Dynamic DNS service

[Octopuss]

I'd like to be able to access a very few computers (I'm the family IT bitch) remotely no matter where they are with the possibility to wake them up. I need some sort of dynamic DNS service running for that (I'm using TeamViewer - fuck you Logmein for going paid only without notice).
I've never done this and only have very rough idea how it works. I need help choosing the right software/provider for this. I only need bare minimum functionality, and I definitely don't want ANY ads or whatever. Ideally I'd want a free service, but if the cost is like $10/year it's no problem.
Halp?

 

[FordGT90Concept]

With TeamViewer, you should be able to set it up so the computer it is installed on always notifies your TeamViewer account where it is in the world meaning you don't need any DNS set up.


That said, if you're committed to dynamic DNS...
http://freedns.afraid.org/

I use the attached Windows Service to check/update it every 10 minutes. All you have to do is:
1. Extract the zip to Program Files\DDNSU.
2. Edit api.txt where every line is "domain to update|current ip address|URL to update it provided by afraid.org"
3. Edit minutes.txt if you need to. 10 is the default update interval and I don't recommend going lower than that to avoid spamming Afraid's servers.
4. Run install.bat to install the service and start it. The service will automatically start with the system.

 

[Kursah]

I use Afraid.org for my Dynamic DNS. But I use my home router to update my DHCP WAN address automatically. It is free, you just need to login once every 6 months or they'll remove the A-record that points the web address you choose to your public IP address. Duck DNS and DynDNS are good options too... but Afraid.org is the best free option for smaller setups IMHO. Plus it works great and they update their DNS servers very quickly so you don't wait around hoping for more than 5-15 minutes usually in my experience, and closer to 5 minutes or so.

I haven't had any ads or issues with Afraid.org or DuckDNS. I felt that Afraid.org, while the website has a bulkier and more confusing web UI, is the better product for a smaller operation. Easier to get an auto-updater to work. I've used the system updater on my server, which works well...but since it runs as an app and not a service you gotta have an account logged in on a PC for it to work (you can obviously lock the account if you don't need anyone messing with the session), hence I prefer the Linux CRON job or router (I used Ubiquity EdgeRouter Lite and PFSense) where you have a spot to fill in your info and be good-to-go letting the router automatically update. You still need to login via WebGUI once every 6 months...but that's simple enough for a free dynamic DNS service IMHO.

Really these are very easy to setup, and if you need to wake those PC's up make sure you enable Wake-on-LAN (WoL) in BIOS/UEFI on them and open the appropriate ports on the router you want to use to send the magic packet to wake said PC's up. That may take some more configuration depending on how you go about it.

I typed this all up and Ford beat me to it!

 

[Octopuss]

With TeamViewer, you should be able to set it up so the computer it is installed on always notifies your TeamViewer account where it is in the world meaning you don't need any DNS set up.

Yes but I do need it to use the wake up feature.

so you don't wait around hoping for more than 5-15 minutes usually in my experience, and closer to 5 minutes or so.

What do you mean by this?

 

[Solaris17]

I use Afraid.org for my Dynamic DNS. But I use my home router to update my DHCP WAN address automatically. It is free, you just need to login once every 6 months or they'll remove the A-record that points the web address you choose to your public IP address. Duck DNS and DynDNS are good options too... but Afraid.org is the best free option for smaller setups IMHO. Plus it works great and they update their DNS servers very quickly so you don't wait around hoping for more than 5-15 minutes usually in my experience, and closer to 5 minutes or so.

I haven't had any ads or issues with Afraid.org or DuckDNS. I felt that Afraid.org, while the website has a bulkier and more confusing web UI, is the better product for a smaller operation. Easier to get an auto-updater to work. I've used the system updater on my server, which works well...but since it runs as an app and not a service you gotta have an account logged in on a PC for it to work (you can obviously lock the account if you don't need anyone messing with the session), hence I prefer the Linux CRON job or router (I used Ubiquity EdgeRouter Lite and PFSense) where you have a spot to fill in your info and be good-to-go letting the router automatically update. You still need to login via WebGUI once every 6 months...but that's simple enough for a free dynamic DNS service IMHO.

Really these are very easy to setup, and if you need to wake those PC's up make sure you enable Wake-on-LAN (WoL) in BIOS/UEFI on them and open the appropriate ports on the router you want to use to send the magic packet to wake said PC's up. That may take some more configuration depending on how you go about it.

I typed this all up and Ford beat me to it!

I second afraid.org, Iv actually paid for there $30 service for years. I have them linked to my opnsense router using afraid provided token so any time my IP changes it just updates afraid. you can also use openDNS which is also a great service and has a windows installer as well I believe.

