Dynamic IP and DDNS for a Home Game Server (Free Setup)

Most home internet connections have a dynamic public IP that changes now and then, which breaks every friend's saved server address. Dynamic DNS (DDNS) fixes it: you get a hostname like myserver.duckdns.org, and a small updater on your router or server PC keeps it pointed at your current IP. Friends save the name once and it keeps working. The easiest route is the free DDNS built into many routers; otherwise DuckDNS, No-IP or your own domain on Cloudflare all work.

How often does a home IP change

It depends on the ISP. Cable and fiber IPs often stay the same for weeks or months and change after a long outage, a modem swap or ISP maintenance. Some DSL and mobile connections change daily or on every reconnect. You cannot predict it, and you will not notice until friends say the server is down.

To see your current address, search "what is my IP" from the server PC or check the WAN IP on your router status page. If the two do not match, read how to tell if you are behind CGNAT first: DDNS points a name at your IP but cannot fix CGNAT.

Option 1: your router's built-in DDNS (easiest)

Many routers update DDNS by themselves, which is better than software on the PC because the router always knows the current public IP.

Router	Where	Free hostname
ASUS	WAN, DDNS tab, server WWW.ASUS.COM	`name.asuscomm.com`
Netgear	ADVANCED, Advanced Setup, Dynamic DNS, provider NETGEAR	`name.mynetgear.com`
TP-Link (non Deco)	Advanced, Network, Dynamic DNS, TP-Link	`name.tplinkdns.com`
Synology, OpenWrt, pfSense, OPNsense	DDNS section	many providers

Router walkthroughs: ASUS and Netgear Nighthawk.

Mesh systems and ISP gateways (Xfinity, Spectrum, eero, Google Nest Wifi, Deco) usually do not offer DDNS, so use one of the options below.

Option 2: DuckDNS (free, simple)

DuckDNS is a free DDNS service that signs you in with an existing account (Google, GitHub and others).

Sign in at duckdns.org.
Type a subdomain, for example ourvalheim, and click add domain. You now own ourvalheim.duckdns.org.
Note your token on the page.
Set up an updater on the server PC so the name follows your IP.

On Linux, a cron job every five minutes:

*/5 * * * * curl -s "https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=ourvalheim&token=YOUR-TOKEN&ip=" >/dev/null

Leaving ip= empty tells DuckDNS to use the address the request came from.

On Windows, create a scheduled task in Task Scheduler that runs every five minutes and calls:

Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing "https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=ourvalheim&token=YOUR-TOKEN&ip="

DuckDNS's install page also has ready made scripts for Windows, Linux, Docker and routers.

Option 3: No-IP

No-IP has a free tier and a Dynamic Update Client (DUC) for Windows, macOS and Linux. Many routers list No-IP as a built-in provider, which avoids running software on the PC. The free hostnames need to be confirmed periodically or they expire, so read the reminder emails.

Option 4: your own domain on Cloudflare

If you own a domain, a subdomain like mc.yourgroup.com looks better and lasts as long as the domain does.

Move the domain's DNS to Cloudflare (free plan is fine).
Create an A record for mc pointing at your current IP. Set the proxy status to DNS only (grey cloud). Cloudflare's orange cloud proxy only handles web traffic and breaks game connections.
Create an API token with permission to edit DNS for that zone.
Run an updater such as ddclient on Linux, or a Cloudflare DDNS container, which updates the record when your IP changes.

Minecraft bonus: hide the port with an SRV record

Minecraft Java looks for an SRV record, so players can type a name without a port even if your server runs on a non default port.

With your own domain, add:

Field	Value
Type	SRV
Name	`_minecraft._tcp.mc`
Target	`home.yourgroup.com` (your DDNS A record)
Port	`25570`
Priority / Weight	`0` / `5`

Players type mc.yourgroup.com and Minecraft finds the port. Bedrock and most other games do not read SRV records, so they still need name:port. See our Minecraft hosting page if you want an address without any of this.

Make sure the update actually works

After setting it up, run nslookup ourvalheim.duckdns.org and check the address matches "what is my IP".
Use a short TTL (60 to 300 seconds) on your own domain so changes spread quickly.
If the updater runs on the server PC, it only updates while that PC is on. That is fine, since the server is not reachable when the PC is off anyway.

What DDNS does not fix

CGNAT: the name points at a shared address that drops inbound traffic.
Missing port forwards or firewall rules: DDNS only replaces the IP in the address. The port forwarding guide still applies.
Your IP being visible: a hostname still resolves to your home address. Anyone who joins can look it up. More on that in is hosting a game server at home safe.

A moment from Valheim

A fixed address with no updater

A hosted server has its own address that does not change when your home internet reconnects, and players never see your home IP. GamezServers servers go live about a minute after checkout for most games, with settings, console and backups in a web panel. See game server for friends.

FAQ

Is DDNS the same as a static IP?

No. A static IP never changes. DDNS keeps a name pointed at an IP that does change. For a home game server, DDNS gives you the same convenience for free.

Is DuckDNS safe to use?

It is widely used for home servers and only stores your IP and subdomain. Keep your token private, since anyone with it can change where your name points.

Do I need DDNS if my IP rarely changes?

Not strictly, but it saves the evening when it does change and nobody can join.

Can I use DDNS with a Minecraft server?

Yes. Players type the hostname in the server address box, plus :port if you do not use the default 25565 or an SRV record.