5.0-Nano: DtDNS

Uniform Server and DtDNS

Majority of domestic Internet connections are via a dynamic IP address, one that changes every time you connect to the Internet. This means you cannot run a web server unless you purchase a, static IP address from your ISP (Internet service provider). Even with a static IP you require and entry in a DNS server that converts your domain name into this IP address allowing other users to access your server.

An alternative is to use a free service such as DtDNS they provide accounts that allow you to obtain a domain name and tracking software to automatically update your IP address as it changes. A big advantage of their free service they automatically enable Wild cards by default.

Uniform Server supports the DtDNS service by integrating a, simple PHP scrip to automatically update hostname IP address at DtDNS. Script is configurable allowing you to update all five free hostnames. The script can optionally be run by cron making the whole task transparent.

Note: The script is portable hence popping the servers on a USB memory stick means you can have them on-line and accessible within ten minutes (DNS propergation time) if new PC host has been configured to allow Internet server traffic.

DtDNS account

Creating an account at DtDNS is extremely easy.

Go to DtDNS home page.
To the right of log in click Create an Account

There are two pages to fill in, enter the following details:

	Page 1:
1)	Desired Username	This name is used for logging into your account
2)	Your Name	Your real name (Internal use)
3)	Desired Password	A password for logging into your account
4)	Confirm Password	As above
5)	E-mail Address	A real active e-mail is required, activation code sent to this e-mail address
6)	Confirm E-mail	As above
7)	Optional	Skip the Optional Information section if you wish fill it in.
8)	Two CAPCHA words	Enter the two CAPCHA words (if these are difficult to read click the new challenge button)
	Page 2:
9)	Username	Enter your Username as entered in 1).
10)	Enter code	Enter code sent to your email. (Note: The email contains a link to page 2 hence you can close the page and wait for the e-mail.)

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Login - Create Hostname

General information:

A DtDNS account is limited to five free hostnames.
A hostname is concatenated with a domain name.
I have listed available domains on the right.
Your full URL for example
- If you chose books as hostname
- And select from the drop down menu effers.com

Will look like this:

http://books.effers.com

Available Free Domain Names
3d-game.com 4irc.com b0ne.com bbsindex.com chatnook.com darktech.org deaftone.com dtdns.net effers.com	etowns.net etowns.org flnet.org gotgeeks.com scieron.com slyip.com slyip.net suroot.com

Wild Cards:

After creating a hostname wild cards are enabled by default. This allows you to use a URL such as

http://www.books.effers.com - Note www. is the wild card part this can be anything you like for example:

http://www.books.effers.com
http://www-internation.books.effers.com
http://local.books.effers.com
http://www.home.books.effers.com

books.effers.com resolves to your IP address you can use the wild card on your server to resolve to different sites.

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Create Hostname

To create a new hostname at DtDNS

Login

Go to | Login page
Enter Username: as set in step 1)
Enter Password: as set in step 3)
My Services page displayed
Click on Hostnames this opens the Hostname Manager

Create hostname

Enter a desired Hostname
From the drop down menu select a Domain
Click Add Hostname
Enter the two CAPCHA words (if these are difficult to read click the new challenge button)
Click Add Hostname button
This is added to your list of host names

Manage existing hostnames

To manage existing hostnames, simply click the entry in the list for example see below.

Hostname	Domain	IP Address	Type
uni23	dtdns.net	89.119.35.45	Active Dynamic
books	effers.com	87.129.30.174	Active Dynamic

Click a hostname link opens its corresponding configuration page. Here you can change various settings, including the IP address.

Note: After adding a new host the IP address is set to your current IP address. You can manually change it on the configuration page or request an IP update see later.

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Script Configuration

You need to configure the script, which can be found in folder:

UniServer\plugins\dtdns_updater\dtdns_updater.php

In the user configuration section locate these lines:

$id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123"; // Change
$id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123"; // Change or delete
$id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123"; // Change or delete

Substitute books.effers.com with your real host and domain names, replace the password fred123 with the one you set in step 1)

If you have only a single host delete the other two lines. Otherwise modify them for each additional host as above. Add additional lines as required.

