ddns3-client for Debian
-----------------------

If you have a permanent Internet connection with a variable IP address
and want a fixed domain name you need dynamic DNS. Your ISP may charge
for DNS. Free dynamic DNS for a range of domains is offered by sites
like dyndns.org, hn.org and ddns.nu. You establish an account at such
a site with your web browser and when your IP changes update it with
an appropriate client.

Ddns3-client installs ddns3 an update client by Alan Yates
<alany@ay.com.au> for the Dynamic DNS version 3 protocol.  This
protocol is defined in ddns-v3.txt and used by the dynamic DNS server
ns.ddns.nu.

After installing ddns3-client:

1. Point your browser at server site (e.g. http://www.ddns.nu/) and if
   they use dynamic DNS v3;

2. follow their instructions to obtain a username, password,
   handle-name and domain name;

3. then as root edit /etc/default/ddns3-client to enter these values
   as necessary, then # chmod 600 /etc/default/ddns3-client
   to protect your password;

4. check your machine is set to the desired FQDN with "hostname -f" 
   and if wrong "man hostname" explains how to set it;

5. "/etc/init.d/ddns3-client start" sets the DNS site at boot and 
   /etc/cron.daily/ddns3-client checks automatically every morning.

6. Run /etc/cron.daily/ddns3-client to check that it is operating.
   It should produce output like:

ddns3-client... 
<handle-name> IP at ns.ddns.nu unchanged,
<handle-name>           <IP number>
ddns3-client.

   where <handle-name> is the handle name you chose at 2 and
   <IP number> is the current IP number of your client machine. 
   If it does not read the man page. 

7. ns.ddns.nu deletes accounts after a month of inactivity automatically.
   If this happens you need to reestablish your account as in step 2 
   (http://www.ddns.nu/).

These scripts use ddns3 to compare your machines IP with the DNS site
IP record and if they differ copies your machines IP to the DNS site
record. Your new IP should become effective within 20 minutes.

If your machine runs continuously, your IP changes only in the small
hours every few months.  About an hour of Internet access to your
machine will be lost every month with cron.daily checks.  If this
matters, with Telstra cable configure bpalogin and with other networks
configure your DHCP client to run /etc/cron.daily/ddns3-client after
connection or reset.

At the time of writing ns.ddns.nu was using PORT=5000, the default
compiled into ddns3, not the IANA assigned TCP PORT=2164.

The ddns3-client scripts update just the IP of their host. The handle
for this IP can have an array of domain names at the server.

A single ddns3 host could update IPs for a network. If you want this
read the server documentation and edit the scripts. There will be
server charges.

-- 
Ian Maclaine-cross <iml@debian.org>, 
        Sat,  7 Jun 2003 16:42:40 +1000
	Revised: Tue Apr 15 13:40:43 UTC 2008 
                 
 -- iml <Ian Maclaine-cross <iml@debian.org>>, Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:47:00 +1100
