SOLVED: DDClient won't start

[WiFiNetGuy]

I have installed ddclient and configured the ddclient.conf to update my OpenDNS account with my current dynamic IP address. When I try to start the ddclient.service it fails. Below is the sequence from my terminal session:

=============================================================
[root@localhost ~]# systemctl status ddclient.service
ddclient.service - A Perl Client Used To Update Dynamic DNS
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/ddclient.service; enabled)
Active: failed (Result: timeout) since Sun 2015-01-18 11:13:59 EST; 3min 32s ago
Process: 29830 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/ddclient $DDCLIENT_OPTIONS (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Process: 29828 ExecStartPre=/bin/touch /var/cache/ddclient/ddclient.cache (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)

Jan 18 11:12:29 localhost.localdomain systemd[1]: Starting A Perl Client Used To Update Dynamic DNS...
Jan 18 11:12:30 localhost.localdomain systemd[1]: PID file /var/run/ddclient/ddclient.pid not readable (yet?) after start.
Jan 18 11:13:59 localhost.localdomain systemd[1]: ddclient.service operation timed out. Terminating.
Jan 18 11:13:59 localhost.localdomain systemd[1]: Failed to start A Perl Client Used To Update Dynamic DNS.
Jan 18 11:13:59 localhost.localdomain systemd[1]: Unit ddclient.service entered failed state.
=========================================================================

And here's my ddclient.conf file (with password and username blanked out). This is the stock file with the exception of the very last paragraph which I added for OpenDNS:

==========================================================================
[root@localhost ~]# cat /etc/ddclient.conf
######################################################################
##
## $Id: sample-etc_ddclient.conf 125 2011-05-19 20:31:20Z wimpunk $
##
## Define default global variables with lines like:
## var=value [, var=value]*
## These values will be used for each following host unless overridden
## with a local variable definition.
##
## Define local variables for one or more hosts with:
## var=value [, var=value]* host.and.domain[,host2.and.domain...]
##
## Lines can be continued on the following line by ending the line
## with a \
##
##
## Warning: not all supported routers or dynamic DNS services
## are mentioned here.
##
######################################################################
daemon=300 # check every 300 seconds
syslog=yes # log update msgs to syslog
#mail=root # mail all msgs to root
mail-failure=root # mail failed update msgs to root
pid=/var/run/ddclient/ddclient.pid # record PID in file.
ssl=yes # use ssl-support. Works with
# ssl-library
# postscript=script # run script after updating. The
# new IP is added as argument.
#
#use=watchguard-soho, fw=192.168.111.1:80 # via Watchguard's SOHO FW
#use=netopia-r910, fw=192.168.111.1:80 # via Netopia R910 FW
#use=smc-barricade, fw=192.168.123.254:80 # via SMC's Barricade FW
#use=netgear-rt3xx, fw=192.168.0.1:80 # via Netgear's internet FW
#use=linksys, fw=192.168.1.1:80 # via Linksys's internet FW
#use=maxgate-ugate3x00, fw=192.168.0.1:80 # via MaxGate's UGATE-3x00 FW
#use=elsa-lancom-dsl10, fw=10.0.0.254:80 # via ELSA LanCom DSL/10 DSL Router
#use=elsa-lancom-dsl10-ch01, fw=10.0.0.254:80 # via ELSA LanCom DSL/10 DSL Router
#use=elsa-lancom-dsl10-ch02, fw=10.0.0.254:80 # via ELSA LanCom DSL/10 DSL Router
#use=alcatel-stp, fw=10.0.0.138:80 # via Alcatel Speed Touch Pro
#use=xsense-aero, fw=192.168.1.1:80 # via Xsense Aero Router
#use=allnet-1298, fw=192.168.1.1:80 # via AllNet 1298 DSL Router
#use=3com-oc-remote812, fw=192.168.0.254:80 # via 3com OfficeConnect Remote 812
#use=e-tech, fw=192.168.1.1:80 # via E-tech Router
#use=cayman-3220h, fw=192.168.0.1:1080 # via Cayman 3220-H DSL Router
#
#fw-login=admin, fw-password=XXXXXX # FW login and password
#
## To obtain an IP address from FW status page (using fw-login, fw-password)
#use=fw, fw=192.168.1.254/status.htm, fw-skip='IP Address' # found after IP Address
#
## To obtain an IP address from Web status page (using the proxy if defined)
## by default, checkip.dyndns.org is used if you use the dyndns protocol.
## Using use=web is enough to get it working.
## WARNING: set deamon at least to 600 seconds if you use checkip or you could
## get banned from their service.
#use=web, web=checkip.dyndns.org/, web-skip='IP Address' # found after IP Address
#
#use=ip, ip=127.0.0.1 # via static IP's
#use=if, if=eth0 # via interfaces
#use=web # via web
#
#protocol=dyndns2 # default protocol
#proxy=fasthttp.sympatico.ca:80 # default proxy
#server=members.dyndns.org # default server
#server=members.dyndns.org:8245 # default server (bypassing proxies)

#login=your-login # default login
#password=test # default password
#mx=mx.for.your.host # default MX
#backupmx=yes|no # host is primary MX?
#wildcard=yes|no # add wildcard CNAME?

