I am a newbie. I got a freedombox one mounth or so ago.
Then I read that for certain services I needed a domain name properly set.
Then I read about domain names on posts explaining that one shouldn’t use “.local”.
From those posts I inferred that the only ways to do things correctly was to buy or rather rent a domain name. So I went to infomaniak and rented one for 10 years.
let’s call it “luz.es” (it’s not).
Then I tried to set the domain name of my freedom box to let’s say “paz.luz.es” intending it to be a subdomain reachable from outside.
Then I am stuck.
Proposed way to declare de domain name by freedombox is to register an account here
There are only two options there “sds-ip.de” or “freedombox.rocks”
How can I do for my domain name to something other than *.freedombox.rocks *.sds-ip.de ?
How can I set subdomains ?
How can I have a local domain name for my freedom box and a different global one ?
Those questions probably sound trivial yet I can’t manage to find my way there.
Hi, I’m afraid I don’t have the whole solution, but here’s what I can help with.
Do you have a static IP address for your FreedomBox ?
If yes, you don’t need GnuDIP. You need to use the means provided by your registrar to associate your domain name with your IP address. Maybe they have a Web interface for this setting ? I’m no expert, but I think this should be enough to access the server (given other things like NAT and firewalls have been dealt with).
You have to set your domain name under System -> Configure -> Domain Name
Please set the fully qualified domain name in the field. FreedomBox doesn’t prepend the hostname to the domain name automatically.
Dynamic DNS is to be used when you have a public IP address that keeps changing. If this is the case, then register a Dynamic DNS domain name and point your purchased domain name to this. (Your DNS provider would have an option for this).
Thanks for the answers.
I do have a static IP but not for the freedombox just for the router behind which my freedombox is.
I am afraid my domain name provider does not offer the service of redirecting all traffic to my address just port 80…
I have to check the links and doability on my freedombox. For the moment, it is not clear to me.
Thanks again,
Hetgyl
I am a newbie. I got a freedombox one mounth or so ago.
Hello Hetgyl,
welcome to the forum. I think you managed your first steps very good. Actually, likely way better than the “average target user”. And I see you already got some good comments here. I hope they can help you and the improvement of the user experience.
I want to point out that this thread turned up some good “summary lines”. I think this is the kind of short and concise info that can be very helpful for a overhauled configuration user interface. I’m referring to the following issue for improved sorting, and user guidance. Maybe some mini summary lines can improve the draft in the form of some comments or sub-headings explanations.
From issue,
here is the current draft for an improved config page listing with some lines from this thread added.
Could such a sorted design (on the Configuration page, that is currently under “System”) have helped you? Further improvement ideas?:
System
(locally reachable using freedombox.local or IP)
Base Configuration (former “Configuration”)
Date & Time
Disks
Users and Groups
Power
Network
Connections
Dynamic DNS (update) Client
If your IP address is dynamic, then you need a Dynamic DNS setup.
Name Services
Then I read about domain names on posts explaining that one shouldn’t use “.local”.
I read that for certain services I needed a [public] domain name properly set.
Possibly,
buy or rather rent a domain name.
Service Discovery
Firewall
Online Services
You have to set DMZ or port-forwarding on your router to redirect all incoming traffic to your FreedomBox.
Let’s Encrypt Certificates (for HTTPS/SSL)
Monkeysphere
Public Visibility (PageKite)
If you don’t even have a public IP, a relay service can still allow reaching your FBX from the internet.
It’s not a freedombox question so it’s probably out-of-place but for the moment I cannot figure out an easy way to have 2 DNS servers pointing with the chosen subdomain name to my IP…
Only one DynDNS service (and domain name) is required (pointing to the dynamic IP). Additional domains can be configured as “canonical domains” that point to your DynDNS domain name. These are called “CNAME” records.
Caveat: MX (email server) records should never point to a CNAME record. So, the DynDNS domain or a provider’s server name here.
Thank-you for your answer.
I guess my problem is that I do not know the theory of how this is supposed to work.
I read that one needed two DNS servers but I cannot recall where.
My problem was that I though I could use the FreedomBox as one with my fix IP address but I couldn’t set a second since I just have one (fix) IP.
Thanks again for your answers.
Best regards,
Hetgyl
The domain name provider that you register a domain with usually operates two (or more) dns servers to (redundantly) answer queries. Most people do not host their own DNS servers, but simply configure or have their domains configured at their registrar.
If you’re really up to setting a freedombox up as a public DNS server then you would need to delegate the domain to the freedombox (a DNS entry at the registrar). For a second DNS server you would then of course need a second freedombox with a different IP. (Besides figuring out to properly configure “Bind” on the freedombox.)