OpenDNS user Zach Weigand just released version 1.0 of his freeware AppleScript application for keeping OpenDNS updated as dynamic IP addresses change. We’d seen the work brewing, and it’s fun to share his work with a wider audience. I know many OpenDNS users on Macs can benefit from this focused utility.
Go to http://zwei.gotdns.com/zweisoft to download the application (all of 25K) and the brief documentation. The application is also available at VersionTracker and MacUpate.com. (Looks like a few hundred downloads at each place already!)
This application will be useful after you do three things (besides, of course, using OpenDNS):
- Create a free account.
- Add a single IP network from the Networks tab of the OpenDNS Dashboard.
- Check the box to enable dynamic IP updates for that network from the Settings tab.
(Look for “Set Up a Dynamic IP” in the left-hand menu.)
Multiple dynamic IP addresses per account are supported; read more tips and information about dynamic IPs, or get clients for other platforms. Developers, we’re happy to add your app to the list.
Thanks, Zach!
Zach Weigand
Be sure to contact me with any questions or comments you may have, or problems you run into.
posted on September 7th, 2007 at 11:19 am
David Ulevitch
Thanks Zach!
posted on September 7th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Mark Stevens
Thanks, but, I really don’t like to run any AppleScript that is saved as ‘Run Only’. Maybe you could change that?
posted on September 7th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
mike
Thanks a lot Zach! Now I don’t have to keep bugging the DD-WRT people to try and include this in their router software for my WRT54G.
posted on September 7th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
ljun
Can anyone explain how to add multiple dynamic IP addresses from various locations (work and home) under one account using a Mac? Not sure …. thanks
posted on September 12th, 2007 at 2:15 am
Zach Weigand
If you simply make a copy of the application and rename it to something like “OpenDNS Updater 2″ it should work.
posted on September 12th, 2007 at 11:52 am
ljun
rename the application? The applications would be sitting on various computers on different [wan] IP networks…… how would openDNS differentiate between them with multiple dynamic IPs?
posted on September 13th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Zach Weigand
Misunderstood the question, and now that I have re-read it I am even more confused. Are you wanting several machines behind a router to have their own network accts? If that is what you are asking, I think you are out of luck.
posted on September 14th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Jason
Oh dear..
I started working on my OpenDNS Updater on Sept. 10th, because I needed one for Windows. I have never read this blog before, and now I see a problem - we made programs with the same name and [almost] functionality.
I hope this isn’t a problem, I did mine out of boredom, actually. The platform I was targetting was Windows, any Windows machine will be able to run this to the fullest extent if they have .NET Framework 2.0 installed.
If you want to see mine, it’s opensource (GPLv3) at http://code.google.com/p/opendnsupdater/
Sorry for creating something very similar to yours, I didn’t read the blog - atleast it isn’t for Mac, right?
posted on September 15th, 2007 at 10:42 am
Zach Weigand
No problem here Jason. Being that yours is for Windows I don’t think we have anything to worry about.
posted on September 17th, 2007 at 10:35 am
ljun
developer of dnsupdate application said the source is open, but he has no time to write in opendns support.
If anyone is handy with Xcode/Cocoa….
posted on September 21st, 2007 at 3:33 am
Bret C
I cant get it to work.
I put in the information (correctly) and then nothing happens. The Icon just sits there and does nothing.
posted on September 25th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Zach Weigand
I’m getting ready to put out an update to fix a problem that causes OpenDNS Updater to time out if there is a space entered in the username, password, or network fields. (This is the problem Bret experienced above)
As a note, OpenDNS Updater may not work if your user data contains weird characters (i.e. $ % &, etc.)
posted on September 26th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Ron V
Ah, so the space is why it didn’t work! But it didn’t time out, it hung forever (15 minutes or so). It’s really disappointing when the first time you try new software it fails, and more so when OpenDNS doesn’t allow renaming, so I had to delete the network and recreate without the space, losing all my settings I had accumulated.
But then it did work. 
Thanks, Zach! Great tool!
posted on September 29th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
John Roberts
@Ron V - you can rename a network as far as I know. I’ve done it. More details?
posted on September 29th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Zach Weigand
Sorry Ron, I should have given the solution to the problem as well. If you put %20 in place of the space it would have worked.
I stated above that I was getting ready to put out an update, but I wanted to let everyone know that it’s more than just an “update”. I released v2.0 about a half-hour ago, and it’s been re-designed from the ground up. It’s now a menu bar application that runs 24/7 and automatically checks your IP address every 30 minutes. If your IP has changed it updates the info on the OpenDNS site. You can also update manually at any time.
You can download it directly from my site (link above) or from MacUpdate/Versiontracker. Let me know what you think about the new version!
posted on September 30th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Patrick Williford
Thanks a lot Zach! Now I don’t have to keep bugging the DD-WRT people to try and include this in their router software for my WRT54G.
posted on October 5th, 2007 at 2:20 am
Šime
Latest version of Tomato firmware for Linksys WRT routers supports OpenDNS dynamic IP updating. Works great for me.
posted on October 5th, 2007 at 5:24 am
EasyWC
I’m one of those totally non-tech mac people.
You wrote “it will be useful”… but HOW? Exactly what will this do? How will it help or improve what?
Sorry — like I said, it’s all greek to me — can anyone explain in layperson’s terms?
thanks!
posted on October 31st, 2007 at 12:07 pm