May 27th, 2024
Over the years with my home lab, I’ve wanted to point urls back to my home IP address. However, I’m on a dynamic IP address that changes from time to time. This breaks the domain every time my IP address moved… Enter DDNS.
DDNS or Dynamic DNS is a process where a service regularly checks to see if your IP has moved. If it has moves, the URL stops pointing at the old IP address and starts pointing to the new IP address.
How I’ve setup DDNS in the past
DDNS can be setup in a couple of ways.
- Using free services like noip.com, duckdns.com or dynu.com. I put an application on a server, or use one built into the router, that regularly checks the IP and reports the new IP to the service when it changes. Since these are mostly free, you get a subdomain off of a domain address, such as mywire.org, so it would be redshirt.mywire.org. This is great for personal services, but what about websites and things you want people to use and look professional? What if you already have a domain you want to use with DDNS?
- Using Google Domains. Google domains would allow you to use your domain as usual and peel some off to use with DDNS. This was my go to until they were bought by Squarespace, absorbed and lobotomized.
Another Method for managing DDNS
I have a new way, or at least new to me. Dynu.com, and probably others, will give you DDNS control over your domain if they host your domain. with my domains, I’ve moved to or purchased from Dynu.com all the domains I use for websites, services and my internal domain over to Dynu.com.
It’s been easy and seamless. The following things can be done:
- Any subdomain, setup in DNS or not, will automatically route to your IP address without having to setup an A Record or Cname.
- You can set A records or C Names that point back to your IP address so they are called out directly.
- If you need it, like for setting up Let’s Encrypt, you can set up DNSSEC on the fly to verify ownership of the domain.
- You can create new A records or C Names and still route subdomains as you would normally with any other domain hosting service.
Conclusion
In the end, to take advantage of DDNS I’ve moved all my domains off of GoDaddy & squarespace over to Dynu.com and couldn’t be happier. I’ve been able to easily manage the domains I use for internal use & public use.