DynDNS Cuts Back Free DNS Options

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."

Comments

Doesn't matter

[Foxhoundz]

I've been using this site for a while now and I must say I like it.

Re:Doesn't matter

[schnikies79]

It does matter when 99% of routers only have dyndns as an option.

Re:Doesn't matter

[Anonymous Coward]

It does matter when 99% of routers only have dyndns as an option.

we are the 99%

Re:Doesn't matter

[DaveWick79]

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.

Re:Doesn't matter

[jd]

Occupy X.500, it has a classier name and more features.

Re:Doesn't matter

[hairyfeet]

Then buy the service or run your own DNS why don't you? Geez, the economy is in the shitter, these guys are probably hurting just like everyone else and simply can't afford to keep giving the service away, yet listen to all the bitching. If the service is THAT useful to you? Then why don't you help them stay afloat! TNSTAAFL you know, would you rather they just went tits up? Service goes dark either way you know.

Re:Doesn't matter

[ultranova]

Geez, the economy is in the shitter, these guys are probably hurting just like everyone else and simply can't afford to keep giving the service away, yet listen to all the bitching.

The economy is in the shitter, so of course people complain about increasing expenses, since they can't afford them either.

Re:Doesn't matter

[makomk]

Then buy the service or run your own DNS why don't you?

I tried this actually. If you run your own dynamic DNS service most consumer routers won't update it - they're hardcoded to only support DynDNS. That's why this is such a big deal. Because the free DynDNS option was "good enough" for so long nearly all hardware manufacturers didn't bother to support anything else.

Re:Doesn't matter

[aix tom]

Pretty much. Of course, since nearly all hardware manufacturers probably also didn't bother to support DnyDNS *financially* for the feature they used to sell their product, DynDNS probably got more and more workload from those freeloaders and couldn't afford to keep the free service up. It would have been pretty trivial to have a "configuratble http request to a configurable host" in the router to update pretty much all dynamic dns providers out there. But router manufacturers seem to have chosen to cheap-skate.

(Although for 99% of people out there the one host name per router should still be enough, the few who absolutely *Need* more are most likely to also be able to pay for the better service.)

Re:Doesn't matter

[hairyfeet]

Let old hairy show ya what to do friend. You go to Craigslist, or your local Freecycle chapter if you have one, pick up any of the bazillion older boxes out there, keep an eye out for Celerons and Semprons as they are low power and both underclock quite nicely. Once that is completed go to your local mom & pop shop and ask about Ethernet cards. Since nearly all boxes today have Ethernet built in we usually have a drawer just full of Ethernet cards and we'll be happy to sell you some cheap. I personally am happy to let them go at $6 a pop and will even burn you a nice CD with the drivers along with some freeware if you'd like. Then you can either use the XP that came with it or one of the bazillion Linux router discs out there, if you want to get fancy pants you can pick up a $5 flash card and IDE to flash converter to cut down even further on heat and noise, but personally I'd leave the drive in it and use it as a downloader box as well..

Tada! you know how a router that is frankly insanely overpowered and will do anything you can dream up. DNS,BT, you can even use it to surf when the weather is nasty and you don't want to risk your main PCs. Depending on the board you'd be surprised how low you can underclock a Cele or Sempy and even at default clocks they can be pretty low powered. For years I had a 733MHz P3 I used for my "anything network related" box before finally giving it away when I got this 1.8GHz Sempron with a card reader. It makes a great DNS and downloader box, quiet as a churchmouse.

Or if you think that's too much trouble just cut DynDNS a check and call it a day. Personally I think one of the advantages of being a geek is we can make a PC into pretty much any damned thing we want and scavenging boxes and making cool stuff is a fun way to spend a Sunday IMHO. Hell I'm using my new EEE Netbook as a drum machine to lay down tracks with, just loaded Hydrogen along with making some cool patterns and tada! No having to kill ourselves worrying about finding a new drummer while the local college is off on holiday. By the time they get back we'll have most of the base tracks laid and can just hand one of the kids a CD and let them loose. Sure beats having to deal with an arrogant drummer whose timing depends on how many beers he's had up to that point, that's for sure.

Re:Doesn't matter

[Nimey]

Dyndns's subscription cost, while it isn't epsilon, certainly is delta. A one-year subscription is $20, or you could do monthly for $2.

