GoDaddy really lived up to its bad reputation and recently changed their API rules. The rules are simple: either you own 10 (or 50) domains, you pay $20/month, or you don’t get the API. I personally didn’t get any communication, and this broke my DDNS setup. I am clearly not the only one judging from what I found online. A company this big gating an API behind such a steep price… So I will repeat what many people said before me (being right): don’t. use. GoDaddy.
This is what NameCheap does too. It’s freaking stupid. Domain registrations should not be managed by corporations.
NameCheap
WOW! I did not know that. I just checked and after a little search:
We have certain requirements for activation to prevent system abuse. In order to have API enabled, your account should meet one of the following requirements: - have at least 20 domains under your account; - have at least $50 on your account balance; - have at least $50 spent within the last 2 years$50 in last 2 years is not much, but for those who renew for many years, it is still stupid.
Ironically, Namecheap is what the people in https://github.com/navilg/godaddy-ddns/issues/32 migrated to!
I really wish that domain registration was done in a different way, but even in current scenario, gutting features for such a basic service to extract a few bucks and risking losing customers…?
These are ancient holdovers. Nowadays DNS hosting with API is a dime a dozen. You may have to pay for it occasionally but it’s not going to be even close to $20/mo.
$20/month for a service that anyway is low traffic (especially for hobbyists) is a completely insane price. Even more insane is that their cheapest subscription still doesn’t offer any API access. I agree anyway, but are these staying in business just because they have a consolidated market share? Do they have access to more TLDs? I don’t know, I am genuinely confused. I have absolutely no reason whatsoever to even think of using GoDaddy again.
That can’t be right. I only had two domains (one now) and I’ve been using the API just fine. And basically any purchase will clear those dollar amounts.
I found it on their FAQ.
Yes, it is generally less restrictive, but… I have 4 domains, and now I have renewed all of them for the maximum amount. They will all expire after 2033. So unless I decide to add more domains (which is unlikely), I won’t spend a cent in the next ~9 years. I wonder if they really enforce it as it is written or they consider still the renewal an expense “split” over the duration.
Still, I really don’t understand. You can - and should - have proper rate limits on the API. You have API keys that uniquely identify the source, what is “the abuse” they are trying to prevent this way…?
Doesn’t their API also require you to allow-list IPs, making it basically useless for dynamic DNS?
From https://www.namecheap.com/support/api/intro/ under “Whitelisting IP.”
Not sure. Personally I only use it for Let’s Encrypt DNS challenges.
I’m saying this for years, but a) it’s quite late (seems like a 1990s issue) and b) OpenNIC is a bit of a joke atm (but support it anyways)
ICANN never should’ve been a creature of US-NTIA, but of the UN. The US has no right to decide for the digital world how everyone communiticates. No one really should (apart from about stuff like CSAM).
Damn. I always though they were one of the good ones.
I still think they are but maybe my needs are simple. It was definitely better when I switched over (from godaddy*) during one of the migrations.
desec.io can be used with any domain registrar and has an API with support for various ddns clients (ddclient, lego).
deSEC is a free DNS hosting service, designed with security in mind.
Running on open-source software and supported by SSE, deSEC is free for everyone to use.
Edit: To clarify, desec.io does not sell/rent domains. Desec has to be set as the authoritative nameserver on the registrar, then desec can manage domain records instead of the registrar (which usually also provides their own domain hosting for “free” by default).
ClouDNS makes DDNS easy for a low cost for 1-5 domains.
ClouDNS
I think I heard of it. I think most DDNS scripts support a lot of registrars as well, if one doesn’t want to go with full DNS hosting.
In case of DNS hosting (I also linked it in the post, but it’s a good shotout), there is desec.io too. EU-hosted, free (although donations are highly encouraged) and has a ton
sof features! There is also a Terraform provider!Is it relatively easy to switch domains? I just set up my old laptop as a home server and I registered with domain.com.
