INADYN - Simple DYNAMIC DNS client.

Version 1.86, 30.January.2005

INADYN Help

INADYN is a dynamic DNS client. That is, it maintains the IP address of a host name. It periodically checks whether the IP address stored by the DNS server is the real current address of the machine that is running INADYN.

Download

Source Code + binary for Windows and Linux

Features:

• supports the following dynamic DNS services:
• dyndns.org (in all three flavors: dynamic, static, custom)
• freedns.afraid.org
• maintains up multiple aliases of the same IP address
• runs as a service (Windows 2000/XP, Linux)
• or runs as a console application
• updates the correct IP address even behind a NAT router.
• supports access via http proxy
• does not perform unnecessary updates.
• has 'install and forget it feature'. That is, after install one can completely forget about it. No maintenance required. (as long as no bugs are found;-)

1. No installation necessary. The inadyn executable found in bin/linux/inadyn is self contained and can be launched at any time
   

1. IF you are planning to let inadyn run as a service. For installation you need Administrator rights and you need to launch the utility batch: install_inadyn_service.bat from the same directory where inadyn.exe is located. This will allow a standard console application like inadyn to run as a service. The programs intsrv.exe, srvany.exe are standard programs that can be also found on Windows 2000 res Kit CD. 
   Note:  Since re-distributing the above mentioned programs seems to be illegal, they are not provided in  the inadyn package. These programs have to be downloaded (if don't already have them) and copied in the inadyn/bin/win32 directory. After a bit of googling I found some links where one can download them:
   Download the whole Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools from Microsoft or the following alternate sites
   http://www.electrasoft.com/srvany/srvany.htm
    ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/reskit/nt40/i386/srvany_x86.exe
   
2. Edit the registry file with the correct name for your service (e.g. 'configure_inadyn_service_dyndns.reg') in order to pass your username, password, aliases, and other params to inadyn. After you have finished double click on the reg file.

   Notes:

   • The correct path to inadyn binary has to be entered in the config file.
   • The log file is located in %System%\system32 by default
   • Beware of the double backslashes '\\' and the correct paths!
     

   After you have finished double click on the reg file.

3. Go to ControlPanel/AdministrativeTools/Services/inadyn and START the service. Also make sure that the startup mode is 'automatic'.

Command line options

They are automatically printed if inadyn gets wrong parameters or if --help option is used.

Typical usage:

-for dyndns.org system:
    inadyn -u username -p password -a my.registered.name
-for freedns.afraid.org:
    inadyn --dyndns_system default@freedns.afraid.org -a my.registered.name,hash -a anothername,hash2
    'hash' is extracted from the grab url batch file that is downloaded from freedns.afraid.org

Parameters:

'--help': help
'-h': help

'--username': your membername/ hash
'-u': your membername / hash

'--password': your password. Optional.
'-p': your password

'--alias': alias host name. this option can appear multiple times. (for each domain that has the same IP)
'-a': alias host name. this option can appear multiple times.

'--input_file': input file name that contains inadyn command options (adds to those already present in the cmd line). The default configuration file name is '/etc/inadyn.conf'. It is only used if inadyn is called without any command line options. This allows inadyn to be called without any arguments. The format is as expected for a **NIX config  file. See below for details.

'--ip_server_name': [NAME] - local IP is detected calling a CGI from this server name. default t is checkip.dyndns.org
'--dyndns_server_name': [[:port]]

The server that receives the update DNS request.
For dyndns.org is: members.dyndns.org.
For freedns.afraid.org is: freedns.afraid.org
If no proxy is wanted, then it is enough to set the dyndns system. The default servers will be taken.

'--dyndns_system': [NAME] - optional DYNDNS service type. SHOULD be one of the following:

-For dyndns.org DNS system: dyndns@dyndns.org OR statdns@dyndns.org OR custom@dyndns.org.
-For freedns.afraid.org DNS system: default@freedns.afraid.org
DEFAULT value is intended for default service at dyndns.org (most users): dyndns@dyndns.org

'--proxy_server': [NAME[:port]] - the http proxy server name and port. Default is none.
'--update_period': how often the IP is checked. The period is in [ms]. Default is about 1 min. Max is 10 days
'--update_period_sec': how often the IP is checked. The period is in [sec]. Default is about 1 min. Max is 10 days
'--forced_update_period': how often the IP is updated even if it is not changed. [in sec]
'--log_file': log file path abd name
'--background': runs in background.  Output to syslog or to log file [if specified].
'--verbose': set dbg level. 0 to 5
'--iterations': set the number of DNS updates. Default is 0, which means infinity.
'--syslog': explicit set output to syslog. (e.g. /var/log/messages). Works on **NIX systems only.

Example usage:
inadyn --username test --password test --update_period 60000 --alias test.homeip.net --alias my.second.domain
inadyn --background -u test -p test --update_period 60000 --alias inarcis.homeip.net --alias my.second.domain --log_file inadyn_srv.log
inadyn --update_period 60000 --alias test.homeip.net,hash_for_host1 -a my.second.domain,hash2 --dyndns_system default@freedns.afraid.org

 
Configuration file
Inadyn can read the very same options which can be present in the command line from a configuration file. This feature allows the user to write the options only once, and avoids frequent retyping.
The format :
- '#' is a comment sign.
- the long options (those with '--' in front) can also be placed at the beginning of the line without '--' signs

Examples:
1.
#Some comment about  inadyn  cfg file
--username test --password test --update_period 60000 --alias test.homeip.net --alias my.second.domain

2.
--username test #user
--password test
update_period 60000  #some other param without '--'
alias test.homeip.net

Ver. 1.4 - 1 March 2004
- Support for custom DNS and static DNS services offered by dyndns.org.
- support for forced IP update (so the account will not expire even though the IP never changes)

Ver. 1.35 - 04 february, 2004
- Bugfixes: - It supports AGAIN the multiple aliases for the same IP address
- Under Windows the OS signal handler is installed only once no matter if IP update errors occur

Ver. 1.34 - 6 Novemeber 2003
- first port *NIX (Linux)
- Linux version running as console app
- bugfixes

Ver. 1.2 - June 2003
- port to embedded system pSOS. Runs on the Remote management card.
Note:
No DNS support under pSOS -> input params are the IP addresses of the servers used (DynDNS, CGI)

Ver. 1.0 - 20 May 2003 - first stable version.
main features ready:

- DYNDNS client

- free
- works fine behind a NAT router
- runs fine as a service
- has a nice log file
- it is MINE ;)

Future plans:

- port to some other DNS services.