DDNS
DDNS Overview
Dynamic DNS (DDNS) services let you use a domain name with a dynamic IP address.
DNS maps a a FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) to a corresponding IP address and vice versa. Similarly, Dynamic DNS (DDNS) maps a domain name to a dynamic IP address. As a result, anyone can use the domain name to contact you (in NetMeeting, CU-SeeMe, etc.) or to access your FTP server or Web site, regardless of the current (dynamic) IP address.
Note: You must have a public WAN IP address to use Dynamic DNS.
You must set up a dynamic DNS account with a supported DNS service provider before you can use Dynamic DNS services with the Zyxel Device. When registration is complete, the DNS service provider gives you a password or key. At the time of writing, the Zyxel Device supports the following DNS service providers. See the listed websites for details about the DNS services offered by each.
provider | Service Types supported | Website |
|---|---|---|
DynDNS | Dynamic DNS, Static DNS, and Custom DNS | www.dyndns.com |
Dynu | Basic, Premium | www.dynu.com |
No-IP | No-IP | www.no-ip.com |
Peanut Hull | Peanut Hull | www.oray.cn |
3322 | 3322 Dynamic DNS, 3322 Static DNS | www.3322.org |
Selfhost | Selfhost | selfhost.de |
Note: Record your DDNS account’s user name, password, and domain name to use to configure the Zyxel Device.
After you configure the Zyxel Device, it automatically sends updated IP addresses to the DDNS service provider, which helps redirect traffic accordingly.
DDNS
The DDNS screen provides a summary of all DDNS domain names and their configuration. In addition, this screen allows you to add new domain names, edit the configuration for existing domain names, and delete domain names.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Add | Click this to create a new entry. |
Edit | Double-click an entry or select it and click Edit to open a screen where you can modify the entry’s settings. |
Remove | To remove an entry, select it and click Remove. The Zyxel Device confirms you want to remove it before doing so. |
Activate | To turn on an entry, select it and click Activate. |
Inactivate | To turn off an entry, select it and click Inactivate. |
# | This is the number of an individual DDNS profile. |
Status | This icon is lit when the entry is active and dimmed when the entry is inactive. |
Profile Name | This field displays the descriptive profile name for this entry. |
DDNS Type | This field displays which DDNS service you are using. |
Domain Name | This field displays each domain name the Zyxel Device can route. |
Primary Interface/IP | This field displays the interface to use for updating the IP address mapped to the domain name followed by how the Zyxel Device determines the IP address for the domain name. from interface - The IP address comes from the specified interface. auto detected -The DDNS server checks the source IP address of the packets from the Zyxel Device for the IP address to use for the domain name. custom - The IP address is static. |
Backup Interface/IP | This field displays the alternate interface to use for updating the IP address mapped to the domain name followed by how the Zyxel Device determines the IP address for the domain name. The Zyxel Device uses the backup interface and IP address when the primary interface is disabled, its link is down or its connectivity check fails. from interface - The IP address comes from the specified interface. auto detected -The DDNS server checks the source IP address of the packets from the Zyxel Device for the IP address to use for the domain name. custom - The IP address is static. |
Apply | Click this button to save your changes to the Zyxel Device. |
Reset | Click this button to return the screen to its last-saved settings. |
Dynamic DNS Add/Edit
The DDNS Add/Edit screen allows you to add a domain name to the Zyxel Device or to edit the configuration of an existing domain name.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Show Advanced Settings / Hide Advanced Settings | Click this button to display a greater or lesser number of configuration fields. |
Enable DDNS Profile | Select this check box to use this DDNS entry. |
Profile Name | When you are adding a DDNS entry, type a descriptive name for this DDNS entry in the Zyxel Device. You may use 1-31 alphanumeric characters, underscores(_), or dashes (-), but the first character cannot be a number. This value is case-sensitive. This field is read-only when you are editing an entry. |
DDNS Type | Select the type of DDNS service you are using. Select User custom to create your own DDNS service and configure the DYNDNS Server, URL, and Additional DDNS Options fields below. |
HTTPS | Select this to encrypt traffic using SSL (port 443), including traffic with username and password, to the DDNS server. Not all DDNS providers support this option. |
Username | Type the user name used when you registered your domain name. You can use up to 31 alphanumeric characters and the underscore. Spaces are not allowed. For a Dynu DDNS entry, this user name is the one you use for logging into the service, not the name recorded in your personal information in the Dynu website. |
