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DynDNS Cuts Back Free DNS Options

Posted by timothy on from the yes-we-have-fewer-bananas-today dept.

First time accepted submitter LazyBoyWrangler writes "Just noticed the 'free' non-commercial service from DynDNS has been deprecated. Not my place to argue with their business model changes, but the home router infrastructure out there has been built around the promise of free dynamic DNS service. Most manufacturers offer DynDNS as their only option. Removing the free service for non-commercial folks seems disingenuous when they are the only option for many users." According to the linked page, the free service is being drastically cut back for new users (one free hostname, rather than five, and from a shorter list of branded domains), but not ended entirely. Existing users, it says, will see no changes "as long as you keep your hostnames active and up-to-date. If you allow your account or hostnames to expire, you will have to select from the new domains instead and will be limited to the one free hostname."

7 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. Yep by bobstreo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Already lost a domain name I had for I have no idea how many years because google marked the notification as junk so I never saw it.

    I'm partly to blame for not logging in every other day to make sure my account didn't expire.

  2. What's most disturbing is the lack of others... by Above · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While there are services, like DynDNS with proprietary interfaces the reality is that dynamic DNS has a standard interface. RFC 2136 style updates should work with any provider, allowing equipment makers to support everyone. While DynDNS has supported people well, I hope this move makes end users demand RFC standard support in devices so that ANY dynamic DNS provider can be used. There are choices other than DynDNS, they have maintained their lead only via a proprietary interface and a market lead.

    1. Re:What's most disturbing is the lack of others... by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Interesting
      What's really disturbing is the sense of entitlement on the internet; Network resources cost money. Maybe not much, but not zero either. But I digress... end users aren't going to demand anything. Appealing to a sudden outburst of education and intelligence is like praying for rain in the middle of a desert. Sure, once in a great, great while you might get lucky and have your wish granted... But I'd humbly suggest a more life-preserving option.

      I mean, look at IPv6; IP address space is now gone. There were economic and technical incentives years ago to convert but nobody did. Now IP addresses, a completely artificial and invented thing, has become equivalent to real property... and people are reluctant to switch now because they've made an investment in this intangible.

      No, if there's anything the internet has taught me it's this; The answer to "They couldn't POSSIBLY be that stupid..." is always "Oh yes they could."

      --
      #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    2. Re:What's most disturbing is the lack of others... by rdebath · · Score: 4, Interesting

      2. Double-NAT inherently breaks ... VPN connectivity.

      No it doesn't. It does break PPTP and IPSEC because the people who created those standards never believed people would be stupid enough to use something as dumb as NAT in the real world. But the more recent OpenVPN and some of the it's copycats (eg IPSEC variants) will always work with NAT at one end and can work the NAT at both ends; if you're using a high performance NAT, eg a linux router or a "CGN".

      3. Forces users that need a public facing IP ... to pay

      I don't mind the paying so much, but I'll make REAL SURE I don't pay my ISP for the connectivity "extras". Use a third party preferably using OpenVPN (because it's rather hard to identify on the wire) and preferably in another country.

      2. Double-NAT inherently breaks ... bit torrent,

      Yup, breaks the most efficient file transfer protocol invented so instead the people have to use a VPN or streamed video. (assuming we're assuming the MPAA assumption that all bit torrent is video) Streamed video is the worst; it has to be delivered on time and at the rate required, no slip-ups, no slow-down, no delays. And they hope this will mean their network can be cheaper for the same level of complaints ... fat chance.

  3. Who is being disingenuous? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It seems like the router manufacturers, who have essentially been free-riding on dyndns' service as a selling point for their routers.

  4. Re:Doesn't matter by DaveWick79 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's not like updating via a router is the only choice. If you are hosting something on that IP you are going to have at least one box that can run a software client to update.

    Also the vast majority of non-commercial users don't need multiple sites on one account - and they don't need a huge selection of dozens of host domains. DynDns is simplifying their free service without affecting the needs of 99.9% of new users. And if you need more sites it is not that hard to setup a free email account to link it to.

    So the bottom line is, this is a non-story.

  5. roll own dynamic DNS, even with same router by Sipper · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you have a rented server somewhere running a DNS server, then the usual suggestion I make is to roll your own dynamic DNS. Before somone says "but my router only supports DyDNS", there are solutions that can allow you to update your own dynamic DNS anyway -- the main trick is getting your public IP address. If you also run your own web server, it's quite simple to create a web page like "whatismyip" in PHP:

    (start PHP here)
    echo $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
    (stop PHP here)

    And from there you can make a custom shell script that checks your public IP, compares it with what your DNS server has for the entry, and then update your DNS server if needed. This doesn't need to be done at the router -- it can be done through it if necessary. If you run Bind9, look at the 'nsupdate' utility -- and of particular note, it's possible to do this dynamic DNS update via TCP rather than UDP. That way you can guarantee that the update will get there. AFAIK all of the popular DNS servers have a way of doing dynamic DNS updates such that they don't have to be done right at the router.

    It's more convenient to do this at the router, though, because the router is on all the time and desktops/laptops aren't. So if you really want to also run a custom router to do the job for you, you might like the Alix hardware such as this:

    http://pcengines.ch/alix2d3.htm

    Debian runs nicely on the Alix hardware directly, using a kernel for a 486.