Introduction
This page explains how to configure protocols for ddclient, which is what ddclient will update when your IP address changes. This is one of the three pieces of ddclient configuration alongside general config and routers. Start on the homepage for a breakdown of how these interact.
This is an incomplete list of the services supported by ddclient. If your favourite dynamic dns provider isn’t here, check the result of ddclient --help with the most recent version of ddclient. If it’s not there, check the code at https://github.com/ddclient/ddclient and if it’s really not supported by ddclient you can try to modify ddclient yourself.
Overview
Using multiple protocols
You can specify multiple protocols in a single configuration file. For example:
# Router
usev4=webv4,webv4=ipify-ipv4
# Protocol 1
protocol=dyndns2
login=myUsername
password=myPassword
myhost.dyndns.org
# Protocol 2
protocol=dyndns2
login=anotherUsername
password=aDifferentPassword
myotherhost.dyndns.org
# Protocol 3
protocol=porkbun
apikey=pk1_abcdef
secretapikey=sk1_abcdef
another.example.com
changeip
The changeip protocol is used by DNS services offered by changeip.com.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=changeip | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to nic.changeip.com |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=changeip, \
login=my-my-changeip.com-login, \
password=my-changeip.com-password \
myhost.changeip.org
ChangeIP is supported since [r150] based on a patch submitted by Michele Giorato in [e85661ad]
dnspark
The dnspark protocol is used by DNS service offered by www.dnspark.com. According to [bugs:#54] you have to use ssl and set the server to www.dnspark.org to get it working but that bug isn’t confirmed yet. A possible fix for it can be found on [bugs:#36].
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=dnspark | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to www.dnspark.com |
| backupmx=no | indicates that DNSPark should be the secondary MX for this domain or host. |
| mx=any.host.domain | a host MX’ing for this host or domain. |
| mxpri=priority | MX priority. |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=dnspark, \
login=my-dnspark.com-login, \
password=my-dnspark.com-password \
myhost.dnspark.com
## multiple host update with wildcard'ing mx, and backupmx
protocol=dnspark, \
login=my-dnspark.com-login, \
password=my-dnspark.com-password, \
mx=a.host.willing.to.mx.for.me, \
mxpri=10, \
my-toplevel-domain.com,my-other-domain.com
## multiple host update to the custom DNS service
protocol=dnspark, \
login=my-dnspark.com-login, \
password=my-dnspark.com-password \
my-toplevel-domain.com,my-other-domain.com
dslreports
The dslreports1 protocol is used by a free DSL monitoring service offered by www.dslreports.com.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=dslreports1 | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to www.dslreports.com |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| unique-number | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=dslreports1, \
server=www.dslreports.com, \
login=my-dslreports-login, \
password=my-dslreports-password \
123456
Note: DSL Reports uses a unique number as the host name. This number can be found on the Monitor Control web page.
duckdns
The duckdns protocol is used by the free dynamic DNS service offered by www.duckdns.org. Check http://www.duckdns.org/install.jsp?tab=linux-cron for API
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=duckdns | |
| server=www.fqdn.of.service | defaults to www.duckdns.org |
| password=service-password | password (token) registered with the service |
| non-fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=duckdns, \
password=z0mgs3cjur3p4ss \
myhost
DuckDNS is supported since [r179] based on a patch provided by by gkranis on github.
