and they are more vulnerable to DNS attacks.

Look how to add Free Zone in ClouDNS!

Premium DNS

Premium DNS plans have more of everything. They can use far more DNS servers and DNS zones. They can manage the traffic better. By using such a plan, you can see improvement in the loading speed, the security, better uptime and even better SEO.

DNS and SEO: How does DNS service affect SEO?

This kind of plans are for every website, that is more than just a personal blog with few monthly visitors. Every company that can’t afford to have downtime should choose a professional plan.

Premium DNS vs. Free DNS

When it comes to managing online data flow and protection, choosing the right type of Domain Name System (DNS) is crucial. Our comparison between Premium DNS and Free DNS will provide an understanding of the features, capabilities, and benefits that each service brings to your online activities.

• Better uptime – Our Premium DNS plans offer 60+ Anycast locations, up to 8 DNS name servers. You can also enjoy DDoS protection for maximum, SLA guaranteed, uptime. In case of a downtime, for each minute, we will extend your account with 10!

• More advanced features – Many more DNS zones and DNS records, unlimited queries, and many more mail forwards, DNSSEC, Reverse DNS zones, and more. Don’t forget DNS Failover and Monitoring checks.

• More DNS servers – Up to 8, depending on your plan. And up to 4 DDoS protected ones. They are strategically located around the world.

• Anycast DNS for better load balancing – Anycast is far superior technology in comparison with the older Unicast protocol. It manages queries a lot more efficiently. It provides the best route for each query to reduce latency.

• DDoS protection for extra security – DDoS attacks have been widespread for a while. They can completely cripple your network. ClouDNS offers 4 DDoS protected servers that can resist even heavy traffic.

• More DNS Zones – The free DNS plan that we offer has just 1 DNS zone that you can manage. The premium plans offer up to 400!

• Secondary DNS zones – You can use our Secondary DNS zones if you already have the master elsewhere. It is easy to set up, and it doesn’t take a long time. With Secondary DNS zones, you can improve the redundancy.

• More Mail Forwards – The free DNS plan has 1, but the premium plans have up to 1000.

Real-time statistics While the free plan provides statistics, it only on a daily, monthly, or yearly basis. If you want advanced real-time statistics that updates hourly check the premium plans.

Feature    Free DNS Premium DNS
DNS Management Basic DNS management Advanced DNS management
Dynamic DNS Available Available
DNS Zones 1 DNS zone Multiple DNS zones (varies by plan)
DNS Records Up to 50 DNS records Abundance of DNS records (varies by plan)
DNS Queries 500k DNS queries Multiple DNS queries (varies by plan)
Anycast DNS Not available Available 
DNS Failover Not available Available (varies by plan)
Mail Forwards 1 mail forward Multiple mail forwards (varies by plan)
Secondary DNS Zone Not available Available (varies by plan)
DNSSEC Support Not available Available (varies by plan)
Free SSL Not available Available (varies by plan)
DNS Branding Not available Available 
24/7 Live chat support Available Available

How to Transition from a Free DNS Plan to Premium DNS with ClouDNS

Transitioning from a Free DNS plan to a Premium DNS plan on ClouDNS is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance your website’s performance, security, and reliability. Here’s how you can easily make the switch:

Step 1: Log into Your ClouDNS Account – Start by logging into your ClouDNS account. Use your existing credentials to access the dashboard where you manage your DNS settings.

Step 2: Locate the Upgrade Option – Once you’re logged in, look for the “Free” icon situated next to your email account at the top of the dashboard. This icon indicates your current Free DNS plan and provides a quick access point to upgrade.

Step 3: View Available DNS Hosting Plans – Clicking on the “Free” icon will bring up a list of all the DNS hosting plans that ClouDNS offers. This includes various Premium DNS plans tailored to different needs. Here, you can review the features and benefits of each plan to determine which one suits your requirements.

Step 4: Choose Your Plan Duration – After selecting the Premium DNS plan that fits your needs, you’ll be prompted to choose the duration of your subscription. ClouDNS offers multiple options, including 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years. Pick the period that best aligns with your budget and long-term plans.

Step 5: Complete the Purchase – Once you’ve selected your plan and duration, click on “Buy Now” to proceed to the checkout. You will need to fill out the required information to complete the payment process. ClouDNS supports various payment methods, making it convenient to finalize your purchase.

