In the last post we have set up our Raspberry Pi so that we can connect to our Pi via Remote Desktop. You could even download the Remote Desktop App from Microsoft and connect it to your Pi.
As you may have noticed, we are currently on our way more and more to reach our Raspberry Pi as well as possible worldwide. There’s a reason for that too.
In the end, I want to build a cloud together with you, and for a cloud, reachability has the highest priority . If you are on vacation someday and can not reach the cloud anymore, it would be really annoying. That’s why we have to make arrangements so you can fix the bug from anywhere at worst.
What is Dynamic DNS and what do we need it for?
A DNS ( Domain Name System ) refers to the idea that you can access certain servers without memorizing the IP address. These IP addresses are given names. These names are called domains.
For example, the IP address of Google is 216.58.210.3, but you can not tell anyone: the world’s best search engine can be reached at http://216.58.210.3 You give names to make them easier to find. THIS IS DNS (DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM)
Anyone who surfs the Internet has an IP address. You can find out what your IP address is at https://api.ipify.org. Under normal circumstances, your IP address will change every 24 hours, and if we want to build a cloud, it’s important that we have a fixed domain under which our cloud can be reached. Exactly for this purpose there are so-called dynamic DNS (DynDNS) .
DynDNS providers are providers that give you a fixed address and after that, you get the opportunity to deposit your new IP address there again and again. This ensures that whenever you go to https://cloud.talhasariyuerek.com/, for example, you end up at your device at home.
The advantages of DynDNS
I’ll explain the benefits to you from the point of view of building a cloud. Aside from being able to reach your cloud from anywhere, you might think of the following scenario:
You have created an account for your brother in your cloud, and your dad is also amazed by this cloud. He wants you to create an account for him and asks you to come over and upload his files to the cloud. You take your Raspberry Pi with you and copy the files directly on your Raspberry Pi, because it’s faster. Your Raspberry Pi recognizes that you are elsewhere and automatically adjusts the IP address. This will allow your brother to continue to use the cloud without any problems and your father’s data will also be transferred.
Hosters supporting DynDNS
I have looked in the Internet and unfortunately only found two hosters that allow a direct adjustment of the DNS IP address and these are:
Luckily I host my domains at All-Inkl and I would also recommend this hoster. If your provider also allows DynDNS customization, I would be happy if you would name your provider so I can customize the list.
How does DynDNS work?
You get from your DynDNS provider an Internet address, from where you can change the IP address of the domain via a parameter. In addition, there is a username and password for authentication. Take as an example:
- Address:
dyndns.kasserver.com/?myip=<yourIP> - User:
dyn000b48b - Password:
MeOL5sV0Wz8Y9G7S
Then it would run so: Everytime you visit the address dyndns.kasserver.com/?myip=<yourIP> it changes the address so, that instead of <yourIP> is your IP address. For example, that would look like this dyndns.kasserver.com/?myip=84.856.690.741
Once you visit the domain, you will be asked to enter your username and password. If the access data are correct, the IP address has already changed. Very easy.
We have now learned what DNA is and what a DynDNS is. We also saw what it is good for and how it is used. In the next post I will introduce you my Python script, whereby I redirect several DynDNS entries to my IP address.
