Keep your IP address (dynamic and static) in sync with a specific DNS host name with No-IP

In the previous post we discussed that how you can host a web server in your computer. It was pretty easy to set up using HFS. But there was one problem that you have to remember your IP address to access the service in your computer from internet. It is easy if you have fixed IP. But it is quite impossible if you have dynamic IP as the IP address changes frequently.

This problem of dynamic IP can be handled using the service No-IP DUC (Dynamic DNS Update Client) free service. Use No-IP Free Dynamic DNS (DDNS) and redirection service to map a static or dynamic IP address or long URL to an easy to remember subdomain such as yourname.no-ip.biz. No-IP Updater is used with No-IP.com's free DNS service. This client keeps your IP address in sync with a specific DNS host name, provided by No-IP.com. This is helpful for users wanting to run a Web/FTP server on their home computer.

Sign up for the free service and create a DNS host name, for example testdemo.no-ip.org. Download and install the No-IP client. Login to the client and it will check your IP and update the IP for your DNS.

Some of the uses of No-IP are:

• Run a server on a dynamic IP (DHCP)
• Remotely access your computer
• URL redirection / port 80 redirection
• Run a personal website
• Access your DVR
• Run a FTP and mail server

The uses of this service are limitless and depends on your creativity. We will discuss about the uses in the future posts.

Technorati Tags: dynamic dns,dynamic dns service,dynamic dns server,dynamic ip address,ip address,static ip address,dns server,no-ip

Related Post:

• Make Home Web Server in few minutes to share files with HFS

Make Home Web Server in few minutes to share files with HFS

How do you share files with your friends? Most of us rely on instant messengers, P2P software, sending though emails or uploading it to ADrive, Windows Live Mesh, Rapidshare etc. The adventurous one would setup FTP Server. It would be easier if you setup a web server and put all files you want to share. And your friends can download the files from there. 

HFS (HTTP File Server) lets you do so. With few clicks of button. This small (600 KB) application turns your computer in a web server and the files you want to share are available for download on a web page. And trust me setting it up is quite easy. Just double click on the executable; and the application is up and running. As HFS does not requires setup and it is portable as well. You can run this application right from your USB Thumb Drive. Some of the salient features of HFS are:

• Download and upload
• Virtual file system
• Highly customizable
• HTML template
• Bandwidth control
• Easy/Expert mode
• Log
• Full control over connections
• Accounts
• Dynamic DNS updater

Sharing file is even more easier, drop the files in the file virtual file system of the application. Or this application lets you add the context menu in your computer to add the file in the virtual file system of HFS.

Sharing file with HFS

What the other peer see in the browser

Before you share the file with others. You need to set port forward in your router. Also you have to add this application as trusted application in your firewall. Once done you can share the link with your friends. You can also create restricted access by creating user id for external users.   And you can also access the files from your office as well. The application can also be run in Linux using wine.

If your ISP provides dynamic ip for your internet connection, then you can have your custom host name (e.g. myname.com etc.) point to your dynamic ip using No-Ip. I will discuss this in the next post.

My verdict for HFS is that it makes sharing your files easier and faster as you are shortening the distance by eliminating other servers. And pretty hit with my friends as well. The app is highly configurable, free of malware and 100% open source.

Related Link:

• How to set port forward in your router.

Technorati Tags: file sharing software,p2p file sharing software,file sharing,HFS,file sharing music,secure file sharing

Firewall Leak Tester

There are many occasions when our computer gets hacked by someone and gets infected by malwares, even though we have firewall installed on our computer. We blindly rely on the firewall that we have installed on our computer. As we know from the market statistics that the installed firewall in our computer is one of the best 5 or 10 firewalls on globe. We often forget to check if our firewall is working upto its benchmarked level or not. I came across a website auditmypc.com that checks firewall's leak. When I checked my one of the computer, the result was fantastic and I didn't have to pay any penny to purchase any firewall testing software as well. You can try testing your own firewall. As the services is totally free. Not only this, you can also do Anonymous Test, Popup Test, Internet Speed Test etc.

Result of Basic Scan

Result after Standard scan

Technorati Tags: Firewall,Leaky Firewall,Check Firewall

Transfer files direct to your friend from your browser using Files Over Miles

Few days back, I remember Pranav replied to one question in Yahoo Answers that how to share files with other on internet. and the asker did not want to leave any trace on the public file sharing server. Files Over Miles addresses the same problem. You can send files directly (P2P) to other user directly from your browser. The only requirement is that you should have Flash plug-in installed in your browser.

Simply browse the file and Files Over Miles generates unique URL. Share this URL with other and as soon as the recipient clicks on the URL, the transfer kicks start. 

