Anyone use dynu.com for dynamic DNS? or another service?

[Workin']

I want to host my own private web site, and I have a dynamic IP address (my provider can't provide static IP's in my area). I know there are more than a few places that provide dynamic DNS services, but dynu.com will also give you a subdomain name (i.e., mysitename.dynu.com) for free, which would save on InterNIC fees and spare me from having to register a domain name that will be just for fun.

Has anyone used this service? I'd also be interested in hearing about other services and from people who are hosting their own site over cable or DSL.

 

[Allanv]

i use dynu.com / basic i found it faster than anything else ... most of my friends that use dns2go and i connect to i find it increadable slow and long winded


These are my preferences and in no way reflect other peoples experiences my friends could be useing a vic 20 as there server lol

na use what you feel you need but i do like dynu basic

 

[Drakkhen]

ZoneEdit.com is a pretty nice and free DNS server for real domains. I currently have two setup through there now.

Well worth it.

 

[mattbta]

I use DNS2GO and have had no problems whatsoever.

The utility can be installed to run as a service which is really slick. It sends 'heartbeats' out to keep your connection alive too. I use it behind a router on my email/webserver.

 

[dbwillis]

I also use dns2go without a problem, installed as a service and also behind a router on my home LAN

 

[Workin']

After a bit more searching around, it looks like dynu.com or dns2go.com are really the only viable choices if you don't want to register a real domain name. ZoneEdit looks like the best choice if you own your domain name, but I don't really want to spend the money if I don't have to. All the others that I could find that allegedly offer this service are either not accepting new accounts, no longer free, or merged into dns2go.

Keep the experiences coming - also please post if you had an overly difficult time getting everything set up, etc.

 

[bignick]

I use dynDNS.org. It's free and fast. I haven't had any problems with the service over the past 2 years.

 

[blstriker]

I know several people who are happy with dynu.com for their dynamic dns.

 

[Turbopit]

How much configuration do these services take? I am thinking of getting the custom DNS service from dyndns.org. The reason I ask is because I have been using TZO which takes nothing. You just install it, but it's like $60 a year.

thanks

 

[blstriker]

I've used the zoneedit.com dynamic service with the directupdate client for a few months now and the set up is rather trivial. I don't know how complicated the tzo service is, but most of them should be the same.

 

[dbwillis]

I use the dns2go system, I just have to enter the 'heartbeat' I want (I use 1 min pings) and then enter the free registration number thye provide and the free domain name I selected (www.party.27south.com).
I set to install as a service and it works great, I just moved my web site and the dns client from my old PC (100mhz) to my new server (1ghz) and have not had any problems.
Setup was simple and I have not had any problems with them at all

 

[Workin']

I ended up going with dns2go, setup was VERY simple. So simple you'll be amazed.

It's been about a week now and I haven't had any problems at all. I have 3 domains using dns2go and I'm running 3 web sites and 1 ftp site from my home server. The server is an AMD K6-2/550MHz on a SOYO 5-EHM AT motherboard with 256MB RAM and 60GB of disk space, running Windows 2000 Advanced Server and IIS 5.0. Dns2go is running as a service. My IP address has changed a few times since I started, and dns2go has performed flawlessly - within 1 minute of the IP changing, the DNS is updated.

 

[mattbta]

Good to hear. I love their service.

However- how did you manage to get three domains running with dns2go? I'm looking to do the same with host headers in IIS, but wasn't sure how to set up with dns2go.

 

[Workin']

<< how did you manage to get three domains running with dns2go? I'm looking to do the same with host headers in IIS, but wasn't sure how to set up with dns2go. >>

Just register your domain names with dns2go using the same contact e-mail address for all of them (you'll have to register each domain name as if you were a new customer for each one, there's no option to just add another domain to your exiting account) - then log in to your account at dns2go's web site and group all your domain names. That way, any time you have the dns2go client running on your server for any one of your domain names, all of the grouped domains will point to the same IP. Which is nice, because you can only run the client on your server for one domain at a time, and the grouping feature lets you use dynamic dns for many more addresses.

Then in IIS set the host header name for each site to be www. plus the domain name you want associated with that particular site. So if you registered "site1.dns2go.com" the host header in IIS would be "www.site1.dns2go.com"

 

[mattbta]

Cool.

I've also been looking to take advantage of their domain forwarding so I can register a primary domain and have them forward it to the IP that's currently logged in.

Question-it's been a while since I've used the website. Do you have to leave the page up and running after you're logged in to keep the other domains logged in?

 

[Workin']

<< Question-it's been a while since I've used the website. Do you have to leave the page up and running after you're logged in to keep the other domains logged in? >>

Not if you have all your domains grouped together - once you group them through the dns2go website, then you just need to run the client on your server with one of the domain names from the group. In other words, just keep doing what you have been doing.

 

[mattbta]

Sweet! I'll have to tinker around with it once I get out of the doghouse with the wife!!!!

 

[ivwshane]

Where is this "host header" option located? I assume I right click on the web site in IIS but what or where is the tab?

 

[blstriker]

Host headers are only avaliable on the server versions of windows such as w2k server/advanced server, nt4 server, etc. The version of IIS that comes with w2k pro or nt4 workstation does not allow host headers.

 

[ivwshane]

Thanks but I have win2k server.

 

[Workin']

<< Where is this "host header" option located? I assume I right click on the web site in IIS but what or where is the tab? >>

In the properties for the web site look on the tab where you set the port, etc. for the site - I don't have it right in front of me but click either edit or advanced and there is a place to put the host header name. You can also find out where to put it in IIS's help.

 

[ivwshane]

Thanks I found it!