DDNS Server

This is a simple Django project that exposes an API for configured clients to send IP address updates to.

Background

This project was created to keep track of remote pfSense firewalls, without storing sensitive Cloudflare API keys on each appliance.

pfSense comes with a built-in dynamic DNS client that supports custom URLs and HTTP Basic authentication.

Install

Generate secret key:

docker run --rm -it ddns-server python -c 'from django.core.management.utils import get_random_secret_key; print(get_random_secret_key())'

To use the admin area, the static files must be collected, and the database initialized.

E.g., if you're using the provided docker-compose.yml:

docker-compose exec ddns-server sh -c "python manage.py collectstatic && python manage.py makemigrations && python manage.py migrate"

Configuration

Login to Django Admin, and create a new Client. The UUID will be used as the Username and the Key will be the password. Set Domain to the FQDN of the domain to update, and CF Zone to the Cloudflare zone ID of the domain.

The Cloudflare API token can be provided through the CF_API_KEY environment variable.

pfSense

Create a new Dynamic DNS client, choose the Custom Service Type and configure the client:

Field	Value
Username	client UUID
Password	client key
Update URL	https://ddns.example.com/api/update/%IP%
Result Match	%IP%

The same steps can be repeated for an IPv6 interface. The IP version will automatically be detected.

Sample NGINX Config

upstream app {
	server ddns-server:8000;
}

server {
	listen 80;

	root /var/www/html;

	location = /favicon.ico { access_log off; log_not_found off; }
	
	location / {
		try_files $uri @proxy_app;
	}

	location @proxy_app {
		proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For   $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
		proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
		proxy_set_header Host              $http_host;

		proxy_redirect  off;
		proxy_buffering off;

		proxy_pass http://app;
	}
}

To Do

• Hash the keys, instead of using plaintext