I am going to try to define clearly the proper setup of DYNDNS.org's custom DNS services with port redirection for IIS and Xoops. I had a considerable amount of trouble with XOOPS using DYNDNS services and IIS and after finally figuring it all out I thought I would share this info.

This method allows you to use a cheap DSL line with dynamic IP addressing and setup a website with a XOOPS backend and route just fine if you follow the following procedures.

This is very handy as DSL packages with IP addresses are more expensive and with this method you can really save some money and get XOOPS working correctly. I pay 24 dollars a month for 6MB down and 608 up and I have 3 XOOPS websites for different domains on one static IP address.

First install XOOPS on your server as you normally would.

Second go to http://www.DYNDNS.org and get your domain or transfer your domain to them and buy the custom DNS services for the domain. It’s cheap and well worth it.

Logon to DYNDNS.org and go to my services. Select Custom DNS link for yourdomain.

Set the DYNDNS.org custom DNS web interface preference to standard not expert. This will allow you to use the wizards and make it simple to follow these directions

Setup the domain by adding an "A" Record of yourdomain.com
Then add a CNAME record of http://www.yourdomain.com alias to yourdomain.com.

Download the DNS client update software at http://www.dyndns.com/support/clients/

Install the software and set it to install as a service or to start with Windows. Open the settings and go to groups tab and click the ADD button. Pick a name for the group then fill out the form and type in your DYNDNS account info in and then click the ADD button. Enter the hostname like this www2.yourdomain.com. Select "custom" under the System selection and them hit ok.. Make sure you use only the WWW2 host name and no others.

Once this is done set up your IIS website server to use a different port other than port 80 such as port 3193 or another you prefer. For a list of ports you can use go here http://www.iss.net/security_center/advice/Exploits/Ports/
If you have a firewall then you need to open the port you changed the web server to.

At the bottom of the DYNDNS custom DNS interface is a link for "add new mywebhop". Click that link and select port redirection. Add the port you set up for your web server. DO NOT USE THE CLOAKING OR MASKING OPTION just add the new port number.

You will notice a new entry into the custom DNS of an "A" record WWW2.yourdomain.com and the IP address of yourdomain will have changed to 63.208.196.110.

Edit your mainfile.php and change the define('XOOPS_URL, - I use port 3193 as an example. Use the port you set your web server for.

Example
define('XOOPS_URL, "http://www2.yourdomain.com:3193/xoops')'
Save file - you may need to change the read only property of the file to save it. Once it is saved make it read only again.

It will take a while for the new domain and port redirection to populate across the Internet's DNS world however this will work if you follow this procedure.

Note - The reason you have to change the web server port from port 80 to another is that the DSL router is where the dynamic IP address resides and the server address is most likely private IP addressing such as 10.0.0.x. XOOPS for some reason will not allow new users to register if the IPs don’t jive.. I have tried for numerous hours to get it to work on port 80 using DSL and a dynamic IP with DYNDNS.org and it will not work. XOOPS will not allow new users to register unless you set it up this way.

This method works flawlessly. Enjoy and I hope this helps someone to save some money and enjoy Xoops....

Eddie123