This tutorial will show you how to configure DDNS on Xpenology or a Synology NAS using DuckDNS.
In this tutorial, we will look at how you can configure DDNS on Xpenology using DuckDNS. Setting up DDNS is very important if you intend on accessing your NAS from outside of your network or setting up a VPN Server. This easy tutorial will show you how in minutes!
If you’ve never setup Xpenology, check out our tutorial on how you can setup Xpenology on a Virtual Machine!
What is DDNS?
- An IP address is assigned to you by your ISP. This IP address can be static or dynamic.
- Static IP addresses will always stay the same
- Dynamic IP addresses will periodically change
- DDNS (Dynamic Domain Name Service) assigns a hostname to your external IP address.
- If your IP address changes, your DDNS hostname will update with your new IP address.
- Your DDNS hostname will always be your external IP address.
Instructions – DDNS Xpenology/Synology NAS
- Login to DuckDNS: https://www.duckdns.org/
- Create a subdomain and click add domain.
3. Your domain is now created. Go back to Xpenology and navigate to the Control Panel and the select External Access.
4. Select Customize and enter DuckDNS as the Service Provider and the string below (exactly as shown) as the Query URL. Select Save.
https://www.duckdns.org/update?ip=__MYIP__&domains=__HOSTNAME__&token=__PASSWORD__
5. After the Service Provider has been added, select Add. At this point, select the *DuckDNS service provider, enter the full hostname “[sub domain].duckdns.org”, your email address, and the token shown on the DuckDNS webpage as your password.
6. Test the connection and if the status returns Normal, select OK.
7. DDNS is now configured! Check out our YouTube video to see what this can be used for!
Conclusion
This process is very straight forward and ensures that you are always able to connect to your external IP address. Check out our guide on how to setup OpenVPN as an example of how you can use your DDNS hostname!
Please correct your update url to HTTPS. Otherwise your username and password will travel unencrypted over the wire.
Done, thanks for pointing that out!
Hello, thank you for this excellent guide. If I want to use another DDNS provider not listed in the Synology dropdown menu, where do I find the string I need to copy to the Query URL field? Sorry if it is dumb question
Nothing to apologize about, never a stupid question! You will have to get the URL from the DDNS provider. Basically, each provider has a URL that can be used to update your external IP address if it changes. That URL has to be added to the Synology DDNS section with the variables (MYIP, USERNAME, PASSWORD, etc). After the URL is set up properly, the hostname/username/password will be passed to that URL to update the external IP address.
Hopefully that helps, but if I can answer anything else, please let me know!
Thank you. I have a domain at Namecheap. When I turn on the dynamic dns on their website they provide a the DDNS password and a client software to download which I guess is an updater. Maybe I should look for a provider that specializes specifically in DDNS and point my Namecheap domain to the DDNS subdomain?
There are a few examples in this thread that should help: https://community.synology.com/enu/forum/1/post/132304
Let me know if I can assist in any way! I wouldn’t look for a DDNS provider in specific, since the URL is strictly used to track your external IP address.
Hello. Thank you for this, hard to find step by step for this specific question… Like AI asked, how do I find the URL for my provider, what should I be looking for or generally, where can it be found? Thanks again for your help!!
That’s a tough one. I don’t think the URL will be easily accessible on the site. Generally, the easiest thing to do is search “Synology [Your DDNS provider] DDNS setup”. If you don’t mind me asking, what provider are you using? I can try and help find the right URL.
I did watch most of your video including docker and followed instruction provided. Port forwarding enabled on my Google Wifi Gen 1, unfortunately, I’m unable to access Website (index.html) through Webstation configured on Nginx.
I added VirtualHost pointing to web folder. I tried different providers including no-ip and synology.me, none of the ddns setup working.
Any help much appreciated.
I’m using DS920+
Just to confirm, you’re trying to host a website on a Synology NAS? If so, do you have the index.html file set up properly? Is it just an HTML website?
Yes. Index.html is just a simple page. I copied into web folder and subfolder. I tried both options, first pointing to web folder then tried pointing to subfolder both are not working. FYI… Locally I can launch website w/o any issue (both main and subfolder)
I also tried Apache Web server no luck.
Is there nginx.conf file should be updated?
I am not sure any firewall rule preventing or blocking any ports so, I removed firewall and tried as well.
I have tried so many custom ports and added into Port forwarding.
I called ISP, Synology, and Google Wifi team none of them resolved this issue. Due to their support limitation, they cannot help me to resolve this issue.
I really want to discuss more into it. I like all your videos PI-HOLE solution not working with macvlan as difficult to map ip address rage with port sine I use Bond connection. But I resolved the issue by watching different videos using default bridge.
Planning to write automation script using pack CLI and bash.
Troubleshooting this issue since last month, no-ip site has some alternate option that is called port 80 redirect. I am not sure how can I setup using port 80 redirect.
Anyone interested to help please post here and I will reach out your guys. I really appreciate your help on this and very desperate to resolve this issue ASAP.
Is DDNS properly resolving your external IP address? If it is, you can cross DDNS off as not being the issue. Next, I would look towards the virtual host/web station. It’s supposed to pick up the index.html file, assuming that it’s properly configured so that could be an issue as well.
Yes. It is just one simple html page hosting on my DS920P+ for testing purpose. I hosted it and created no-ip ddns and configured the hostname in Virtual Host pointing to web fold
I can see DDNS hosting site and showing my current external ip address, seems properly resolving.
I verified virtual host/web station properly configured as when run locally it works fine rendering index.html
My only suggestion will be to look through the logs and see if you can trace the route from the outside in. There’s most likely a point where it’s looking for the index.html file and it can’t find it, but there are many points along the way where that could happen.
Where can I find the log for this specific details. Log Center log nothing showing up related to this issue. any other tool help me to see complete trace
If we take a step back, when you try run an NSLOOKUP on the DuckDNS DDNS hostname, do you get your external IP address? Are you getting any errors inside DSM?
Sorry for the late response.
Finally, I figured out the issue – Our ISP provider uses CGI Gateway on fiber optics that won’t allow port forwarding rules (on my Google Wifi Mess network). I switched to static IP and configured my router, resolved this issue.
1. Switched to Static IP
2. Reserve IP for NAS on my Router
3. Added Port-Forwarding Rules in the Router
4. Applied NAS Firewall rules for those ports.
Glad you got it working!
Hi, this is query url I got to work for DuckDNS
https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=__HOSTNAME__&token=__PASSWORD__&ip=__MYIP__
the one you have I could not get to work
https://www.duckdns.org/update?ip=__MYIP__&domains=__HOSTNAME__&token=__PASSWORD__
Glad you were able to get it working and thanks a lot for sharing!