Does the White Russian 0.9 DynDNS client suck just as much?

[Ben Scott]

On 6/14/07, VirginSnow at vfemail.net <VirginSnow at vfemail.net> wrote:
> After installing and configuring ez-ipupdate, all through the webif^2
> UI, there WAS no /etc/ez-ipupdate/ez-ipupdate.conf on my filesystem.

  FWIW, I just did an install of OpenWRT 0.9 and X-WRT on a friend's
LinkSys WRT54GS v1.1 router.  This was the first time non-LinkSys
firmware had touched this unit.  Given the trouble people have been
having, I kept a close watch on things.  Here's what I saw:

1. Initially, there was nothing for ez-ipupdate.

2. Once the ez-ipupdate package was installed, an
/etc/ez-ipupdate.conf file was created with generic values, and an
empty /etc/ez-ipupdate/ directory was created.

3. Once I entered stuff into the web UI under "DynDNS", an
/etc/ez-ipupdate/ez-ipupdate.conf file was created and populated with
correct values, as follows (names and IPs changed to protect the
innocent):

service-type=dyndns
user=username:password
host=hostname.dyndns.org
max-interval=86400

  I note that there is no "interface=" line in the above, same as with
mine.  The interface is apparently intended to come from the
initscript.

4. For my friend, it appeared to work fine right off, apparently
getting the interface from the initscript in his case.  Relevant log
entries:

ez-ipupdate[15904]: version 3.0.11b8, interface ppp0, host
hostname.dyndns.org, server members.dyndns.org, service dyndns
ez-ipupdate[15904]: members.dyndns.org says that your IP address has
not changed since the last update
ez-ipupdate[15904]: successful update for ppp0->192.0.2.42 (hostname.dyndns.org)

  Note the interface is "ppp0" (this guy is using Verizon DSL with PPPoE).

  I don't know why the web UI didn't create a file for you
(VirginSnow).  I just know it did for me and him.  I also don't know
why it didn't work for me until I added an "interface=" line, but it
worked for him without changes.  Clearly, there is some inconsistent
behavior here, which is a problem in and of itself.

> Update shmupdate.  When running ez-ipupdate in the foreground, it told
> me that "members.dyndns.org says that your IP address has not changed
> since the last update".

  Had your IP address changed since the last update?  In other words,
does your DynDNS hostname's address record match your current IP
address?  If it's the same, that would be a correct diagnostic.

  It may well be that the protocol being used only allows responses of
"Update accepted", "Update failed", or "Update not needed".  If so,
ez-ipupdate has done all it can.  What DynDNS does on the "Update not
needed" case would be up to DynDNS.  Presumably, they refresh your
registration.  This is pure speculation on my part, of course.

> That begs the questions, WTF is an "update",
> did I just do one, and is what I just did what DynDNS requires once
> every month?

  I'm not really sure of the technical details.  The general idea is
that ez-ipupdate checks in with the DynDNS servers once a day, or when
your IP address changes, whichever comes first.  The "once a day" part
is to refresh your registration, so that DynDNS doesn't expire it.
(They want to keep abandoned accounts from cluttering their database.)
 As long as ez-ipupdate is checking in with the server and getting a
response, I believe you are good.  It's error messages from
ez-ipupdate about not being able to determine the interface or IP
address, or not being able to submit the update, that are cause for
concern.

>>> However, when you *think* you've
>>> gotten DynDNS configured but really *haven't*, your hostname is just
>>> as expired!
>>
>>   Check the DynDNS web UI for your domain name.  It should indicate
>> the date of the last update.  I know mine does.
>
> Of course, logging into the DynDNS UI is an easy way to manage my
> DynDNS entries.  The whole point of installing OpenWRT/ez-ipupdate ...

  And the whole point of logging in to the DynDNS web UI is to see if
ez-ipupdate has successfully refreshed your registration with DynDNS,
which is what you were asking about.  Are you being obtuse on purpose?

-- Ben