DNS2GO - A great Dynamic DNS
Service
Date: Aug 21, 2001   Reviewer: Chris Kaminski
Score: 3/3 - Thums Up!
 DNS2GO is a
free service for anyone connected to the internet that wants a domain name
to point to their home computer / IP address. Having your own domain name
helps people find your computer for doing things like sharing files,
playing games, running a web server, or even running your own mail server. DNS Backgrounder:
D.N.S. = Domain Name Server
A DNS service translates Internet domain names into
IP address. When you type http://www.homenethelp.com into a browser, a DNS
server translates the homenethelp.com part into a set of numbers called an
IP address. This set of numbers is kind of like your internet ‘phone
number’.
Major web sites and other dedicated Internet servers
have ‘static IP address’. This means their Internet IP address (like a
phone number) never changes. This is the ‘standard’ DNS model – IP
address’ that rarely if ever change.
When you connect to the
Internet over a phone line you are assigned a dynamic
IP address – like getting a different phone number each time you pick
up the phone. Some broadband (cable/dsl) services also assign a different
IP address to your computer every once in a while. This makes it
difficult for your friends to connect to your computer to play games or
to share files. It also makes pointing a domain name at your computer impossible
with a standard DNS service.
A Dynamic DNS Service keeps track of
your current IP address. When your IP address changes, the dynamic DNS should
automatically update your domain name to point at the new IP address.
Additionally, when your computer is not connected to the internet (or just
turned off), a dynamic DNS service like DNS2GO can redirect your users to a
particular web page on the Internet – perhaps one that explains that you
are not on-line right now.
Why DNS2GO ? After looking at many dynamic DNS
services, my favorite turned out to be DNS2GO from Deerfield. DNS2GO is
free for the basic service and comes with a small client program that
monitors your IP address. The DNS2GO client work from behind NAT and Proxy
Internet sharing devices and contains many configuration options. Lastly,
DNS2GO has reasonably priced premium options if you want to run a mail
server.
Basic Service:
The DNS2GO web site allows you to register a full
domain name (www.mydomain.com) or you can get a free third level domain
(www.mydomain.dns2go.com). Once created, your new domain name can be
categorized and added to the DNS2GO directory or it can remain unlisted.
DNS2GO client
Once registered, you will
want to download the DNS2GO client application. This Windows application sits
in your task bar (or runs as a service) and monitors your Internet
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Linux Support? |
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Clients are also available for 7 Linux builds plus BSD!
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connection. If your IP address changes, it lets the DNS2GO
serves know about it. When you
disconnect from the Internet, the DNS2GO servers recognize that you are
off-line and can sent people to an alternate web site or IP address. It
accomplishes this with a unique ‘heartbeat’ system that connects to the
DNS2GO servers in the background while you work. As a bonus, the DNS2GO
client can keep your computer system clock in sync with various internet
time servers! The DNS2GO client also features an event viewer,
diagnostic tools, SOCKS5 proxy support, automatic NAT firewall support,
and the list goes on. The client is easily the feature that puts DNS2GO
above the other dynamic DNS services.
Advanced Premium Features
 DNS2GO
also features some reasonably priced premium services that help you run
your own mail server. If you are running a mail server on your new custom
domain and turn your computer off, other e-mail servers cannot deliver
e-mail to you. This can lead to bounced and lost e-mail messages. DNS2GO
can ‘cache’ your e-mail messages and deliver them to you when your
computer is on-line. This ensures that there will always be an e-mail
server up and running ready to receive your e-mail. If you don’t want to
run an e-mail server on your computer at all, DNS2GO will fully host your
e-mail for only $60.00 per year.
Summary
If you have ever been
interested in getting a domain name pointed at your computer, give DNS2GO
a try – it’s free! The next
time you need someone to connect to your computer for a multi-player game
or to access your web server, you will be glad you did.
Unfortunately Mac users can not run the
DNS2GO client application. Macintosh users that need a dynamic DNS service can
still use DNS2GO, but the client application is what really makes this
service shine.
Try DNS2GO for free!--->>> DNS2GO
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