Problems with DynDNS and Elk M1

[nicholass817]

After a slew of recent Public ip address changes at my house I finally decided to setup service with DynDNS.  
It seems to be working OK in that i get text/email notifications as expected.  But now every day I get 2 emails from the system, multiple times per day...below:
 
Email 1:
 
 
The ELK-M1XEP (ELK-M1XEP) has detected that your public IP address has changed from Unknown to xx.xxx.xxx.xxx
 
Email 2:  
 
The ELK-M1XEP (ELK-M1XEP) encountered an error while updating your public IP address with the Dynamic DNS server.
Please check your settings.
Error message: badauth
Old IP address: Unknown
New IP address: xx.xxx.xxx.xxx
 
Message from Elk RP when I try to login remotely:
 
Connection Error: Could not connect.
Possible reasons: The secure port is not forwarded through the router.  The IP Address or URL is incorrect. The remote site is down.  
 
The new IP address it lists is always the same.  I have forwarded all the correct ports (2601, 80, 21) to the M1XEP's private IP address in my router (RV325).  The username, password, host address, etc. all match exactly what is setup on DynDNS.  I'm lost as to what I've done wrong here...Someone please help.  

 

[LarrylLix]

No-ip.com just randomly decided to change my selected URL from my selected one to using my last name while I was away.
I don't trust them anymore.
 
Talk to your ISP about getting a longer lease time on your IP address and/or use  UPS on your router and modem so it doesn't change as often due to re-requesting from their DHCP server. PITA.

 

[drvnbysound]

I've been using No-IP on multiple systems for 3-ish years now without any issues :unsure:
 
I have no experience with DynDNS.

 

[Del91574]

I used to have Dyn on a bunch of accounts until they started changing their model. Since moved a handful to no-ip and outside of them not getting a ping and getting the "verify" emails, no real issues. I did lose one host over the last 2 years, but that might have been part my fault.

 

[nicholass817]

I decided to remove the responsibility of updating the public IP from the M1 and have the router do it instead.  In doing so the router kept giving me authorization failures from either an incorrect username or password to DynDNS...but i checked many, many times and they were both correct.  I dug around the webs for a while and come to find out that password length and character types are a problem with devices that update DynDNS....or something like that.  I had a 10 digit password setup on DynDNS with symbols, numbers, and letters.  I changed it to all letters and updated it in the router and then no more auth fails in the router.  Gave up and went to bed after that tiny success.
 
I'll switch IP updating responsibility back to the M1 when i get home tonight (or maybe at lunch) and let it run for a few days to see if it fixes the issue...whodathunkit...passwords, even when correct, can cause a problem like this.
 
This does bring up another question.  Can I remotely access the system in ElkRP?  Is a VPN connection required? I thought setting up the DynDNS would allow me to do so, but I have a feeling it won't work the way I want.  

 

[pete_c]

DNS / dynamically provided DNS has become an issue with illicit use of same said stuff over the years.  So time on and off there have been "clean up" efforts relating to whom is using what for what purpose.
 
Just a short 1 minute clip from movie to entertain you.
 
[youtube]http://youtu.be/bwly1LYS7dc[/youtube]
 
Maybe its you?  You never know these days.
 
Here I have been using no ip services now for years with absolutely no issues.
 
There are no devices on my network that get their DNS from outside of the network.  (here block NTP and DNS on the firewall). 
 
These days any little script kiddie can totally modify your network/email at home with just clicking on a link to a website and you will never know that it happened.
 
There is no perfect way but using a VPN connection is easy these days depending on the OS of your firewall router. 
 
Well geeze; even that today can be compromised easily enough depending on your knowledgebase.
 
The analogy is simply is really like putting a lock on your front door and using the lock.  Nothing more complicated than that.
 
IE: an off the shelf combos switch, router, ap and firewall can be used if you update or modify the OS with something with more meat like DD-WRT, Tomato, OpenWRT.  A software/firmware DIY firewall like a PFSense device will provide you with more options.  You can now do VPN on your cell phone without too much of an issue.  Well too you just have to set it up once and not ding around with multiple configurations relating to TCP/UDP ports stuff which can become a real PITA if you are accessing more than one device. 

 

[nicholass817]

Thanks Pete!!...clip made me feel old...when I was in HS the coolest thing was a pager the size of a pack of cigs, and gas was way, way under $1...the good old days.  
 
 hadn't even thought about setting up VPN to our phones...was just thinking of remote access for RP.  Now I have a bunch of open ports and port hops/translations so i can access the elk, server, nas, wmc, IP cams, etc.  Seems that going the VPN route would clean things up a lot, and provide tighter security.  

 

[pete_c]

Yup; came from a world here of no pages or phones.
 
In the 60's we played with Estes / Centuri model rockets sending up mice and cameras. I recall that the science teacher had bought a tiny car with even tinier wheels. It was turned upside down in the parking lot by a small collection of classmates doing a little prank. No one ever did see who did it and the teacher did get a bit upset with the prank.  It was amazing that the car didn't get damaged from what I recall of it.
 
Later on there were packs of cigarettes rolled up in tee shirt sleeves of a few folks, groups of kids in little subsections waiting to go to class and chatting to each other (well using their mouths).  Well too there were those that played with the automobiles that would just drive around the school sort of showing classmates what they had done with their cars (it was early morning stuff - 7 AM?).  Here some weekends there were Sunday drag strip (well it was a 1/4 mile track) races with nitro fuel injected funny cars that would hit well over 100 MPH in just a quarter of a mile.
 
In the 1970's though recall having to have / wear a pager (it wasn't my choice and necessary for work) to be pinged where ever I was when ever 24/7.  I didn't ignore it and it was useful.  I did voice my concerns having been tethered (tagged I guess) at the time. 
 
Have a google read about how easy it is to configure VPN today; it's easy peasy.