dyndns1
The dyndns1 protocol is a deprecated protocol used by the free dynamic DNS service that used to be offered by www.dyndns.com. dyndns2 should be used to update the www.dyndns.com service. However, other services are also using this protocol so support is still provided by ddclient.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=dyndns1 | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to members.dyndns.org |
| backupmx=no | indicates that this host is the primary MX for the domain. Set to yes to mark it as a backup mx. |
| mx=any.host.domain | a host MX’ing for this host definition. |
| wildcard=yes | add a DNS wildcard CNAME record that points to {host}. Set to no if you don’t need a wildcard. |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=dyndns1, \
login=my-dyndns.org-login, \
password=my-dyndns.org-password \
myhost.dyndns.org
## multiple host update with wildcard'ing mx, and backupmx
protocol=dyndns1, \
login=my-dyndns.org-login, \
password=my-dyndns.org-password, \
mx=a.host.willing.to.mx.for.me,backupmx=yes,wildcard=yes \
myhost.dyndns.org,my2ndhost.dyndns.org
Note: you only need one of the examples
dyndns2
The dyndns2 protocol is a newer low-bandwidth protocol used by a free dynamic DNS service offered by www.dyndns.com. It supports features of the older dyndns1 protocol in addition to others.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=dyndns2 | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to members.dyndns.org |
| backupmx=no | indicates that this host is the primary MX for the domain. |
| static=no | indicates that this host has a static IP address. |
| custom=no | indicates that this host is a ‘custom’ top-level domain name. |
| mx=any.host.domain | a host MX’ing for this host definition. |
| wildcard=no | add a DNS wildcard CNAME record that points to {host} |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=dyndns2, \
login=my-dyndns.org-login, \
password=my-dyndns.org-password \
myhost.dyndns.org
## multiple host update with wildcard'ing mx, and backupmx
protocol=dyndns2, \
login=my-dyndns.org-login, \
password=my-dyndns.org-password, \
mx=a.host.willing.to.mx.for.me,backupmx=yes,wildcard=yes \
myhost.dyndns.org,my2ndhost.dyndns.org
## multiple host update to the custom DNS service
protocol=dyndns2, \
login=my-dyndns.org-login, \
password=my-dyndns.org-password \
my-toplevel-domain.com,my-other-domain.com
’'’Note:’’’ you only need one of the examples
easydns
The easydns protocol is used by the for fee DNS service offered by www.easydns.com.
Applicable configuration variables are:
| configuration | information | |
|---|---|---|
| protocol=easydns | ||
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to members.easydns.com | |
| backupmx=no | yes | indicates that EasyDNS should be the secondary MX for this domain or host. |
| mx=any.host.domain | a host MX’ing for this host or domain. | |
| wildcard=no | add a DNS wildcard CNAME record that points to {host} | |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service | |
| password=service-password | ||
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=easydns, \
login=my-easydns.com-login, \
password=my-easydns.com-password \
myhost.easydns.com
## multiple host update with wildcard'ing mx, and backupmx
protocol=easydns, \
login=my-easydns.com-login, \
password=my-easydns.com-password, \
mx=a.host.willing.to.mx.for.me, \
backupmx=yes, \
wildcard=yes \
my-toplevel-domain.com,my-other-domain.com
## multiple host update to the custom DNS service
protocol=easydns, \
login=my-easydns.com-login, \
password=my-easydns.com-password \
my-toplevel-domain.com,my-other-domain.com
namecheap
The namecheap protocol is used by DNS service offered by www.namecheap.com.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=namecheap | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=namecheap, \
login=my-namecheap.com-login, \
password=my-namecheap.com-password \
myhost.namecheap.com
zoneedit1
The zoneedit1 protocol is used by a DNS service offered by www.zoneedit.com.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=zoneedit1 | |
| server=fqdn.of.service | defaults to www.zoneedit.com |
| login=service-login | login name and password registered with the service |
| password=service-password | |
| your.domain.name | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=zoneedit1, \
server=www.zoneedit.com, \
login=my-zoneedit-login, \
password=my-zoneedit-password \
my.domain.name
## multiple host update \
protocol=zoneedit1, \
server=www.zoneedit.com, \
login=my-zoneedit-login, \
password=my-zoneedit-password \
my.domain.name,my2nd.domain.com
googledomains
The googledomains protocol is used by DNS service offered by www.google.com/domains.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=googledomains | |
| login=service-login | the user name provided by the admin interface |
| password=service-password | the password provided by the admin interface |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## single host update
protocol=googledomains, \
login=my-generated-user-name, \
password=my-genereated-password \
myhost.com
## multiple host update to the custom DNS service
protocol=googledomains, \
login=my-generated-user-name, \
password=my-genereated-password \
my-toplevel-domain.com,my-other-domain.com
Googledomains are supported since [r171] based on a pull request from nelsonjr on github.
nsupdate
The nsupdate protocol (added in ddclient version 3.8.3) is a wrapper around the nsupdate command-line tool. It uses the RFC 2136 DNS Update protocol to push changes to a zone using the standard DNS communication protocols directly to a DNS server, instead of to a web service operated by a DNS vendor (like most other ddclient protocols do).