$20. If you really need the service, you could practically find that in the couch cushions over the course of a year.

Yep

[bobstreo]

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.

What's most disturbing is the lack of others...

[Above]

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.

Re:What's most disturbing is the lack of others...

[girlintraining]

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."

Re:What's most disturbing is the lack of others...

[rdebath]

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.

Awesome! Finally.

[GoRK]

I think this is great news. Maybe router manufacturers will now be smart enough to simply include DNS Update (RFC 2136) support instead of the proprietary dyndns garbage. Enter your domain name and a key and you're all set.

Well, they're not a charity

[the_humeister]

I use them, but I only have one address anyway.

If it has value to you

[NaCh0]

Vote with your checkbook. We're not talking thousands of dollars or life critical systems here.

Re:If it has value to you

[icebike]

Exactly. Spend a few bucks people.

I've been paying them the pittance they ask every year since dirt. Its well worth it for the reliable service, and
access to machines behind dynamic ips. Way cheaper than a static IP these days, and essential for a
traveling machine. (I register two names per interface on traveling laptops, external IP, and internal IP).

Who is being disingenuous?

[Anonymous Coward]

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

timothy ...

[Udo Schmitz]

You actually read the submission and checked the facts, possibly avoiding a flame fest. This is totally unacceptable and goes against everything /. stands for.

Re:timothy ...

[Artifex]

You actually read the submission and checked the facts, possibly avoiding a flame fest. This is totally unacceptable and goes against everything /. stands for.

"You cannot go against nature, for if you do
go against nature, that's part of nature too!"

Timothy's one of the few editors left from the old days; don't scare him off.

This is news?

[mark-t]

This policy change is many months old, maybe even over a year.

When I saw the article, I thought that maybe there were even more changes, but I saw nothing new that I did not know since at least the first quarter of this year. I'd have to go rifle through my email archive to know for sure exactly when I first heard about this change.

Re:They're complete asshats about DMCA emails

[Anonymous Coward]

You left DynDNS due to DMCA abuse and you then went to GoDaddy? Are you crazy?

Re:They're complete asshats about DMCA emails

[Zelucifer]

Ok, but the correct response was to send a DMCA counter-notice. DMCA Safe Harbor requires them to take down infringement, unless a counter-notice is filed.

I was notified 27 Aug 2010

[DragonHawk]

Agreed -- this is old news. I got my notice about this change on 27 Aug 2010 -- about a year and a half ago. Submitter has been asleep at the switch.

Given that they're still giving me free stuff, just not quite as much free stuff, I didn't really feel all that upset about it. :)

Here's most of the text of the notice:

From: "DynDNS Support"
To: dragonhawk@
Subject: Changes to NEW DynDNS.com Accounts
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:39:14 -0300
Reply-To: support@dyndns.com
Return-Path: marketer@bouncelabs.com

What changes are you talking about?

Previously we allowed each Dynamic DNS account to have 5 free hostnames and you could select them from 88 different domains that we own. Now this will be limited to 2 free hostnames from 18 DynDNS branded domains.

Also, we are increasing the number of hostnames that come with a DynDNS Pro upgrade. Previously, each DynDNS Pro upgrade gave you the ability to add 25 additional hostnames. We are increasing that number to 30.

Why are you making these changes?

There are a number of reasons that we thought it was important to make these changes now.

Having 88 free domains to choose from was overwhelming for many of our new users. By reducing this to 18 it makes it easier for people to get started.
By limiting the free options to the DynDNS branded domains, it helps grow the awareness of our services. Although we are happy to offer our free services, we simply ask that you help spread the word to other people who might find our paid services helpful. We have to pay those bills somehow.
Looking at the stats of our users over the past 12 years, we see that the vast majority of people only use 1 free hostname. Our support team has seen a lot of confusion caused by the five free hostnames, so when you combine that with the normal use case, it just made sense. We are allowing the 2nd hostname for those who need to create a WebHop to access your hostname. If you are going to need more than 1 or 2 hostnames there's a good chance you are using us for something important. If that's the case, we simply ask that you pay $15/yr for the DynDNS Pro upgrade, which provides a number of other benefits.
If you are using our services for business critical needs, you should consider our Custom DNS service.
What will happen to my current account and hostnames?

