Hi,
TL;DR See Step 9 for the actual request for this feature request
Needed to setup dynamic dns, I was surprised that it I hadn't previously made it work.
During setup I realized I had given up on it last time I tried it.
So I'm using freedns.afraid.org and here is what the setup looks like
Step 1
Go to System -> Software
Click on Updates lists, wait a little and then click dismiss
In the filter type "ddns"
Now choose among this list the appropriate software that needs to be installed
In my specific case that was
ddns-scripts-services
ddns-scripts-freedns
luci-app-ddns
Click on each, click install, the dependencies are fine
Step 2 setup
Refresh interface a few times until
Services -> Dynamic DNS
appears, and click on it
Delete the two examples IPv4 and IPv6, they cannot help you
Step 3 get special URL
Go to freedns.afraid.org, the dynamic dns section, specifically
You must already have created your A and AAAA records, if not, do that first
For the revelant record get your "Direct URL", it will look something like this
https://freedns.afraid.org/dynamic/update.php?bnXXXXXXXIUYYYYYYYYGVpMZZZZZZZZZAxNjE=
Step 4 final setup
Now return to your router configuration page
https://router.lan/cgi-bin/luci/admin/services/ddns
Click "add new services..."
In Name, DON'T write your domain name, that will make an error that it already exists, maybe, just write something with no space or punctuation that isn't your domainname exactly
Next choose your "DDNS Service provider"
The list is not in alphanumeric order, select this one
Now click Create service, it will make an error, don't worry about it, it's an error of success
Dismiss the other error, it's fine, it means it works
Here you will need to read the docs
Read
and specifically
There are four options for setup, the fourth option is the correct one ! The other will save plaintext password to your DNS on the device, don't use them, unless option four doesn't actually work
In Lookup Hostname write your actual dynamic domain name
DDNS Service provider should already be afraid.org-keyauth
In domain, write your actual dynamic domain name
In username, you don't have anything to write here, but you also HAVE to write something here, write any nonsense, for instance "BLABLBLABLBLABLA"
Next password, this isn't your password, this is your key
So remember the direct URL from before
https://freedns.afraid.org/dynamic/update.php?bnXXXXXXXIUYYYYYYYYGVpMZZZZZZZZZAxNjE=
Your key is everything after the ? character
So, write bnXXXXXXXIUYYYYYYYYGVpMZZZZZZZZZAxNjE=
Don't check "Use HTTP Secure", that will probably break it,
If you click it anyway you will have to answer the Sphinx's following riddle
Path to CA-Certificate
And it's a trick question, you don't have that, the answer is literally to write IGNORE in that textbox
Your settings panel should now look like something like this
Click Save
Step 5 Using it
Now it doesn't work, click restart
You should see this friendly error message
And the line of your service should look something like this
Step 6 testing it
Now everything looks like it should work, let's try to ping our domain
If you get this message it means you have followed my instructions perfectly !
Now your results might look different, something about receiving a ping reply
This is probably because when you created your A record, the DNS server automatically filled in your current IP address already. In this case, wait several weeks for your IP address to randomly change, then you should see the message from the above command line, at this point you can proceed to Step 7
Step 7 Give up
Find a dark secluded area and lie down, wait until your breathing ceases
Step 8 Ask for divine intervention from the machine
Step 9 Write feature request to make setup easier
This that could be improved to make setting this up easier
- It should be easier to find what packages to install in software
- The DDNS service provider should be in alphanumeric sort order
- There should be a link to the openwrt wiki page for the chosen DDNS Service provider (https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/services/ddns/client#freednsafraidorg)
- If the user already has an update URL, there should be a very obvious place he can paste it in, this URL probably would have most of the required information to auto-fill the rest of the settings page,
- The Username, for DDNS Service provider where it does not matter, it should not be visible, if it has to be visible, it should be acceptable to leave it blank.
- If the setting HTTP Secure is checked then, it should be acceptable to leave Path to CA-Certificate blank or pre-fill the textbox with "IGNORE", or have a button that will download the appropriate certificate file, place it in the appropriate location and fill in the Path in this textbox. If the certificate is autodownloaded, the signature should be presented to the user with the message "We cannot verify the signature of this certificate, show signature, do you accept it ? Yes/No
- HTTP Secure should probably be on by default, but it probably should "just work" by default, without requiring further user input or else the user will probably skip this security feature entirely while he is hunting for the solution for his other problems.
- Fixing, well I don't know what my current problem is, it's very weird but I'm out of ideas
BTW, it's not required to setup the variables in your URL