Using internet subdomains for residences with dynamic IP's

CT-Dallas

Like many of you, I am using a WhatIsMyIP application on jobsites for the NI to ping a website every x minutes and as a result, I can obtain the current IP for the residence. I have heard about other dealers who are able to take it a step further, and actually apply that data to a subdomain on their company server.

So instead of looking up the IP address from a table, you would type

client.mycompanydomain.com

Any ideas on what program or script is used to accomplish this? This would seemingly make remote administration just a little bit easier.

Thanks,
Chris

AMXJeff

You would require to have a DNS Server, really two of them, Primary and Secondary. In the DNS you can add zones to the domain name. If you do not want to go through all that work. You can use a public DNS Server, like dyndns.org. Their custom service allows you to have your domain name on thier DNS server, plus add as many zone as you need. They will even forward mail with the custom service. It does have a very small fee for this service but it saves you buying DNS servers and maintaining them, plus you can incorporate the cost of this service in a yearly maintenance contract to your customer.

Just a thought..

CT-Dallas wrote:

Like many of you, I am using a WhatIsMyIP application on jobsites for the NI to ping a website every x minutes and as a result, I can obtain the current IP for the residence. I have heard about other dealers who are able to take it a step further, and actually apply that data to a subdomain on their company server.

So instead of looking up the IP address from a table, you would type

client.mycompanydomain.com

Any ideas on what program or script is used to accomplish this? This would seemingly make remote administration just a little bit easier.

Thanks,
Chris

CT-Dallas

Thanks! That looks exactly like what I was trying to explain. I will contact them.

Chris

vining

DynDns.Org has free service available but requires a monthly update to keep the account active. For $9.95 per year you can get a block off 20 accounts and if you want you can add that as a yearly fee to your customers and actually turn a profit. I still do it for free but that may change.

CT-Dallas

Thanks again. I just found this - free for 20 subdomains, but I am using it for testing only.

http://freedns.afraid.org

Has anyone else used this? It looks a little sketchy. I will most likely be moving over to dyndns by the end of the week. To me, the cost is worth it for a time savings mechanism. I want to call dyndns in the morning for more detailed pricing and feature info. Are most programmers going with the custom DNS plan to utilize your own domain?

Thanks!

vining

You can do everything online and don't need to call.

CT-Dallas

My question to them was what happens after 75 subdomains - can you add ala cart in blocks of 20 or so? Their answer was to contact their private label division. We have 3 offices and more than a hundred projects on the ground, so reaching 75 is not unrealistic.

Thanks,
Chris