How to Set Up Dynamic DNS with ddclient

Setting Up Dynamic DNS with ddclient

Dynamic DNS automatically updates your DNS records when your IP address changes. This is essential if your Breeze or home server has a dynamic IP from your ISP and you need consistent hostname resolution.

Install ddclient

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ddclient

Configuration

Edit /etc/ddclient.conf with your provider details. Here is an example for a common DDNS provider:

daemon=300
ssl=yes
use=web, web=checkip.dyndns.com
protocol=dyndns2
server=domains.example.com
login=your_username
password='your_token'
myhost.example.com

Provider-Specific Examples

For providers that use token-based authentication:

protocol=dyndns2
use=web, web=https://api.ipify.org
server=dynupdate.example.com
login=token
password='your_api_token'
home.example.com

Using a Custom Script

For providers without native ddclient support, use a cron-based approach:

#!/bin/bash
IP=$(curl -s https://api.ipify.org)
CURRENT=$(dig +short myhost.example.com)
if [ "$IP" != "$CURRENT" ]; then
    curl -s "https://api.example.com/update?hostname=myhost&ip=$IP&token=YOUR_TOKEN"
    echo "$(date): Updated IP to $IP" >> /var/log/ddns-update.log
fi

Start and Test

sudo systemctl enable --now ddclient
sudo ddclient -daemon=0 -debug -verbose -noquiet

The debug output will show whether the update was successful. Monitor /var/log/syslog for ongoing update status.