After completing the payment, your account will be upgraded to the Premium DNS plan. You can now take advantage of enhanced features such as better uptime, increased security, and improved DNS management tools.

Contextualizing your DNS needs: Factors to consider

Opting for either a free or Premium DNS service is not a decision to be taken lightly. While it’s tempting to choose the most economical option, it’s wise to weigh certain considerations to make an informed choice for your website’s long-term success:

  1. Size and nature of your needs: Personal blogs and small websites usually don’t require the robust features of a Premium DNS, making a free DNS a reasonable choice. However, for larger websites or e-commerce platforms where downtimes mean lost revenue, Premium DNS services become indispensable for their reliability and stability.
  2. Security concerns: Websites dealing with sensitive user data, especially eCommerce stores, need to prioritize their security features like DNSSEC, which often come with Premium DNS. 
  3. Budget: Of course, budget plays a crucial role in your decision. Evaluate how much you are willing to invest in DNS services and if it aligns with your website’s requirements.
  4. Traffic volume: If your website witnesses a significant volume of traffic, a Premium DNS with load balancing and faster routing can dramatically improve the user experience. 
  5. Scalability: If you foresee quick expansion and growth for your website, investing in a Premium DNS service could provide the scalability you will eventually require.

Why does your choice of DNS matter?

Your choice of DNS acts as the vehicle driving the smooth operation of your website. It’s not just about translating a domain name to an IP address; it’s about ensuring your website can efficiently connect with users around the world.

  • Speed: The performance speed of your DNS can significantly affect your website’s loading speed. In an era where waiting an extra second can lead to visitors abandoning your site, a faster DNS lookup can make a considerable difference.
  • Uptime: Imagine owning a physical store but randomly closing several times a day – definitely not good for business, right? That’s essentially what website downtime is. A reliable DNS server ensures maximum uptime for your website, leading to consistent user experience and potentially higher revenue.
  • Security: An insecure DNS can expose your website to cyber-attacks, leading not only to potential revenue loss through downtime but also damage to your brand reputation. A secure DNS can act as your frontline defense against cyber threats.

Conclusion

There are plenty of reasons to choose a Premium DNS over a Free DNS plan. Think about your needs, how much traffic are you expecting and how important is the uptime for your business. If you are not sure, you can start with a Free DNS or a cheap plan and slowly upgrade with the time. But if you know your business needs our sales team is here to meet your requirements. Just fill the form and our Sales representative will contact you as soon as possible.

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Basic DNS terms you should know (List + Infographic) https://www.cloudns.net/blog/basic-dns-terms-you-should-know/ https://www.cloudns.net/blog/basic-dns-terms-you-should-know/#respond Wed, 17 Jan 2024 08:00:07 +0000 https://www.cloudns.net/blog/?p=2263 What is DNS (Domain Name System) The Domain Name System (DNS) is often compared to a phonebook, and there are a lot of similarities. It is another type of database. DNS is a global system that we all use on a daily basis when we want to access any website. It contains and distributes information …

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What is DNS (Domain Name System)

The Domain Name System (DNS) is often compared to a phonebook, and there are a lot of similarities. It is another type of database. DNS is a global system that we all use on a daily basis when we want to access any website. It contains and distributes information about domain names and their corresponding IP addresses. This way, when we type a simple domain name, our browsers or application will use the DNS to search for its IP address and connect us. The DNS is divided into domains from different levels, and it is managed through DNS zones that are decentralized. An administrator of a higher level can delegate a zone to another under it. For example, when you get a domain name (secondary-level domain like yoursite.com), the higher level .com (TLD) can delegate you the right to manage the zone yoursite.com. You can further delegate responsibility for all subdomains like mail.yoursite.comftp.yoursite.com, etc. To manage domain names, you add DNS records, which are a set of instructions related to your domains, hosts, services, and more.

Domain Name System explained

List of DNS terms

Here you have the most important DNS terms that you will need to manage your domain name. First, you can learn the basics of DNS, and later you can expand your knowledge with larger articles that go into greater details on topics like DNS records, DNS features, and processes. 

