Is there a way to use UNIFI Dynamic DNS reporting(with afraid) instead of the PC based client for family shield?

[sandrone]

I have a Unifi network and as many routers do, there is dynamic DNS reporting available.

Can Family Shiled be used with one of the open services such as Afraid?

[rotblitz]

OpenDNS FamilyShield is a recursive DNS service and can be used in parallel with any DDNS service.

Also, there is no PC based client for OpenDNS FamilyShield.

Or did you mean OpenDNS Home? My router supports customizing DDNS, so I use DNS-O-Matic with it to update all my services, OpenDNS, Afraid and more. https://www.dnsomatic.com/

And for UNIFI related topics you better check the UI community. There are the experts.

[sandrone]

I guess what I was trying to determine is, that in order to use Family Shield with user options you must specify the requesting client IP address. 

There is an option to use a MAC/PC based client to update the dynamic IP address. 

Most routers , and specifically the UNIFI ones, have an option to reports to various Dynamic DNS services.  Can Family Shield pickup the IP address from one of the available services and if so how?  Here are options available to me:

[rotblitz]

"in order to use Family Shield with user options you must specify the requesting client IP address."

No, the dashboard where you register your IP address is not needed for FamilyShield, although you can use the dashboard also with FamilyShield which is normally being used with OpenDNS Home.  I.e. you do not need to use the dashboard and do not need to register you IP address with OpenDNS FamilyShield.

"There is an option to use a MAC/PC based client to update the dynamic IP address."

Yes, this is supposed to be used with OpenDNS Home.  And the underlying API can be used with any compatible update client, not just the one provided by OpenDNS.  As I said, I use my router's DDNS function as update client.

"Can Family Shield pickup the IP address from one of the available services and if so how?"

No, none of the services (Home, FamilyShield,  Umbrella) can take your IP address from another hostname, for security reasons.  The updates must come from the IP address the update is going to register at your dashboard.  Else OpenDNS is not able to verify that it is your IP address.  You would be able to register any IP address then.

[sandrone]

Thanks Rotblitz, 

I was imprecise.  I am trying to use OpenDNS Home.  

To use this service I must "add a network" and there is only the option to enter and IP address, or install the software.

[rotblitz]

Yes, correct. And no, you do not need to install software. There are more options for update clients.

If you want your router to support also OpenDNS, you must go back to the supplier to ask for this feature.  Currently it does not support OpenDNS.

If your IP address is pending for verification at OpenDNS, then you did not use the IP address assigned to you by your ISP at the time when you entered it at the dashboard.  You must enter the IP address as shown at https://diagnostic.opendns.com/myip or on top of your dashboard page.

If you want to change the IP address of your existing pending network, you visit the following location with your web browser:

https://updates.opendns.com/nic/update?hostname=YOURNETWORKLABEL

Replace YOURNETWORKLABEL by the label of your dashboard network.  This task ensures that your dashboard network is updated with the correct IP address.  If it returns an error instead of "good", then post the outcome here.

[sandrone]

Can you point me to info on "do not need to install software. There are more options for update clients."

The links and FAQS all steer to installing the PC client.  

[rotblitz]

The options of update clients include built-in DDNS clients on routers, DVRs, NASes, IP cameras, etc. and software on a computer like Marc's Updater.  Prerequisite for the update client is that it must support at least one of the following services: OpenDNS, DNS-O-Matic or custom / user defined.  Your router has several services listed, but none of those can be used for OpenDNS.