##
## dyndns.org dynamic addresses
##
## (supports variables: wildcard,mx,backupmx)
##
# server=members.dyndns.org, \
# protocol=dyndns2 \
# your-dynamic-host.dyndns.org

##
## dyndns.org static addresses
##
## (supports variables: wildcard,mx,backupmx)
##
# static=yes, \
# server=members.dyndns.org, \
# protocol=dyndns2 \
# your-static-host.dyndns.org

##
##
## dyndns.org custom addresses
##
## (supports variables: wildcard,mx,backupmx)
##
# custom=yes, \
# server=members.dyndns.org, \
# protocol=dyndns2 \
# your-domain.top-level,your-other-domain.top-level

##
## ZoneEdit (zoneedit.com)
##
# server=dynamic.zoneedit.com, \
# protocol=zoneedit1, \
# login=your-zoneedit-login, \
# password=your-zoneedit-password \
# your.any.domain,your-2nd.any.dom

##
## EasyDNS (easydns.com)
##
# server=members.easydns.com, \
# protocol=easydns, \
# login=your-easydns-login, \
# password=your-easydns-password \
# your.any.domain,your-2nd.any.domain

##
## Hammernode (hn.org) dynamic addresses
##
# server=dup.hn.org, \
# protocol=hammernode1, \
# login=your-hn-login, \
# password=your-hn-password \
# your-hn-host.hn.org,your-2nd-hn-host.hn.org

##
## dslreports.com dynamic-host monitoring
##
# server=members.dslreports.com \
# protocol=dslreports1, \
# login=dslreports-login, \
# password=dslreports-password \
# dslreports-unique-id

##
## OrgDNS.org account-configuration
##
# use=web, web=members.orgdns.org/nic/ip
# server=www.orgdns.org \
# protocol=dyndns2 \
# login=yourLoginName \
# password=yourPassword \
# yourSubdomain.orgdns.org

##
## dnspark.com
## (supports variables: mx, mxpri)
##
# use=web, web=ipdetect.dnspark.com, web-skip='Current Address:'
# protocol=dnspark, \
# server=www.dnspark.com, \
# your-host.dnspark.com

##
## NameCheap (namecheap.com)
##
# protocol=namecheap, \
# server=dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com, \
# login=my-namecheap.com-login, \
# password=my-namecheap.com-password \
# myhost.namecheap.com

##
##
## Loopia (loopia.se)
##
# use=web
# web=loopia
# protocol=dyndns2
# server=dns.loopia.se
# script=/XDynDNSServer/XDynDNS.php
# login=my-loopia.se-login
# password=my-loopia.se-password
# my.domain.tld,other.domain.tld

##
## DtDNS (http://www.dtdns.com)
##
# protocol=dtdns,
# server=www.dtdns.com,
# client=ddclient,
# password=my-dtdns.com-password
# myhost.dtdns.net, otherhost.dtdns.net

##
## OpenDNS.com account-configuration
##
use=web, web=myip.dnsomatic.com
ssl=yes
server=updates.opendns.com
protocol=dyndns2
login=myaccountemail.com
password=mypassword
## Next line is my network identifier
Office
======================================================================

[bigfoot65]

Did you follow some internet guidance? Not sure if we can be much help here.

[WiFiNetGuy]

Actually just followed Fedora 19 steps. Sorry, thought there would be some insight here. I'm just trying to get Amahi to update my dynamic IP address with OpenDNS.

[bigfoot65]

Keep in mind that Amahi integrates with Fedora 19, so those steps may not work or could cause other issues. Best to check the Amahi wiki for something like this I would think.

Since the HDA primarily uses OpenDNS, this should not be well documented.

I personally see no need to have OpenDNS know my ISP IP address. I never log into the sight or user any features other than the DNS provided. Is there something I am missing?

[WiFiNetGuy]

Yeah, there are quite a few other features that may be useful, especially in a work environment. For example, with an account (free), I could limit what content could be accessed via the network. For example, one of my Amahi customers is a tax office. They don't want their employees able to access any porn sites. I can limit that content from OpenDNS. But that only works when you have an account, again it's free.

Just using the DNS servers works well. However I don't believe you can limit the content being delivered without an account. Did I say that was free?

[bigfoot65]

I know the account is free. So basically you want to do proxy services to prevent unauthorized site access. Got it.

Did you check out Configuring OpenDNS?

[WiFiNetGuy]

Yeah. Thanks, but I'm pretty familiar with OpenDNS and it's capabilities and how to set it up. My issue was just trying to get Amahi to be able to update my dynamic IP address with OpenDNS via ddclient. There are other clients that I could employ to do that but they run on either Winbloze or OS X. I was just hoping to get Amahi to do it since that's on all the time (or should be, anyway).

[bigfoot65]

I did not check out the links on the page. Thought maybe they would provide some guidance for linux use.

EDIT: Have you see this guidance Linux updater for dynamic networks

[bigfoot65]

I think this might be your issue. As root user, do:

Code: Select all

mkdir /var/run/ddclient chown ddclient:ddclient /var/run/ddclient

Then try starting it.

I found Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 860310 from a few years ago. I installed it on my HDA and once I did this, the service successfully started.

EDIT: I have also added this to Configuring OpenDNS in the Amahi wiki.

[WiFiNetGuy]

Thanks, BF. Looks like that did the trick.