The Student Wired and Wi-Fi Network services manage network use via Dynamic DHCP and do not provide static IP assignments. This means that users will not receive a static IP assignment for their registered wired network devices. Under Dynamic DCHP, users may receive a different IP address each time they connect their device to the network.

For users that want to be able to connect to their computer as if it were assigned a static IP address, CIT recommends that these users employ a Dynamic DNS Service.

What Is Dynamic DNS?

Dynamic DNS is a network service that allows a computer or other networked device to notify a domain name server of any change, in real time, to that device's IP address.

This allows a computer or other device that has a variable, often changing, IP address to remain associated with a fixed hostname (provided through the Dynamic DNS service) which allows connections through that fixed hostname.

These services normally require the user to install a client on their machine which monitors what the currently-assigned IP address is and reports this back to the Dynamic DNS service. The Dynamic DNS service then updates the hostname-IP association based on that current IP, and continues to do so whenever their IP address changes.

Most Dynamic DNS services offer the basic necessary functionality for free, but also include premium services for an additional charge.

What Are Some Dynamic DNS Services?

CIT does not endorse any specific or particular Dynamic DNS Service. The choice of what Dynamic DNS Service to use is up to the individual. That said, here are two Dynamic DNS services which provide the basic necessary functionality to maintain routing to a dynamic IP address for free:

• http://www.dyndns.com/
• http://www.no-ip.com/

For more choices, search for "dynamic DNS" in your search engine (for example, Google or Bing).