KR1 and Dynamic DNS (DDNS)

Michael · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:22 am Post subject: KR1 and Dynamic DNS (DDNS)

Perhaps, I didn't notice it before, but the final/shipping KR1 firmware supports Dynamic DNS.

For those that do now know what that is, here is a brief explanation.

Every time your EVDO card (Verizon or Sprint), establishes connection, you are assigned a random IP Address out of a huge pool of IP Addresses. Basically, you get a different IP Address (most of the time). This is NOT a big deal, since those using the router, are the ones establishing connections (browsing, email, etc.).

For certain applications, it might be useful to have some application from the outside contact you (example, OZOcar using the StompBox to get the GPS Location and map on a GoogleMap). There are many other applications, remote control of a remote server, using telnet or SSH, security, viewing web cam, etc. Since, you would get a different IP Address each time, you would need to go to a site like http://www.MyIPAddress.com to see what your IP Address is and then report it to the person trying to connect to you.

Verizon does offer the option of selling you a fixed IP Address (you get the same IP Address each time). However, this is costly (Sprint doesn't offer a fixed IP Address option).

Dynamic DNS solves this problem. You sign up for a unique domain name at http://www.DYNDns.org (there are others), and the price is free. You get a domain name that looks like xyz.dyndns.org. Every time your router connects to the EVDO network (Verizon or Sprint), it reports the new IP Address to the Dynamic DNS company. So, every time someone connects to xyz.dyndns.org, they will actually connect to your router, it doesn't matter that your IP Address changed.

Using VNC, Timbuktu, Remote Desktop, and a slew of others is now possible. I have actually tried Timbuktu and I was able to Timbuktu to a remote computer hooked up via the KR1, pretty cool!

One last step, in order to make this work, you need to tell the KR1, to do port mapping, so that traffic from the internet gets mapped to the correct local computer. If you only need to do this on one computer, it is a lot easier looking at Advanced -> DMZ and having all traffic mapped to one IP Address (the local IP of the computer you want to control, so the IP starts with 192.168.0.x).

For those that require a static IP Address for security reasons, this will not address that need. Also, check with the Terms of Service, to see what is allowed and what is not and proceed.
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Michael · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject:

Hey we just thought of another perfect use for Dynamic DNS.

Depending on your OS, if you can enter in a domain name for an IP Printer, you would have an incredibly cool remote printer.

KR1 + EVDO Card + IP Printer with Ethernet hooked up to KR1 (or Even WiFi printer).

Then someone from your office, could print to the remote printer, and it will print, no matter where you are, even if you have the printer in your trunk, while you are driving. At a trade show, need to print up a receipt or contract, lots of possibilities.
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mizeras · EVDO Newbie Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 8

The KR1 unfortunately only allows you to use 2 of the public DDNS services. (DynDns.org, and EasyDNS.com)

I wish they would have left that open to use private DDNS servers. DDNS Server software is only about $150 and then you can have as many addresses as you want without registering with an outside organization.

Michael · Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject:

I would imagine that "leaving it open" is not an option, since each dynamic dns server has a different method of communications. I think it is a great thing that they selected the most popular dynamic dns companies.
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BoundlessSecurity

Suppose you are using EVDO in a vehicle and you are driving through a city or down the highway. Suppose you want to operate a server in your moving vehicle and you want to use EVDO to connect that server to the Internet.

Does your dynamic IP address change as you drive from one region of the wireless network to another ? If so:

1) how, exactly, does the change from one IP address to another occur ?

2) if you have a constant flow of packets between the vehicle and the Internet, are any packets lost when the IP address changes ?

3) how can someone who is on the Internet and thus distant from the vehicle maintain a continuous connection to a server in the moving vehicle ?

If you enter a tunnel, and you lose your EVDO connection, how long do you keep your old dynamic IP address ?
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Steve Morton
Boundless Security Systems, Inc.

tz1 · Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject:

My hostname hasn't changed in days (and I'm still trying to fix a dyndns abust problem it is causing). This is with Verizon EVDO in the metro detroit area.

The IP is assigned upon the card connecting to the EVDO service. It never changes without disconnecting.

Internet radio would have problems if the IP changed, and I've driven for hours without a disconnect. Generally you need to lose the EVDO signal for a while before the line will disconnect (breaking the TCP links) - short tunnels won't do it.

If you need something more than the fairly robust connection which is already there, you can set up a proxy on each end that would tunnel IP over IP, so if there is a disconnect and reconnect, the proxy would just continue the stream. Note there would be timeouts even in this case as you cannot transmit or receive information when there is no connection.

I grab my GPS location from my KR1 on my home system using a reconnecting program. Note the KR1 reboots when I shut off the engine (or pull the wire accidentally). That would cause similar problems without a tunneling proxy.