 

[Kursah]

Yes but I do need it to use the wake up feature.

https://www.teamviewer.com/en/help/401-how-does-wake-on-lan-with-teamviewer-work.aspx

What do you mean by this?

DNS servers take so much time to update. If you understand how DNS works, that might help. DNS allows you to go to Techpowerup.com instead of needing to type https://172.93.100.156. DNS A-records point the domain Techpowerup.com to that IP address. When a change is made, say an IP address change, that has to be learned. There are various levels of DNS servers, primary, authoritative, etc. The changes must occur on all of them if all users are to access the correct address for domain access. Many DNS servers can take up to 24 hours before an A-record change is applied and updated. Some servers are very fast. Many DNS servers I deal with have a 1-hour record update rate in this region. Still too slow for many that are impatient.

My comment on Afraid.org is their servers update very fast, minutes instead of hours. Until they apply the A-record for your dynamic DNS to the public IP you chose, that address you registered won't work. But once the record is applied and advertised, it will work until a change or expiration occurs (hence logging in every 6 months...).

I second afraid.org, Iv actually paid for there $30 service for years. I have them linked to my opnsense router using afraid provided token so any time my IP changes it just updates afraid. you can also use openDNS which is also a great service and has a windows installer as well I believe.

I use OpenDNS and Afraid.org, and register both using OpenDNS's other service, DNS-O-Matic. Works amazingly well, and can be used with most DynDNS and DNS filtering services available. https://dnsomatic.com/

With that you don't need the installer for OpenDNS.

Edit: I should add I use DNS-O-Matic on my routers, like I did Afraid.org. PFSense, DD-WRT and Edgerouter Lite EdgeOS 1.8 and 1.9. I don't like to use software or scripts on a PC that needs to be logged in/running all the time, especially when my gateway can handle such requests only when the WAN IP actually changes.

 

[Octopuss]

Hmmm, I don't suppose the wake up feature works through wifi? That might be a bit of a problem.

 

[Kursah]

There is WoWLAN (Wake on Wireless LAN)...https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee851581(v=ws.10).aspx https://www.google.com/search?q=WoWLAN

But not sure it'll work with Teamviewer. Not sure what your experience level is here with networking either. I'd say get DDNS going if you need it or figure out Teamviewer for how you need to use it. Just don't add too many devices to an account...I did this on my personal account and PC, now my OS and MAC address are tagged for potential business use...so I get up to 5 minutes max connection from my home workstation...pain in the ass. I haven't gone through the registry edits and MAC address spoofing to resolve it.

What I do now is document the ID's and passwords for the teamviewer clients I setup with unassisted access, on those systems I create a management account with administrative privileges. I don't deal with WoL for family shit...they want me to work on their PC remotely...they make sure it's turned on and connected to the Internet. Not sure what your situation is and if that's an option for you.

 

[Octopuss]

I don't deal with WoL for family shit...they want me to work on their PC remotely...they make sure it's turned on and connected to the Internet. Not sure what your situation is and if that's an option for you.

HAHA!!!
It's to make MY life easier, not theirs Fortunately it's just my witch of a mother now, but she's pain in the ass enough. I just want to have the possibility to connect to her damn notebook anytime I want when I want to do some maintenance.

My networking experience is, unfortunately, borderline zero. I mean I know what IP address is, I can configure a router, but more advanced stuff... not so much
I'll check the WoWLAN though, thanks.

 

[Kursah]

Well keep it simple... I'd say stick to Teamviewer, and just have her fire it up when you need to work on it. Though if you go through some documentation to getting WoWLAN going you'll learn a lot which could be of great help to you.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

You can make TeamViewer run on startup so it's accessible unless she kills it.

 

[brandonwh64]

I use no-ip on my router and it works good

 

[Parlsson]

Personally I got one computer at home that's on 24/7 I remote that one and just go in to my router and trigger wake on LAN (works on wifi units too) if I need to do anything . Router is asus rn56u with padowan and I run my connection true a ssh tunnel yhea I'm abit paranoid !
And if you are really bored just set it up so your computer emails u every isp changes your IP , I hade my IP for the last 3 years so I haven't bothered

 

[dorsetknob]

I use no-ip on my router and it works good

good service Free account available ( must renew every 28 days not a problem )

http://www.noip.com/

 

[Kursah]

Yep they work well..used them quite a few times, definitely can't go wrong. I prefer Afraid.org though, and one of the reasons is because all you gotta do is login once every 6 months to keep the free service going.