Accessing your home computer while on the go is no longer a difficulty thanks to remote desktop connections. But the connection often fails because of your internet provider, which is responsible for ensuring that your internet connection regularly receives new IP addresses. To build a stable connection to the server in spite of this annoyance, there’s the DynDNS (Dynamic Domain Name System).
DynDNS services help you to forward the constantly changing IP addresses of your home network to a fixed domain name and provide yourself with access. We let you know which DynDNS providers there are and what differentiates the free and paid DynDNS alternatives.
Find out exactly how the Dynamic Domain Name System works in our basics article on DynDNS.
The German provider DynDNS Service is one of the most used DynDNS services. The service offers a free version as well as a paid version. In the free version, you can create up to three DynDNS domains, or create up to 100 URLs in the paid version for both private and commercial use. The only requirement is setting up a free account that can be done with only a few clicks on the provider’s page. The process is very simple: Create a DynDNS campaign, enter account data in the router, and you’re done.
DynDNS service also advertises the real time of the respective IP update in your free account.
Another advantage is the reliable customer support. You can contact the DynDNS provider via email or by filling out a contact form. Several helpful resources and instructions are also available on the website.
As a premium user, you have access to a number of interesting additional features, thanks to which you don’t have to make any manual router entries, for example. This is achieved with the DynDNS updater tool, with which you can use up to 100 applications or DynDNS URLs in parallel without any problems (e.g. for simultaneous use of multiple webcams). Other advantages are:
Disadvantage: A one-time activation fee is charged for the DynDNS update tool. To do this, your account (ddclient) is activated to premium status, which allows you to create up to 100 DynDNS URLs.
The free DynDNS service DNSdynamic offers a wide selection of domains, including several .com domains. You can also register an unlimited number of host names. IP addresses are updated to DNS names using a free VPN service, either through a Windows or Linux client. There’s also a web-based management interface as well as a simple interface which allow you to update via script.
If you have questions or problems, you can reach customer support via mail or Twitter.
Disadvantage: DNSdynamic is free but relatively complicated to set up. You should pay special attention to data protection guidelines.
The homepage of No-IP gives a very professional impression. The DynDNS provider from the USA offers three different packages:
| Free Dynamic DNS | Improved Dynamic DNS (paid $) | Plus-Managed DNS (paid $$) |
| 3 host names | 25+ host names | 50+ host names |
| Limited number of domains | 80+ domain options | Incl. domain registration ($) |
| Account confirmation required every 30 days | No expiration | No expiration, telephone support |
Even if the freeware version with a total of three host names is still reasonable, users often complain about the expiration time of the account. Every 30 days, you must confirm your account, or else it will immediately be deleted. You’re also flooded with advertisements. You don’t have any of these disadvantages in the paid versions. In the premium version, you also receive telephone support for questions.
The German provider Securepoint DynDNS is completely free and offers a total of 5 hosts and 100 domains. The benefit of this DynDNS service is that it fits perfectly into the firewall and other devices from the manufacturer. You can use the free DynDNS service without a Securepoint device as well, though.
Other features are the support of IPv6 protocol and the update token, an additional password that provides more security. You can receive help via the contact form, and also have access to instructions or the forum.
The DynDNS service Dynu is available in both free and paid versions and offers a number of extended features. The free Dynamic DNS provides reliable DNS uptime through multiple servers located across the globe. This means that top-level domains will work regardless of what country they belong to.
Dynu also supplies a free downloaded DynDNS client, which runs in the background and constantly updates any IP address changes. The free version gives access to all additional services, including domain registration, email service, and SSL certificate, however, it only allows for one subdomain. The paid version, on the other hand, can register unlimited subdomains.
| Number of hosts, domains | Requirements | Features | Customer support | |
| DynDNS Service (free) | 3 hosts, limited number of domains | Simple registration | - | Email, help resources, and instructions available |
| DynDNS Service (paid) | 100 hosts, limited number of domains | Simple registration | Paid DynDNS updater tool | Email, help resources, and instructions available |
| DNSdynamic (free) | Unlimited hosts, wide selection of domains | Complicated setup | Free VPN service | Mail, Twitter |
| No-IP (free) | 3 hosts, limited domains | Account confirmation every 30 days | - | Only email |
| No-IP Verbessertes Dynamic DNS (paid) | 25+ host names, 80+ domain options | No account expiration | No advertisements, 100% uptime guarantee | Email, telephone support |
| No-IP Plus-Managed DNS (paid) | 50+ host names, domain registration | No account expiration | Supports email upgrade, SSL upgrade | Email, telephone support |
| Securepoint DynDNS (free) | 5 hosts, 100 domains | Registration | Supports IPv6, update tokens | Contact form, instructions, forum |
| Dynu (free) | 1 subdomain | Free registration | Free DynDNS client | FAQ, tutorials |
| Dynu (paid) | Unlimited subdomains | Free registration | Free DynDNS client | FAQ, tutorials |
Remote desktop connections are indispensable for day-to-day business. More than anything, allowing remote control access from another computer saves time: Whether for support, online conferences, or home office — with remote desktop, you can easily and conveniently connect your computer to distant devices. Private users also benefit from remote use: By connecting with different operating systems,...
Being able to access your home computer from another location is no longer a complicated matter thanks to remote connection. It is handy to be able to use your computer from the office and swap files. But IP addresses change often and this throws a spanner in the works. DynDNS (DDNS) services are the solution. In this article, we explain what these are and how you can access your computer via the...
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