Directions for using the synchro.net DynDNS service.

docs/dyndns.txt

+            Synchronet Dynamic Domain Name System (DynDNS) Service
+            ======================================================
+
+
+Introduction
+------------
+If your BBS computer or router has a dynamically-assigned IP address (e.g. via
+DHCP or PPP), you need a dynamic hostname so that your BBS users can always
+logon to your BBS without knowing your current IP address (since it can change
+at any time).
+
+Even if you have a static (never changing) IP address, it is much more
+friendly to users to provide them with a hostname than an IP address with
+which to logon to your BBS. Humans find it much easier to remember (and type)
+"vert.synchro.net" than "69.104.209.210".
+
+There are many dynamic DNS services available on the Internet (most are free).
+Here are some popular DynDNS services (not associated with Synchronet):
+
+	http://www.dtdns.com/
+	http://www.no-ip.com/
+	http://www.dyndns.org/
+	http://www.zoneedit.com/
+	http://www.d2g.com/
+	http://www.bbs.us/dns/
+
+Some of these services can even host full domain names (e.g. yourbbs.com) with
+dynamic IP updates and even provide advanced services such as mail-relaying
+and port-forwarding (sometimes for a fee). All of these services require some
+3rd party software to run in the background when your system boots and
+automatically detect changes to your IP address (not strictly required if you
+have a static IP address).
+
+
+yourbbs.synchro.net
+-------------------
+If you'd like a "synchro.net" hostname, we offer a free, very easy-to-use
+dynamic hostname service exclusively for Synchronet sysops. Your synchro.net
+hostname will always point to your current IP address, as long as your BBS
+is running. Using this service requires Synchronet v3.10 or later (for Win32
+or Unix).
+
+Directions:
+
+1. Download the following file into your Synchronet "exec" directory:
+   http://cvs.synchro.net/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/~checkout~/exec/dyndns.js
+
+2. If you haven't already, create a QWK networking account on Vertrauen
+   (telnet://vert.synchro.net), using your BBS's QWK-ID for the username
+   (see http://synchro.net/docs/dove-net.txt for more details).
+
+   Note: You do not have to actually join DOVE-Net to get a synchro.net
+         hostname, if you do not wish.
+
+3. Setup a timed event (in SCFG->External Programs->Timed Events) to run the 
+   command-line "?dyndns yourpass" periodically, where yourpass is the
+   password you used when you created your QWK networking account on
+   Vertrauen. "DYNDNS" is the suggested internal code to use for this event.
+   
+   If you have a frequently changing IP address (and Synchronet v3.11 or
+   later) set "Always Run After Init/Re-init" to "Yes". With this option set
+   to "Yes", frequent timed updates should not be necessary.
+
+   If you have a static IP address, one run (update) per month should be
+   sufficient.
+
+4. After saving your changes in SCFG, and verifying that the BBS/Telnet Server
+   has recycled, check the event log window or console output to verify that
+   the "DYNDNS" event has executed. You can force the event to execute with
+   the (Win32) SBBSCTRL:BBS->Force Timed Event menu option, or by "touching"
+   (creating or modifying) the file "dyndns.now" in your Synchronet data
+   directory.
+
+5. Attempt to ping or connect to services at your-id.synchro.net, where
+   your-id is your BBS's QWK-ID. It may take a few minutes for a new hostname
+   to become active or for an existing hostname to resolve to a newly changed
+   IP address. 
+
+You're ready to go with your new synchro.net hostname!
+
+
+Options
+-------
+-mx [hostname]
+DNS MX (mail exchange) resource records are used to designate a specific
+hostname as the "mail exchange" (receiving SMTP server) for a specific
+hostname. If there is no MX record, then the hostname itself is assumed to
+perform the role of "mail exchange". Some receiving SMTP servers now require
+that the *sending* SMTP server correspond to the MX record of the "from"
+hostname. If you want to specify an MX record for your hostname, you can do
+so by adding "-mx" (optionally followed by a hostname) to your "?dyndns"
+command-line (after the password). If no hostname is specified, then an MX
+record pointing back to your hostname will be created. Example:
+	"?dyndns password -mx mail.someother.org"
+
+-hn <base_hostname>
+If you want to update a hostname that is *different* than your BBS's QWK-ID,
+then you can specify that hostname (QWK-ID) on the "?dyndns" command-line
+(after the password) by using the "-hn" option followed by the hostname
+to use (not including ".synchro.net"). There must be a corresponding QWKnet
+account on Vertrauen for the specified hostname and password.
+
+[ip_address]
+If for some reason you want to specify a *different* IP address than the one
+that your BBS will be using to connect with Vertrauen, you can include that IP
+address on the "?dyndns" command-line (after the password). This is an
+advanced feature that you should not need to use under normal conditions, even
+if your BBS is behind a firewall/router using network address translation
+(NAT) - the DynDNS server running on Vertrauen uses your correct *public* IP
+address by default.
+
+/* End of file */