This topic

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

mikeLoft — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 10:31:30 GMT

Hi Clayma, did you get anywhere with using openDNS ? I am just about to use openDNS on my Smart HUB 2. There are a number of DNS providers in the drop down menu openDNS not being one of them. Any advice on your experience would be welcome.

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

ptrduffy — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:12:41 GMT

Hi @mikeLoft

I am just about to use openDNS on my Smart HUB 2.

The SH2 doesn't allow you to change DNS provider (no BT hub does, AFAIK) - are you maybe looking at the drop-down on the Dynamic DNS configuration page?

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

mikeLoft — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:33:38 GMT

Hi ptrduffy,

Yes, that's correct and the drop down doesn't give openDNS as an option. However, I may be wrong but I understood that the SH2 would allow you to use a DNS so that the dynamic IP address they provide could be changed to a domain 'name' so that access to my home network would be not be effected by periodic new IP addresses.

I chose openDNS because they are owned by Cisco and may be more secure than others ! (including the ones on their list !!) - probably a mistake.

As you can probably tell I'm no expert !!

Any help would be appreciated.

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

licquorice — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:47:48 GMT

I've moved your posts to start a new thread. The thread you posted on was a completely different subject regarding DNS servers and not about Dynamic DNS services to track your dynamic IP address.

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:47:49 GMT

@mikeLoft

Yes you are referring to DDNS (Dynamic DNS). I was not aware that OpenDNS provided host names, they just provide web filtering/logging and the feature just keeps it tracking your IP address.

I use No-IP which works very well, with a fast update of IP address, as I often swap between ADSL and 4G. No-IP have a range of different host names.

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:48:48 GMT

@mikeLoft

You appear to be confusing DNS with DDNS. What you're referring to is DDNS.

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

ptrduffy — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 12:22:38 GMT

Yes, that's correct and the drop down doesn't give openDNS as an option. However, I may be wrong but I understood that the SH2 would allow you to use a DNS so that the dynamic IP address they provide could be changed to a domain 'name' so that access to my home network would be not be effected by periodic new IP addresses.

The use-case you outline is (as others have pointed out) called Dynamic DNS, or DDNS. OpenDNS does not, to my knowledge, provide a DDNS solution, although they do provide a mechanism to inform DDNS providers when your dynamic IP address changes. This, however, is unlikely to be of any use to you as the SH2 doesn't support it (as you have seen).

If you want to access your home network using a consistent domain name, and you want to keep using the SH2, then you would need to sign up for DDNS service with one of the providers the SH2 supports. These will provide you with a domain name which maps to your IP address, with the SH2 updating them when your IP address changes.

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

mikeLoft — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:19:48 GMT

thank you

Re: Fastest DNS on BT FTTP

mikeLoft — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:29:41 GMT

Thanks.

DNS vs DDNS a bit embarrassing 😲.

I'll pick one of the preferred DDNS - as I should have done!! and trust that they are secure.