Nothing, 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 2 free hostnames. To ensure you arenâ(TM)t affected by these changes, upgrade to DynDNS Pro for just $15/yr. Again, there are a number of other benefits to upgrading.

You're just trying to force us to pay you, aren't you?

No, not really. As long as you keep your account active, you won't be affected by these changes. We would never want to have a user feel like they were forced to use our services. This does not seem to be a very good business model to us. You do your part (log into your account or update your hostname monthly) and we will do ours (continue to offer free Dynamic DNS services to you).

Re:They're complete asshats about DMCA emails

[nedlohs]

So instead of sending the simple counter notice that requires them to put ot back you decided to send something else that acting upon would expose them to legal liability.

And you were surprised that they decided not to lose their safe harbour protection?

Not really proprietary...

[DragonHawk]

DynDNS, they have maintained their lead only via a proprietary interface and a market lead.

Dyn has submitted their HTTP update API as an IETF draft:

http://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-jennings-app-dns-update-02.txt

So it's not proprietary (limited to or owned by them). You might call it non-standard, but if that draft was accepted it would be on the IETF standards track.

Also, Dyn *does* offer DNS UPDATE support, but only for paying customers:

http://dyn.com/support/clients/dynamic-dns-updates-via-tsig/

There are other options for DynDNS only routers

[Anonymous Coward]

Worth a look: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/What_is_DD-WRT%3F

Open source router firmware provides support for a number of dynamic dns providers. Including: DynDNS, easyDNS, FreeDNS, No-IP, TZO, ZoneEdit, custom, and others

roll own dynamic DNS, even with same router

[Sipper]

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.

Re:Old news

[Wild Wizard]

True just went back and checked my email from August 2010 and there is the notice.

Subject: Changes to NEW DynDNS.com Accounts
Message-ID: bfd1113cf66806ecb6d56590e45d7736@marketer.sendlabs.com
Return-Path: marketer@bouncelabs.com
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:39:14 -0300
From: "DynDNS Support"
Reply-To: support@dyndns.com

Hello:

As you may have seen, we are making some changes to Dynamic DNS accounts.
Instead of making the changes without notice, we wanted to give all of our
existing customers a heads up and explain why we are making these changes.
What changes are you talking about?

Previously we allowed each Dynamic DNS account to have 5 free hostnames and
you could select them from 88 different domains that we own. Now this will
be limited to 2 free hostnames from 18 DynDNS branded domains.

Also, we are increasing the number of hostnames that come with a DynDNS Pro
upgrade. Previously, each DynDNS Pro upgrade gave you the ability to add 25
additional hostnames. We are increasing that number to 30.
Why are you making these changes?

There are a number of reasons that we thought it was important to make
these changes now.

    1. Having 88 free domains to choose from was overwhelming for many of
our new users. By reducing this to 18 it makes it easier for people to get
started.

    2. By limiting the free options to the DynDNS branded domains, it helps
grow the awareness of our services. Although we are happy to offer our free
services, we simply ask that you help spread the word to other people who
might find our paid services helpful. We have to pay those bills somehow.

    3. Looking at the stats of our users over the past 12 years, we see that
the vast majority of people only use 1 free hostname. Our support team has
seen a lot of confusion caused by the five free hostnames, so when you
combine that with the normal use case, it just made sense. We are allowing
the 2nd hostname for those who need to create a WebHop to access your
hostname. If you are going to need more than 1 or 2 hostnames there's a
good chance you are using us for something important. If that's the case,
we simply ask that you pay $15/yr for the DynDNS Pro upgrade, which
provides a number of other benefits.

    4. If you are using our services for business critical needs, you should
consider our Custom DNS service.

What will happen to my current account and hostnames?

Nothing, 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 2 free hostnames. To ensure
you aren’t affected by these changes, upgrade to DynDNS Pro for just
$15/yr. Again, there are a number of other benefits to upgrading.
You're just trying to force us to pay you, aren't you?

No, not really. As long as you keep your account active, you won't be
affected by these changes. We would never want to have a user feel like
they were forced to use our services. This does not seem to be a very good
business model to us. You do your part (log into your account or update
your hostname monthly) and we will do ours (continue to offer free Dynamic
DNS services to you).

--
Chris Widner
DynDNS Ninja Squad Sensei