The data transfer is fast as the data is sent using the shortest way. There are no immediate servers slowing down the process. Nothing is stored in any server and the data transfer is fully encrypted. The service works without any hassle and would be favored by the users who are more concerned about the data privacy.

Technorati Tags: Bandwidth,Direct Transfers,Fom,Gadgets,Hash,P2p,Recipient

Portforward – Play online games and stream music from your PC to internet

Ever wanted to play online games and lo! you get a message that firewall has blocked the game from connecting to the internet. Now the next step is to allow the game in firewall's exception list but the situation remains same. We try to restart the computer thinking that it may effect the new settings but we remain to the point from where we started.

Most of us do not know the real problem behind it and blame the firewall installed (most of the time) and software that we are using. The main reason behind the problem is not firewall installed on the computer but the security firewall bundled with the internet broadband router provided by our ISP. The next step we take is to search Google. What we find there after going through various websites and forums that we need to forward port in the router as most of the pc game need a special port to communicate to internet. But most of us do not know how and what port we need to forward. Other than using port forward for online MMOPRG games. You can use the portforward to stream music from your computer to internet. And if you want to host your website in your PC then you can also use port forwarding to make your site hosted on your computer accessible from internet. 

Port forwarding is a bit tricky but not any more as we can find loads of information regarding what port to forward and how to do it. You can get all the details on the website http://www.portforward.com/ . The website is so vast that we can find all the information that are required to make a PC Game connect to the internet and play an online multiplayer game. You can find almost all the famous games settings here.

Now no more waiting for the technician to forward port for you, just do it yourself and enjoy whole lot of programs that need port forwarding to work better.

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• No-IP (DUC) Remote Desktop Connection (it-sideways.com)

Technorati Tags: Portforward,Port,MMOPRG,internet,firewall,router,website

Contributed By: Akash Khare

Services to save temp URL for reading later – “I need to Read This” and Instapaper.

What you do when you come across any interesting website which you want to refer back for reading? Bookmark the site, and then quite possible that you forget about the site. I was doing the same bookmarking the interesting site and finally ended up with huge bookmark list.

To solve this problem I started copying the content and sending it to my special Gmail suffix username+readthis@gmail.com . So that I can filter the mail and read the article later on. This used to be time consuming, tedious and not productive as well.

The service “I Need to Read This” addresses this kind of problem. Add two bookmarklets in your browser and you are ready to go. What this service does is when you come across anything interesting which you want to read later, click on the bookmarklet “I Need to Read This” and the link is saved in the cloud. This service has another bookmarklet button “Read An Article”. When you click on this it serves you the pages you have saved in reverse chronological order. And when you click it again, it will take to second story.

The service maintains the complete list of your saved pages. You can access the list by logging in to the service. And since this service is bookmarklet based, you need install anything and it can be used from the public computer as well.

Another service worth mentioning here is “Read Later” by Instapaper. This is also a bookmarklet based service. The USP of this service is that this service generates RSS feed of the unread items, which I find quite convenient to keep track that what I have saved for future reading.

Another feature is that you can “star mark” the saved pages for easy filter (like Gmail). You can also access the deleted links and besides this the RSS Feed option is also there. All these combinations makes this service a killer service.

Technorati Tags: bookmarks,marks bookmarks,favorites,bookmarklets,instapaper,ineedtoreadthis

Wipe data securely before selling or donating your computer

What is the biggest concern you have when you plan to sell or donate your computer. The data residing in your hard disk. If you format the disk before donating or selling the computer, think for a while. Anybody with a data recovery software can recover the juicy info from your hard drive.

Use DBAN to securely wipes out data from your computer. And it is so secure that even government agencies and corporate are using it. If you require tool for bulk data destruction, then you can also try this. The DBAN site quotes.

"Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

DBAN is a means of ensuring due diligence in computer recycling, a way of preventing identity theft if you want to sell a computer, and a good way to totally clean a Microsoft Windows installation of viruses and spyware. DBAN prevents or thoroughly hinders all known techniques of hard disk forensic analysis."

To use this tool to wipe data from your computer. Please follow the steps given below.

1. Take backup of your data in any external media.
2. Download DBAN and prepare the bootable media.
3. If you want to install Windows after wiping the data, then please ensure that you have all required drivers.
4. Now boot your system with the media in which you have burned DBAN. At prompt enter AUTONUKE and hit ENTER.
5. Wait till you are prompted with the black screen. This mean the operation is complete.

DBAN

Publish at Scribd or explore others: How-to-Guides & Manu data destruction wipe data

Now you can safely handover your system without any fear. And if you want to delete files securely in Windows environment than you may use Heidi Eraser for this.

Technorati Tags: Wipe,data,computer,Darik,Boot,Nuke,DBAN,emergency,destruction,diligence,theft,Microsoft,installation,analysis,disks,computers,viruses,techniques