Setting up a Dynamic DNS for your Wintac Web Portal Installation 

Although Static IP addresses are recommended for reliability and greater security, if you cannot obtain a Static IP address from your ISP (Internet Service Provider), here’s what you’ll need to know about setting up a Dynamic DNS:

Q: What is a Dynamic DNS?

A: A Dynamic DNS will translate your IP address that was assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) into a static, easily remembered hostname, which ensures a constant and up to date connection between your Wintac Software and the Wintac Web Portal.

Q: How does a Dynamic DNS differ from a Static IP address?

A: A static IP address is a set of numbers assigned to your computer from your Internet Service Provider. They act as your permanent address on the Internet and do not change.

A Dynamic DNS is a host name, that translates to the IP address. Hence, it’s name as domain name system (DNS). The dynamic refers to the fact that the host name is constantly updating in the background to ensure that your router or modem is still connected to the Internet.

Q: How do I know if I have a Static IP address or a Dynamic DNS?

A: There is no way to know or tell without contacting your Internet Service Provider. Only they can tell you if you have a Dynamic or Static IP address.

If you have a business account in place with your Internet Service Provider, it is probably safe to say that you have been assigned a Static IP address.

If you have a residential account on the other hand, you will probably have a Dynamic IP address. This Dynamic IP address is what needs to be converted into a Static IP address by way of creating an account with a Dynamic DNS provider.

Q: Does Wintac recommend any Dynamic DNS providers?

A: Although we do not recommend one provider over another, here is two Dynamic DNS providers that other Wintac customers have reported good experiences with:

1. No IP - http://www.noip.com  

No IP is free if you login to your account once per month. There is also an "enhanced" service that costs around $24.95 per year and doesn't require the monthly login.

2. DynDNS - http://dyn.com/remote-access

Dyn also has a free service if you login once per month or a premium service for $40.00 per year, if you don't want to have to remember to login.

IMPORTANT: Please note that regardless of which provider you choose, it is important to download the App and set up your account with their App. If the APP is not configured, you will be required to log into your DNS account and manually update the IP for your host name every single time your office’s public IP address changes, which could be as often as every hour or as little as once a month. The APP on the other hand, will save you the hassle and automatically update your domain name or DNS host for you