To use ‘nsupdate’, your DNS server or servers must be configured to accept RFC 2136 DNS Update requests (consult the documentation for your DNS server, or its hosting provider, on how to do this). While it is allowed in RFC 2136 to configure DNS updates without authentication, it is strongly discouraged, and ddclient does not support it. You must generate a TSIG key (with, for example, a tool like dnssec-keygen), configure your DNS server to accept only those DNS updates signed by that key, and then create a key file for ddclient+nsupdate to use.
There are two supported key file formats. The first is a pair of symmetric key files output by dnssec-keygen (or similar tools) with the same name but different extensions (one ends in .key and the other in .private). When specifying the key file in your ddclient configuration options, you use the path to the file with the .key extension, and nsupdate uses it and replaces the extension with .private to obtain the second key file. However, newer versions of dnssec-keygen generate newer key file formats that nsupdate might not understand. A more reliable option is to create a key file containing a named-compatible key statement and specify the full path to that (with extension) in your ddclient configuration. See the examples below for more information.
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=nsupdate | |
| server=fqdn.of.name.server OR server=”fqdn.of.name.server port-number” | Server name defaults to members.dyndns.org, server port defaults to 53. If you need to specify a port number, you must put quotes around the space-separated server address and port number. The server name can also be specified as an IPv4 or IPv6 address instead of a host name. |
| login=/usr/bin/nsupdate | Defaults to /usr/bin/nsupdate. Change to the full path to nsupdate on your system if it differs. |
| password=/path/to/key | The path to the symmetric HMAC key file with the .key extension, or the path to the named-compatible key file. |
| zone=domain.name | The domain name of the DNS zone under which the host to be updated resides. |
| ttl=600 | The time to live that should be used for the host record. Defaults to 600 seconds. |
| tcp=no|yes | nsupdate uses UDP by default, and switches to TCP if the update is too large to fit in a UDP datagram. This setting forces nsupdate to always use TCP. Defaults to no (default automatic operation). (This option was added in ddclient version 3.8.next / 3.next.0). |
| full.qualified.host | The host whose IP address should be updated. |
The following is an example named-compatible key file. You can get the algorithm and secret from the HMAC key file with the .private extension. If the algorithm in the file contains an underscore, replace it with a hyphen. If the secret is longer than 56 characters, you must insert a space every 56 characters.
key my.key.name {
algorithm HMAC-MD5;
secret "SAdhkjhkjashdkjhasdkjbasdkbk8768/+sadfnasdasdkjahsdasdhk jhasdasd/+oeurc8234==";
};
Example ddclient.conf file entries:
## Single host update with default port, nsupdate path, TTL, and TCP options
protocol=nsupdate
server=ns1.mydomain.com
password=/secure/folder/key-file.key
zone=mydomain.com
dynamic-domain.mydomain.com
## Multiple hosts with nonstandard port and no defaults
protocol=nsupdate
server="ns1.mydomain.com 54"
login=/custom/sbin/nsupdate
password=/secure/folder/key-file.key
zone=mydomain.com
ttl=1800
tcp=yes
dynamic-domain1.mydomain.com,dynamic-domain2.mydomain.com
porkbun
The porkbun protocol is used by DNS service offered by www.porkbun.com.
Generate API keys at https://porkbun.com/account/api
Applicable configuration variables:
| configuration | information |
|---|---|
| protocol=porkbun | |
| apikey=pk1_abc | the public API key |
| secretapikey=sk1_abc | the secret API key |
| fully.qualified.host | the host registered with the service. |
Example ddclient.conf:
protocol=porkbun
apikey=pk1_abcdef
secretapikey=sk1_abcdef
myhost.com
Your-favorite-provider here
If you want your favorite provider, please don’t just ask. You can raise a pull request on GitHub against the latest version of ddclient. It will probably be accepted if:
- it’s a free dynamic DNS provider.
- if the provider support SSL please add it to the readme.ssl file.
- if you provide a nice example in the sample-etc_ddclient.conf file.
- if you don’t forget to edit the README.md
- and if you provide a link to the API.
As we don’t use all the possible options, we also like it if you could give support if people are having problems with your provider.