DynDNS on FortiGate: step-by-step setup
FortiOS ships with a full-featured custom DynDNS2 client via the "genericDDNS" server type. With DNS Beacon your FortiGate stays reachable under a permanent hostname even when your WAN IP changes. Here's the setup.
Step by step
- Open the admin interface of your FortiGate and go to Network → DNS → Dynamic DNS.
- Enter the values below. Your username is your account email, your password is an API key from the dashboard.
- Save the settings. Your hostname now updates automatically whenever your IP changes — usually within a minute.
Settings to enter
Network → DNS → Dynamic DNS
- Server:
- genericDDNS
- Server address:
- api.dnsbeacon.com
- Domain:
- myhouse.dnsfollowme.uk
- Username:
- your email address
- Password:
- your API key
- IPv6:
- FortiOS 7.0+: add a second DDNS entry with server-type ipv6 and addr-type ipv6.
FortiOS 6.x and later support the "genericDDNS" server type, which calls the standard DynDNS2 /nic/update endpoint on any server you specify. In the CLI: `config system ddns` → `set ddns-server genericDDNS`, `set ddns-server-addr` with the API address, `set ddns-domain` with your hostname, `ddns-username` / `ddns-password` for authentication. Set the monitor-interface to your WAN interface.
IPv4 or IPv6?
The values above update the IPv4 address (A record) — the normal case on connections with their own public IPv4. For IPv6 (AAAA record) the device sends the parameter &myipv6=<IPv6> in addition or instead. How to do that on this device is in the "IPv6" row of the table.
DS-Lite or CGNAT (many cable and fibre connections): the router then has no public IPv4, and the service rejects a private WAN address with "abuse". In that case send only myipv6 — or use the DNS Beacon client directly on the target device, which detects both address families itself.
Need a free hostname first?
Create a free DNS Beacon account, add a hostname and generate an API key — then come back and finish the setup above.
Create free account