Domain.com sounds like a domain registrar. You would keep that service and point your name servers for the domain to the ClouDNS name servers.
I hate to bother you with another question, but what is the goal of changing the name servers I have with domain to another? Could I just use ClouDNS for everything? I wish I had taken more time before I bought the domain through Domain.com. It seems like everybody likes ClouDNS.
Transfering a domain from one registrar (IE reseller) to another can be a pain, but yes you can - it normally involves a fee and manual actions from the registrars.
As long as the new registrar supports the TLD. A few Geo-TLDs can only be resold/managed by some registrars.The easiest thing to do is to point the domain at ClouDNS nameservers.
Make sure you are happy with ClouDNS (I’ve never had issues with them) etc before committing
Porkbun + cloudflare DNS + ddclient
Avoid cloudflare
Sounds good. Better free DNS option with API support?
Desec.io is a good option. To be honest using cloudflare just for DNS is completely OK. It’s not a service that allows spying on you or consolidates their monopoly.
Don’t use DNS like that. Use a VPS and route traffic to a isolated network at home if need be
?? Your solution to dynamic dns is to run all the traffic through a static IP vps? Are you paying for this VPS, or are you saying you trust the host more than you trust cloudflare, because they give you a free VPS?
That’s definitely a nice solution, but I have not had good luck with free VPS providers keeping the lights on. It would likely cost money on the order of $5 to $10 per month, so it is a different class of solution.
Gandi changed their TOS and price structure last year, so I ported everything over to Porkbun for a small savings, but mostly as a big middle finger to Gandi.
If you’re gonna get banged that kind of cash for functions you’re already using, you may as well look at better registrars, and get better value for your spend.
Shop around.
I also migrated everything to Porkbun. Gandi used to be good too, we used it extensively at work in my previous org (~3 years ago).
Is the whole sector regressing? It seems these companies aren’t happy just earning a profit based on the service they offer. There is always something “more” that they need to do. Often this makes the experience worse. Meh.
Super happy with Porkbun BTW, it just works, does what it’s needed and I found the renewals to be 50% cheaper compared to GoDaddy…
I moved just about everything to Route53 for registration - I run my own DNS so I don’t need to pay for that, and it’s ~40% cheaper than Gandi for better service.
Now I just need to move my .nz domain (R53 supports .{co,net,org}.nz, but not .nz itself?) and the 2 .xyz domains that are “premium” for some reason so R53 won’t touch
I’m glad I transferred my domain a month ago to porkbun. They even halved my renewal price
Recommend cloudflare for DNS. I use it for DDNS via API and it works great.
You also basically pay the wholesale rate without markup for the domain.
Is it cheap? I got shifted to SquareSpace from Google Domains and it’s pricier. I switched the name cheap but have no loyalty to them.
@loudwhisper GoDaddy gonna GoDaddy. *shrug*
Yeah, indeed. To me is still completely absurd. At this point is not just a bad registrar, for most of us (hobbyists), I think it’s a completely non-functional option. Basically every competitor offers an API.
I stuck with them out of lazyness for far too long.
Namesilo has it, porkbun didn’t last time I checked, iirc. Dunno about Cloudflare. GoDaddy has always sucked in so many ways that I never looked into their DNS.
I use Porkbuns API. It’s not sophisticated, but it works.
@solrize @loudwhisper pork bun has had one for years. Don’t remember when I switched to them but it’s been a couple years.
Oh Yeah, Porkbun does have API (it seems since sometime last year? ). I think also Cloudflare, Namecheap and many others do too.
I agree about GoDaddy. It was an original sin for me to use them years ago, and I was lazy with just one domain that I use for most of my emails etc. I deferred the move for a while and then - how it often happens - I had to do it in “emergency” mode.
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:
Fewer Letters More Letters CSAM Child Sexual Abuse Material DNS Domain Name Service/System IP Internet Protocol VPS Virtual Private Server (opposed to shared hosting)
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