Domain Name

It’s an identifier of a host, a text line, that servers for mapping to an IP address (a line of numbers like: 46.166.142.62) for easy access to a website. By now, you have typed a lot of different domain names in the URL bar of your browser to reach different websites. Example: cloudns.net

Machines have always searched websites through their IP address. Numbers are the best way for machines to understand each other. But numbers are hard to be remembered by humans. That’s why domain names were created. To have a friendly choice for humans to reach the websites they look for.

IP Address

An Internet Protocol address is another host identifier that is created of a line of numbers divided into groups by periods. Example: 46.166.142.62. IP addresses are needed so devices can connect to networks and communicate using the Internet Protocol (IP).

The set of numbers on every public IP address is mathematically generated and allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). An entity of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Basically, IP addresses allow the identification, location, and communication of hosts on a network. Every device uses a unique IP address. This way, the Internet and networks, in general, can distinguish all the websites, routers, connected computers.

Many IPv4 addresses are still in use, but the latest standard IPv6 is growing in popularity.

TLD (Top-level Domain)

Domain names have a hierarchy structure. The top-level domain is one of its parts, and it’s located, reading from right to left, just after the final dot for the root and before the secondary-level domain name. Examples: .com, .gov, .uk, .ru, etc.

Initially, TLDs were created to organize domain names by their purpose, geographical location, field, operation radius. By only reading this part of a domain name, users could also know if a website they visited belonged to a commercial, government, non-profit organization, operating regionally, locally, internationally, and so on.

In the beginning, this use was more strict. In 2010, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) accepted the creation of new, generic, trademark TLDs. Now, TLDs are chosen to obey Marketing objectives too.

FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name)

It’s the most complete domain name that hosts can have. It points to the exact location of a domain name in the domain name system (DNS) tree hierarchy. This is expressed through the three parts that shape every domain name: hostname, second-level domain name, and top-level domain name (TLD). Following this structure, here you have an example: www.cloudns.net.

Anycast DNS

Anycast DNS is a traffic routing method where the same IP address is used for multiple nameservers located in different locations. Usually, there are many locations (points of presence) – at least 20 for a well-sized DNS provider. Having a large number of servers makes Anycast DNS resistant to DNS attacks and provides redundancy in general. 

When a client request a domain, the router will direct its request to the nearest nameserver. This will reduce the latency and offer a better experience for the clients.

Dynamic DNS

Dynamic DNS, also known as DDNS, is an automatic method of updating nameservers. The most common use case is to update IP addresses that are contained in A records (IPv4) or AAAA records (IPv6) when a change has occurred. It is particularly useful for CCTV cameras or remote services because with Dynamic DNS, you don’t need to pay for static IP addresses. The IP addresses will change over time, but they will be updated, and you won’t experience problems. After the initial setup process, you don’t need to interact with the settings, and it will continue to function.

DNSSEC

DNSSEC is a security extension that has the goal to protect DNS communication and stop DNS spoofing. It encrypts the DNS communication with a combination of private and public keys. One that the zone administrator uses to sign it and the other for authentication of the origin of the data. What makes it a good protective mechanism is that it is a complete chain of trust. Starting from the root zone down to the TLD zone, the domain zone, and subdomains, each zone above will have the key for the next one. It adds security to the fast DNS process without a significant slowdown.

DNS Server (types)

There are different DNS servers, and each has specific functionality.

Root server. It belongs to the highest level of DNS servers. It’s the authoritative name server for a specific DNS root zone. It points to the TLD of the requested domain name.

TLD server. It’s responsible of specific TLDs (.com, .gov, .uk, .net, etc.). It will point to the exact, authoritative name server that can provide the IP address for the requested domain name.

Recursive DNS server. The server takes the user’s DNS request and looks for the IP address or other information needed for the requested domain name. It will communicate with all the other DNS servers in the hierarchy for getting this information.

Authoritative DNS server. It contains all the DNS records for the zone it’s in charge of. It answers the requests that recursive DNS servers have by providing the corresponding A or AAAA record and the IP address of the requested domain or another DNS record.

Primary authoritative DNS servers. They answer DNS requests, and they store the original zone file. Therefore, DNS records’ modifications can only be made on these servers. 

Secondary authoritative DNS servers. They also respond to DNS requests, but what they store is a copy of the zone file. This copy is not editable at all, only readable. 

