Dynamic DNS from dyndns - how to update as ip changes?

torontob · Jun 24, 2011, 6:00 PM

Hi eveyrone,

Using DynDNS for a router. How can I make sure that the IP is updated as quickly as the IP changes? I have filled out the Dynamic DNS client section but not the RFC 2136 Dynamic DNS Update part as I am not sure what should go there. Can someone please guide me if I need that?

Thanks

illern · Jun 25, 2011, 11:24 AM

Hello!

I you use the service from Dyndns then I think you should only fill out the first section as you have done.
It will update when the IP changes.

/illern

torontob · Jun 25, 2011, 2:55 PM

No, it doesn't. And I am really really surprised that a cheap $20 linksys router does the updates but not pfSense. Checking all over the forum for a solution and it seems that RFC 2136 is also broken.

I am really disappointed :-(

Can someone please point me to a working script for it or if knows a work-around?

Thanks and much appreciated.

illern · Jun 25, 2011, 5:33 PM

Sorry to hear that it doesn't work.
Haven't used pfsense myself for dyndns update since I use the DynDNS updater on a windows machine behind my pfsense.
Do you have a server behind pfsense that you can use instead?

Downloadlink to the updater.
http://www.dyndns.com/support/clients/windows.html
Works great for me.

/illern

torontob · Jun 25, 2011, 6:25 PM

I do not have any servers behind pfsense. It's all phones, so I can't use the client updater. I am wondering if ddClient or the other program that DynDns provides is supported on FreeBSD (pfSense) platform?

Has anyone got that to work?

Regards

illern · Jun 25, 2011, 11:27 PM

What version of PfSense are you using?
Looked at the redmine on issues with Dynamic DNS and there has been a few issues with that on v2
Also some issues with 3G connection thats not resolved.

/illern

wallabybob · Jun 26, 2011, 3:03 AM

DynDNS updates work for me (pfSense 2.0-RC3)

It what way does your configuration not work? What is in the system log or startup log about DynDNS? Here's an example of an update from my system log:

Jun 24 01:59:12 pfsense php: : DynDns: updatedns() starting
Jun 24 01:59:13 pfsense php: : DynDns debug information: 203.144.19.78 extracted from local system.
Jun 24 01:59:13 pfsense php: : DynDns: Current WAN IP: 203.144.19.78 Cached IP: 203.144.23.139
Jun 24 01:59:13 pfsense php: : DynDns debug information: DynDns: cacheIP != wan_ip. Updating. Cached IP: 203.144.23.139 WAN IP: 203.144.19.78
Jun 24 01:59:13 pfsense php: : DynDns: DynDns _update() starting.
Jun 24 01:59:13 pfsense php: : DNS-O-Matic: DNS update() starting.
Jun 24 01:59:14 pfsense php: : DynDns: updatedns() starting

Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : DynDns: DynDns _checkStatus() starting.
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : DynDns: Current Service: dnsomatic
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : DynDns debug information: 203.144.19.78 extracted from local system.
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : phpDynDNS: updating cache file /conf/dyndns_wandnsomatic'all.dnsomatic.com'.cache: 203.144.19.78
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : DNS-O-Matic: (Success) IP Address Changed Successfully! (203.144.19.78)
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : DynDns debug information: 203.144.19.78 extracted from local system.
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : DynDns: Current WAN IP: 203.144.19.78 Cached IP: 203.144.19.78
Jun 24 01:59:24 pfsense php: : phpDynDNS: No change in my IP address and/or 25 days has not passed. Not updating dynamic DNS entry.

jimp · Jun 28, 2011, 1:59 PM

DynDNS updates also work for me, never had a problem. I have several hostnames on multiple WANs updating from both dyndns.org and namecheap.com. They all work perfectly.

torontob · Jun 28, 2011, 8:17 PM

Thanks for the input guys.

I am using version 1.2.3. I can't test or use version 2.0 for obvious reasons of it being Beta and making my life much harder when it comes to VPN due to it's complicated VPN configuration.

The IP seems to update fine upon reboot of the router but if the IP changes as it's lease expires then the router is not pro-active to notify DynDNS of the change. Can someone please clarify if DynDNS configuration on the GUI alone (***without using RFC 2136) should allow for the dynamic IP to be updated - right away when it changed - to DynDNS services?

