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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: rowdy on Mon, 07 April 2014, 19:15:04
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http://dyn.com/blog/why-we-decided-to-stop-offering-free-accounts/
I have been using this for years (although in the new house the internet connection drops out many times a day and consequently the IP address changes many times a day, but anyway).
Can anyone recommend a good, free, reliable alternative?
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8.8.8.8?
What's a dynamic DNS?
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Where you can choose your hostname and register it for free, pointing to a non-static IP address of your server (or even a static IP address, if you have one - they are generally a paid extra to business accounts only over here).
e.g. rowdy.somedomain.com where I can update the IP address via a webpage or API each time it changes. For free.
Some I've found are:
http://www.changeip.com/services/free-dynamic-dns/
http://www.noip.com/
http://freedns.afraid.org/
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Cool. Seems like a very useful thing. I asked my friend who knows more about this than I do, he says noip is pretty good.
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I've used noip.com, they are pretty good. They get a little... "pushy*" with the emails if you don't actually use your free host name.
*Disclaimer: They are just emails warning that the host name will expire due to inactivity, I just seem to remember getting them every day for a little while.
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I think they all probably send emails - Dyn.com used to, once a month if I didn't update the address.
Two votes for noip ...
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Thanks for posting. I just got the email from Dyn. I'll give no-ip a try.
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I've been using https://freedns.afraid.org/ for the past 5 years now, the domains you use are owned by other people but given for free use so there's a chance the domain will expire or be removed but otherwise I've never had a problem.
Best of all, it's not just dynamic dns, you can use them as redirects or as full domains with DNS records as well.
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For those using NO-IP, are you able to use custom ports?
On Dyn, my set up is:
http://hostname.dyndns.org --> modem/router
http://hostname.dyndns.org:1234 --> my pc
This works and port forwarding is all set up.
When I switched over my router settings to use NO-IP and this happens:
http://hostname.dyndns.no-ip.biz --> modem/router
http://hostname.no-ip.biz:1234 --> my pc
So...am I missing something or NO-IP doesn't support custom ports?
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I've never worried about custom ports at that level.
I just use(d) DynDNS to point everything at, effectively, my modem, then setup port forwarding in the modem to various nodes on my LAN.
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I have used no-ip to give a friend my "address" for minecraft. Just a local server with some ports forwarded on the router. I know minecraft doesn't run on port 80 so hopefully that answers your question.
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I have used no-ip to give a friend my "address" for minecraft. Just a local server with some ports forwarded on the router. I know minecraft doesn't run on port 80 so hopefully that answers your question.
Another vote for no-ip, thanks!
Looks like that might be the favourite so far - no-one has complained about them anyway.
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'got the custom ports working with no-ip BTW. I guess I just had to let things settle in. :))
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Seen the no-ip commercials?
:))
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Seen the no-ip commercials?
:))
Ive been looking for an alternative to dyn as well and these commercials have convinced me to at least try noip lol
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Heh I was gunna chime in for no-ip also!
You have to go and type in a code every month to prevent your domain from expiring, or you can pay like $5.
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Thanks!
So many votes (relatively) for no-ip.
Sounds like the way to go.
Had an email from DynDNS yesterday, only 7 days to go until the cancel the free hostname (but do not delete my account - there are separate instructions in the email on how to delete the account).
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DynDNS has ended their free services.
I signed up with no-ip, although it took two tries (the first time the page didn't load properly or something, and the signup button was disabled).
I managed to install their auto-update client on my server with one command (apt-get install) - impressive!
Thanks for the suggests :)
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There is also the Danish http://GratisDNS.dk which allows for dynamic DNS through their API. There are several PHP scripts floating around which show how to use it.
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One thing I noticed (and like) about No-IP is this comment on their site:
always free
Our users trust in us and you will never have to worry about us discontinuing our free dynamic DNS service. We love free stuff!
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Watching this thread for current and future insights. I remember the days of DynDNS...
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I received a welcome email from NoIP inviting me to take part in a survey, which I did (I don't mind spending a minute to provide feedback for a free service).
Apart from that apparently there is a code you need to enter somewhere once a month to keep the free hostname active (haven't been there for a month yet).
Otherwise all good!
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I received a welcome email from NoIP inviting me to take part in a survey, which I did (I don't mind spending a minute to provide feedback for a free service).
Apart from that apparently there is a code you need to enter somewhere once a month to keep the free hostname active (haven't been there for a month yet).
Otherwise all good!
Still using it? What is your experience so far?
My Dyndns run out a week ago.
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Still using it? What is your experience so far?
My Dyndns run out a week ago.
Yes, still using it. The first month has not passed yet, so I haven't seen what hoops have to be jumped through to maintain my free account.
The server daemon is working flawlessly.
No complaints so far :)
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Still using it? What is your experience so far?
My Dyndns run out a week ago.
Yes, still using it. The first month has not passed yet, so I haven't seen what hoops have to be jumped through to maintain my free account.
The server daemon is working flawlessly.
No complaints so far :)
Awesome. Let me know how it goes since I will update my home server soon.
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A couple of months later everything has been going very well with no-ip. The daemon on my server regularly updates my IP address when it changes, and I have not had to reactivate anything.
Until Microsoft.
Apparently Microsoft secretly seized many domains belonging to no-ip, including the one that I was using.
It was finally resolved, with no-ip's summary here: http://www.noip.com/blog/2014/07/10/microsoft-takedown-details-updates/
So no-ip is recommended, and once again Microsoft is not.
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Yeah I heard about that a week or two ago. Glad it got solved. That was a pretty overreaching move on microsofts side.
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I have used freedns.afraid.org for a really long time now. I just registered the domain once ( about 2 years ago) and I have never ever gotten an email telling me that it will expire. Not having any problems what so ever either.
Not tried anything else because this suits my needs.
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I have used freedns.afraid.org for a really long time now. I just registered the domain once ( about 2 years ago) and I have never ever gotten an email telling me that it will expire. Not having any problems what so ever either.
Not tried anything else because this suits my needs.
Haven't heard of that one before - another one to add to the list in case anyone else is looking for similar.
For now I am happy with noip, but thanks for sharing! :)
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An update!
I had my first reminder to confirm my hostname or it would be deleted!
I think my phone line has been more stable recently, and the connection hasn't dropped out for a while, so I must have had the same IP address for 30 days (a new record).
The email notification from no-ip gave me 7 days to confirm the host name, or they will delete it. Clicking the link in the email went to a page where I was offered their basic paid service ($35 for 2 years or something), or a second button to continue with the free service. I elected to continue with the free service, and the next page gave me a recaptcha to confirm, and another button.
That's it.
All done for another 30 days (unless my connection drops during the meanwhile and I end up with a different IP address).
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Been using no-ip.com for a couple years. Reliable. Free.
You do get monthly emails telling to to re-sign up, but that takes about 10 seconds.
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http://xip.io
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You can use duckdns (https://www.duckdns.org/)
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http://xip.io
Ironically I cannot load this page as the DNS lookup fails.