DNS Zone

The DNS system has a structure that looks like an inverted tree. It is divided into domain names on different levels. The highest level is the root, after many TLDs, secondary-level domains, and later multiple levels of subdomains. To administrate those domain names, there are DNS zones on each level. The DNS zones are partitions of the Domain Name Space that contain DNS zone files with DNS records for managing. A DNS zone administrator can add or remove DNS records inside the Primary DNS zone.

DNS records

DNS records are simple files that contain text with instructions related to the domain name they belong to. They can link domain names to IP addresses, add instructions for email servers, point to specific services, and much more. The DNS records are hosted inside a host file in a DNS zone. The zone is located inside an authoritative nameserver.

There are many types of DNS records, but the most popular ones are:

A record – Links a domain name to an IP address. 

CNAME record – Forwards subdomains to the domain name.

MX record – Indicates the email servers that should receive emails for the domain name.

TXT record – Multiple verifications and authentication purposes.

NS record – Shows the nameservers for the domain name.

SOA record – Start of authority.

SRV record – Links services to port numbers.

PTR record – The Pointer record links an IP address to a domain name.

DNS terms for beginners

The Importance of DNS Terminology

Understanding DNS terminology is crucial for various reasons, including the following:

  • Efficient Troubleshooting: Solid knowledge of DNS terms allows IT professionals to diagnose and resolve technical issues more efficiently. Identifying the root cause of problems, such as domain resolution failures or misconfigured DNS records, becomes significantly easier and faster.
  • Enhanced Security: Cybersecurity is a top priority nowadays. Therefore, it is best for professionals to understand DNS terminology in order to detect and respond to potential threats. Understanding terms like DNSSEC, DNS spoofing, cache poisoning, and DDoS attacks helps strengthen the security of networks and web services.
  • Performance Optimization: Website owners and developers can benefit from understanding DNS terminology to optimize the performance of their online presence. Fine-tuning DNS settings, minimizing TTL values, and ensuring proper DNS record configurations contribute to faster and more reliable website performance.
  • Effective Communication: Clear communication within IT teams, especially between developers, network administrators, and support teams, is crucial, especially when they need to communicate complex technical issues. A common understanding of DNS terms allows effective communication and collaboration within teams.
  • Domain Management: Individuals and organizations involved in registering and managing domains must be familiar with DNS terminology to make informed decisions. Knowledge of terms like TLDs, registrars, and DNS hosting providers empowers domain owners to navigate the complexities of the domain ecosystem.

Conclusion

This list of basic DNS terms you should know is a good start for exploring the DNS. If you want to learn even more, follow our blog, in which we regularly post new extended articles. Also, don’t miss our Wiki page and YouTube channel.


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How to migrate your Dynamic DNS from Dyn to ClouDNS https://www.cloudns.net/blog/how-to-migrate-your-dynamic-dns-from-dyn-to-cloudns/ https://www.cloudns.net/blog/how-to-migrate-your-dynamic-dns-from-dyn-to-cloudns/#respond Mon, 11 May 2020 16:12:06 +0000 https://www.cloudns.net/blog/?p=1721 On 31st of May 2020, many clients of Dyn DNS services will need to perform a Dynamic DNS migration to another Dynamic DNS provider. This is happening because of the actions of the parent company – Oracle Corporation. Oracle Corporation bought Dyn in 2016 and left it working as a separate unit since 2017. In …

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On 31st of May 2020, many clients of Dyn DNS services will need to perform a Dynamic DNS migration to another Dynamic DNS provider. This is happening because of the actions of the parent company – Oracle Corporation. Oracle Corporation bought Dyn in 2016 and left it working as a separate unit since 2017. In 2019 it announced that Dyn would be closed for good in 2020, and now the time has come. 

Oracle Corporation is trying to accommodate the Dyn client onto OCI (Oracle Cloud Infrastructure) and says that way Oracle can better serve their clients. But that move left many angry clients with the company. The change will completely kill the DynDNS (the dynamic DNS) and will leave no alternative to the current customers than to do a DNS migration to a rival service. 

What is Dynamic DNS?