<?php
/*
###############################################################################
# Name: The Uniform Server DtDNS Updater v 1.0
# Developed By: The Uniform Server Development Team
# Modified Last By: Mike Gleaves (Ric) 
# Web: http://www.uniformserver.com
###############################################################################
*/
//error_reporting(0); // Disable PHP errors and warnings
                      // Comment to Enable for testing

chdir(dirname(__FILE__)); // Change wd to this files location
include_once "../../unicon/main/includes/config.inc.php";
include_once "../../unicon/main/includes/functions.php";

run_location_tracker();  // Have servers moved if moved update configuration
print"\n";

//######################## User Configuration #################################
// Add as many lines as required with the following format:
//   $id_pw[] = "hostname,password";
// For example:
// $id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123";
// $id_pw[] = "power.dtdns.net,gun22powder";
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

$id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123";   // Change
$id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123";   // Change or delete
$id_pw[] = "books.effers.com,fred123";   // Change or delete

//###################### END User Configuration ###############################

$test = false; // Test true = display IP address and host names
              // false = no display

foreach ($id_pw as $value) {                        // Iteratate through array
  $idpw_array = explode(",",$value);                // Split id pw pairs

  if(get_ip_dns($idpw_array[0])){                   // Was IP from DNS returned
    if(get_ip_current()){                           // Yes: Current IP returned

      if($test){ // Test code
       print "DNS IP = $ip_dns CURRENT IP = $ip_current $idpw_array[0]<br/>\n";
      }

      if($ip_dns != $ip_current){                   // Are IP's different
        dtdns_update($idpw_array[0],$idpw_array[1]);// yes: Update required
      }
    }
  }
}// End foreach

//=== Get IP from DNS server ==================================================
// Input:  ID = Hostname:
// Output: Return value true  = IP was obtained
// Output: Return value false = IP not obtained or error
// Output: $ip_dns either IP address or host name
  
function get_ip_dns($hostname){
  global $ip_dns;                      // IP address saved from DNS server
  $ip_dns = gethostbyname($hostname);  // Get IP address of hostname
  if($ip_dns == $hostname){            // Is hostname returned (not IP address) 
    return false;                      // yes: failed to get IP address
  }
  else{                                // no: IP obtained  
    return true;                       // set success 
  }
}
//============================================== END Get IP from DNS server ===

//=== DtDNS Host Update Page ==================================================
// Input:  $id = Hostname:
// Input:  $pw = User password
// Output: Return value true = sucess false = failed
  
function dtdns_update($id,$pw){
$id_val     = urlencode($id);                   // User Host on DtDNS
$pw_val     = urlencode($pw);                   // User password
$client_val = urlencode('UniServerV1');         // Optional - But added it
$url = 'https://www.dtdns.com/api/autodns.cfm'; // DtDNS update page

// Build complete URL
$str= $url."?id=".$id_val."&pw=".$pw_val."&client=".$client_val;

// Access page using Curl SSL
$ch=curl_init();                                 // Initialize Curl get handle
curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_URL,$str);               // Set Curl URL option 
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, false); // no verify
curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT,10);      // timeout set to 10 sceonds
curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);       // curl_exec ouputs a string 
$buffer = curl_exec($ch);                        // run above, save to buffer
curl_close($ch);                                 // Close Curl frees memory

// Test returned page 
if(preg_match("/now\spoints\sto/",$buffer)){// Is returne value "now points to"
 return true;                               // yes: update OK
}
else{                                       // no: Failed
 return false;
}
}
//============================================== END DtDNS Host Update Page ===
?>

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Manual Update

You can run the following batch file to manually force an update, remember to leave around ten minuets before performing another manual update.

It takes around ten minutes for the DNS to propagate, additional updates within this period are regarded as an abuse and you may find your IP banned.

Batch file: UniServer\plugins\dtdns_updater\Run_dtdns_updater.bat

Contains:

COLOR B0
@echo off
cls

rem ### working directory current folder 
pushd %~dp0

..\..\usr\local\php\php.exe  dtdns_updater.php

rem ### restore original working directory
pause
popd
EXIT

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Cron - Automatic update

Cron provides a periodic tick Uniform Server's default is every ten minutes.

DtDNS automatic updater has been pre-configured however it is disabled by default.

To enable Cron edit file UniServer\unicon\main\run_cron.php

Locate these two line in section List of scripts to be run

  // $cmd = 'start ..\..\usr\local\php\php-win.exe ..\..\plugins\dtdns_updater\dtdns_updater.php';
  // pclose(popen($cmd,'r'));             // Start detatched process

and uncomment as shown below

  $cmd = 'start ..\..\usr\local\php\php-win.exe ..\..\plugins\dtdns_updater\dtdns_updater.php';
  pclose(popen($cmd,'r'));             // Start detatched process

Notes:

When the server is first started Cron is run and the IP addreess updated if different
Every ten minuets Cron is run and the IP address are checked if different are updated.
Cron only runs when the servers are running however you can force an update using the batch file mentioned above.
Cron can be manually or automatically started see next page for details.

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Summary

For a home web server the free account at DtDNS is ideal at least it gives you an opportunity to test their service. Perhaps it will encourage you to purchase a real domain and use some of their paid services.

The next page looks at Cron in more detail.

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