Password | Type the password provided by the DDNS provider. You can use up to 64 alphanumeric characters and the underscore. Spaces are not allowed. |
Retype to Confirm | Type the password again to confirm it. |
DDNS Settings | |
Domain name | Type the domain name you registered. You can use up to 255 characters. |
Primary Binding Address | Use these fields to set how the Zyxel Device determines the IP address that is mapped to your domain name in the DDNS server. The Zyxel Device uses the Backup Binding Address if the interface specified by these settings is not available. |
Interface | Select the interface to use for updating the IP address mapped to the domain name. Select Any to let the domain name be used with any interface. |
IP Address | The options available in this field vary by DDNS provider. Interface -The Zyxel Device uses the IP address of the specified interface. This option appears when you select a specific interface in the Primary Binding Address Interface field. Auto - If the interface has a dynamic IP address, the DDNS server checks the source IP address of the packets from the Zyxel Device for the IP address to use for the domain name. You may want to use this if there are one or more NAT routers between the Zyxel Device and the DDNS server.  The Zyxel Device may not determine the proper IP address if there is an HTTP proxy server between the Zyxel Device and the DDNS server.Custom - If you have a static IP address, you can select this to use it for the domain name. The Zyxel Device still sends the static IP address to the DDNS server. |
Custom IP | This field is only available when the IP Address is Custom. Type the IP address to use for the domain name. |
Backup Binding Address | Use these fields to set an alternate interface to map the domain name to when the interface specified by the Primary Binding Interface settings is not available. |
Interface | Select the interface to use for updating the IP address mapped to the domain name. Select Any to let the domain name be used with any interface. Select None to not use a backup address. |
IP Address | The options available in this field vary by DDNS provider. Interface -The Zyxel Device uses the IP address of the specified interface. This option appears when you select a specific interface in the Backup Binding Address Interface field. Auto -The DDNS server checks the source IP address of the packets from the Zyxel Device for the IP address to use for the domain name. You may want to use this if there are one or more NAT routers between the Zyxel Device and the DDNS server. The Zyxel Device may not determine the proper IP address if there is an HTTP proxy server between the Zyxel Device and the DDNS server.Custom - If you have a static IP address, you can select this to use it for the domain name. The Zyxel Device still sends the static IP address to the DDNS server. |
Custom IP | This field is only available when the IP Address is Custom. Type the IP address to use for the domain name. |
Enable Wildcard | This option is only available with a DynDNS account. Enable the wildcard feature to alias subdomains to be aliased to the same IP address as your (dynamic) domain name. This feature is useful if you want to be able to use, for example, www.yourhost.dyndns.org and still reach your hostname. |
Mail Exchanger | This option is only available with a DynDNS account. DynDNS can route email for your domain name to a mail server (called a mail exchanger). For example, DynDNS routes email for john-doe@yourhost.dyndns.org to the host record specified as the mail exchanger. If you are using this service, type the host record of your mail server here. Otherwise leave the field blank. See www.dyndns.org for more information about mail exchangers. |
Backup Mail Exchanger | This option is only available with a DynDNS account. Select this check box if you are using DynDNS’s backup service for email. With this service, DynDNS holds onto your email if your mail server is not available. Once your mail server is available again, the DynDNS server delivers the mail to you. See www.dyndns.org for more information about this service. |
DYNDNS Server | This field displays when you select User custom from the DDNS Type field above. Type the IP address of the server that will host the DDSN service. |
URL | This field displays when you select User custom from the DDNS Type field above. Type the URL that can be used to access the server that will host the DDSN service. |
Additional DDNS Options | This field displays when you select User custom from the DDNS Type field above. These are the options supported at the time of writing: • dyndns_system to specify the DYNDNS Server type - for example, dyndns@dyndns.org • ip_server_name which should be the URL to get the server’s public IP address - for example, http://myip.easylife.tw/ |
OK | Click OK to save your changes back to the Zyxel Device. |
Cancel | Click Cancel to exit this screen without saving. |