Is OpenDNS what I need?
Hello,
I just set up OpenDNS on my router and it is successfully updating my dynamic IP address. I want to remotely connect to a computer on my home network. I can connect using IP and port (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:port), but I'd need to constantly change my connection settings when my IP changes. I've searched around and have seen reference to people using a subdomain that they own (ie: house.mydomain.com) in place of the IP address, but I can't figure out how to get this subdomain linked to OpenDNS so that it is forwarded to the correct IP address. I can change the DNS records of this subdomain, but I don't know where to point it so that OpenDNS resolves it to my dynamic IP. Is this even something that I can do with OpenDNS or do I need to use something else?
-
OpenDNS has nothing much to do with your dynamic DNS... the ISP assigns you an IP. OpenDNS handles outbound requests.
Your router's config is the best bet.
I knew a guy who wanted to remote into a desktop that ran Outlook full time; he wrote a rule that checked for incoming mail with a certain keyword (i.e. "Send IP") which would forward (not reply) the e-mail to a specific e-mail address. When he received the forwarded mail, he viewed the headers and got the IP.
After a few weeks, he upgraded his router.
-
@ky.m.guy
"Is this even something that I can do with OpenDNS or do I need to use something else?"No. OpenDNS can't do this for you. OpenDNS is a recursive DNS service, answering the DNS queries out of your network. What your are looking for is a Dynamic DNS hosting service which will provide you with a hostname your network can be reached with from outside.
-
Thanks for the answers above-- I wasn't sure if opendns would work with my existing dlinkddns I use for remoting in and didn't want to mess it up but wanted to add the parental controls.
Just to add to this something pertinent about remoting in to your PC regarding security- based on my experience you should do the following to make your connection more secure.
1. Do not use the windows default ports for remoting into your PC on through your router-- what you can do is setup a port forward on your router where you pick an unused port number (between 1 and 64000+)--- and set up a port forward to your windows remote port number. What I found that if I did not do this I was getting on a daily basis multiple attempts from people (or bots) trying to hack into my PC setup for remote desktop (visible on your router log)-- After I changed my remoting in port to something other then the default port-- these completely stopped.
Example: set up a your remote port to something like 17,981 (I have no idea if some application uses this-- I just picked this randomly for this example).
Set up a port forward on your router for whatever IP address you want to remote into-- from external port 17981 to internal port 3389 (3389 is the RDP port for XP--I believe it is 3390 for both vista and windows 7)
Now when you log in remotely you need to add the port you selected to the remote address-- ie domain.dlinkddns.net:17981
If you setup the port forward correctly it will route the external port you selected to the internal port on your PC
Other things you can do--
Secure up all passwords on the PC your are remoting into (including the default ADMIN)-- use letters/numbers/symbols
Go into your registry and limit the number of login attempts before it will lock out an account-- I set this for 3 with a 10 minute lockout-- (is always a good idea to backup your registry prior to making any changes, no matter how simple)
Hope this helps
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
5 comments