Dynamic DNS is an automatic DNS service that can change the IPs of various DNS records when the ISP (Internet service provider) changes your IP address dynamically. It saves a lot of work for people who can’t get static IP, or is too expensive, and need to manually change records after each of the updates from the ISP. The service was extremely popular for remote access applications and remote surveillance devices. Those clients will most probably abandon Oracle. There are a few important things missing from the OCI, which are:

Webhop, which is a HTTP redirect, Zone transfer that is directed to external nameservers and DNSSEC (DNS security encryption).

Dynamic DNS by ClouDNS: Benefits

If you are one of those Oracle’s clients who were left behind, ClouDNS is here to help. You will get:

Excellent accessibility. The name that your system will be consistent, even if the IP address changes. 

Efficiency. No need for manual changes settings on the devices, every time there are infrastructural changes.    

Cost benefits. No IP address conflicts and the possibility of using many addresses at the same time. 

  Test our Dynamic DNS

Dynamic DNS Migration: Step by step 

First, export your zone from your previous DNS provider. Most of the providers have an easy option to export. If it is not possible, copy the DNS records manually. If you don’t have any other records than the A or AAAA records, you can skip the zone transfer and directly create a new zone. 

Create a ClouDNS account and log in. Go to your new account and create a new Master zone. Go to “Import Zone” and import the zone file from the previous provider. You will need to delete the A or AAAA record and create a new one. With the A or AAAA records, you will get a unique URL, DynURL, when using the Dynamic DNS. Go to the icon with two opposite arrows and click on it.

For Windows 10:

A pop-up will show where you can see the DynamicURL of that A or AAAA record and example scripts you can later use in the Scheduled tasks (Task Scheduler). There is a very easy way, without the need to install any additional software like Perl, for example. The task scheduler can execute updateIP.vbs every hour. Download the archive (.zip file) from it, and later extract the archive in a folder you prefer. Go to that folder and open it, then see where the RUN-THIS-FILE.BAT is and double click it. 

Ready! 

In case you want to move the folder with the file, you will need to run the RUN-THIS-FILE.BAT again. If at any time you want to delete it, use the file REMOVE-TASK.BAT. Double click it to run it, and it is done. 

For macOS:

Once you have the pop-up opened, copy the DynamicURL from the first line. Open Terminal, choose a text editor, and then type $ crontab –e. This will open your crontab. Type *15/**** PASTE HERE. Leave a single space after the last symbol and paste your DynamicURL. Now press “ctrl+X” and then press “Y” for confirmation. Wait 15 minutes and check. It must be working without a problem.

For Linux (*NIX):

It works the same way as for macOS. Copy the DynamicURL from the first field. Open Terminal, select a text editor, and then write $ crontab –e. Crontab will open. Type *15/****curl PASTE HERE the DynamicURL

At last, press the two buttons “ctrl+X” and then confirm with pressing the “Y” button. After 15 minutes, check it again. It will be working already.

For macOS and Linux Multiple interfaces (*NIX):

It follows the same steps as the previous examples, but here we will copy the Dynamic URL. After that, you can select an ethernet interface that will be updated. If you have two, you can do this for both of them: 

curl –interface eth0 “Dynamic URL”

curl –interface eth1 “Dynamic URL”

Go to the Terminal and write “$ crontab -e” and press enter. It will open crontab. If you are asked about a text editor, just select one and press enter. Add a cron job with this command “crontab -e”. Write one line like this “minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week command”. Example: “*/15 * * * * curl –interface eth1 “Dynamic URL” > /dev/null”. It will run every 15 minutes. 

Now press “ctrl+X” and then press “Y” for confirmation. 

Suggested page: What Cron job monitoring is?

You can check the instructions for other platforms too:

Dynamic DNS with pfSense

Dynamic DNS for Synology

Dynamic DNS for MikroTik

Dynamic DNS for Android

Conclusion:

Dyn is gone, but that does not mean the Dynamic DNS is out too. You can find it with us and enjoy a wide range of benefits. We have both free and premium plans. The free one includes HTTP redirects, 4 Unicast DNS servers, and 500k queries per month. 

If you want a Premium plan with HTTPS redirects, DNSSEC, and 5M queries you can get is starting from $2.95/month. Check out our Premium DNS with Dynamic DNS!

Dynamic DNS migration now!

Test our Dynamic DNS

The post How to migrate your Dynamic DNS from Dyn to ClouDNS appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.

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