Thanks

jimp · Jun 28, 2011, 8:25 PM

2.0 is at RC3, not beta, and at this stage I'd consider it just about as stable as 1.2.3 (with a couple exceptions, but not things that most people hit)

If you're on 1.2.3 having issues, the answer is: Update to 2.0 where bugs have been fixed.

There isn't much that can be done on 1.2.3. You just need to setup dyndns (no RFC) for a normal dyndns.org account. I also use it there on 1.2.3 on several routers out in the field and have no problems there.

torontob · Jul 6, 2011, 1:08 AM

Thanks for the reply jimp.

Just to close this thread, so you are saying that setup of DynDNS like you mentioned takes care of the IP updates automatically and there is no need to restart the router for this to update? is that what you can confirm 100% ? Because my IP changed and the change was not reflected onto DynDNS.

Regards,

jimp · Jul 6, 2011, 1:16 AM

For any router I've ever setup on pfSense with DynDNS, it's updated automatically as the IP changed, and I've not had any issues. On 1.2.3 or 2.0 (at least by the time it hit BETA). I've also added a couple DynDNS types to the code and had no problems with them either. Currently I have four entries setup on 2.0, two for dyndns.org, one for namecheap, and one for he.net.

wallabybob · Jul 6, 2011, 3:07 AM

@torontob:

Because my IP changed and the change was not reflected onto DynDNS.

Is the IP address of your pfSense monitored interface(s) a private IP address (for example, pfSense is downstream of a modem/router)? If so, the registration isn't updated until 1AM.

What does your system log display around the time of the address change?

torontob · Jul 8, 2011, 5:09 PM

Thanks for weighing in wallabybob.

This is a production system so I have to wait until the IP changes again to get the logs.

Why 1 A.M. though? can't this be automated?

Pfsense is connected to Rogers Modem which is just a modem and not a router. This is a coax internet connection so no PPPoE authentication or any other authentication needed.

Rayfen · Jul 8, 2011, 5:45 PM

Just to dissolve any fears you might have about using 2.0 RC3. The developers have designed their release candidates to be "stable" releases. Yeah they're not full production releases but you will have little to no problems using them. You will also find using 2.0 versions MUCH better than the 1.x versions.

torontob · Jul 8, 2011, 6:49 PM

I am testing 2.0 already but I already see that it freezes more often. It is drastically different from 1.2.3. Unfortunately even naming conventions changed and features were removed or misplaced. Doesn't make it easy for a production environment at all. E.g. OpenVPN setup has it's authentication naming changed. Opt1 interface doesn't have bridge mode anymore….etc....one has to go and figure all that out and then test it for 6 months till it's worthy of production. Let alone the fact that it's not STABLE release despite whatever the RC designation is. I understand what you are saying but it's not worthy of production yet as it will bring much more headache than it would solve any problems.

jimp · Jul 8, 2011, 7:22 PM

It has changed, yes, but it's not as bad as you're making it out to be, and most of the changes are fairly well documented around the forum and even in the GUI itself. The doc wiki has a lot of pages on 2.0, and every page in the GUI has a help icon on it "?" that links you to relevant information in the wiki.

It is quite stable for most people. It is worthy of production, and is being used in production in many locations, with much success.

wallabybob · Jul 8, 2011, 11:23 PM

@torontob:

This is a production system so I have to wait until the IP changes again to get the logs.

Not so, the DynDns address checking also occurs on startup. pfSense shell command```

clog /var/log/system.log | grep -i dyndns


@torontob:

> Why 1 A.M. though? can't this be automated?

It is automated (cron job). If your monitored interface has a private IP address then the only available way of discovering if your PUBLIC ip address is to poll (in this case ask someone on the internet). How often should the poll occur?

ericab · Jul 10, 2011, 9:40 PM

i dont think a free DynDNS account will allow overuse of server queries for ip-change checks, so be sure to read their documentation for those limitations; theres a better change their paid accounts will allow you to ping 'em so to speak far more often; and if thats the case, you can just modify the CRON entry to reflect a more frequent execution

quadrinary · Sep 21, 2011, 1:59 PM

@wallabybob:

@torontob:

Why 1 A.M. though? can't this be automated?

It is automated (cron job). If your monitored interface has a private IP address then the only available way of discovering if your PUBLIC ip address is to poll (in this case ask someone on the internet). How often should the poll occur?

Do you know if there's a way to make this run hourly, every half hour? My IP address changes that often sometimes (crappy, crappy ISP, can't do much about that though) and waiting 18 hours for an update is really frustrating.