Restore Dynamic DNS Hostname after restoring VPN Config

[ArcticEngineer]

I recently needed to completely re-install my server. Before doing so, I made sure to backup my softether configuration files to an external drive.

After re-installing my OS, I installed SoftEther again and then restored my configuration file which restored all my settings except for the Dynamic DNS Hostname. However, the Dynamic DNS Hostname was not restored. I compared the byte key and it is correct. Even the restored issued certificate is referencing my old dns hostname, and all the other settings were restored as well. I tried to manually set the hostname back to what it was, and even though the byte key is correct, I received the typical dreaded error: "The specified Dynamic DNS hostname is already used. Please change the hostname."

Is there a step I am missing here?

[thisjun]

Did you rewrite the configuration while the VPN service is running, didn't you?

[ArcticEngineer]

thisjun wrote:
> Did you rewrite the configuration while the VPN service is running, didn't
> you?
No, I made sure I had stopped the VPN server service first prior to overwriting the config file.

[thisjun]

Did you overwrite "string LocalHostname"?
If you overwrite it, DDNS name is changed.

[boubou]

Same here, I reinstalled my SoftEtherVPN server but I cant recover my DDNS Hostname...
How can I recover it ?

Thanks!

[raafat]

Hi thee, i think you are out of luck in recovering th DDNS that is you were using. You have three options,

first : you can look at the source code of SE, specifically at the code that implements DDNS service. If you can do it i am sure you can get around to recover your previous DDNS.

second : wait until the record of the DDNS that is you were using expires, of course, that record will not be kept in SE project database forever

Third : keep working on your problem (:


Good luck (:

[thisjun]

>first : you can look at the source code of SE, specifically at the code that implements DDNS service. If you can >do it i am sure you can get around to recover your previous DDNS.

This solution depends on whether you have previous DDNS key.
If you have previous DDNS key, you can recover previous domain name.
Please overwrite DDNS key on VPN server configuration.

>second : wait until the record of the DDNS that is you were using expires, of course, that record will not be >kept in SE project database forever

Currently, DDNS entry isn't expired.

[thisjun]

Currently, DDNS entry isn't expired.

[stparkides]

I ran into the same/similar problem.
Somehow, the softether vpn server lost ddns entry, but changed to the default random name of vpn##########.softehter.net
The actual name I configured now refers to the previous IP address, and I cannot change/access it.
I have several configuration files backed up since 2 years ago, and all of them have the same "byte Key" value as the current.

[stparkides]

Never mind. It turned out to be a wrong key. Got the correct one.

[MikeL]

I had a recent issue with DDNS that I have not been able to sort out.
I was working with a DNS name that I had picked instead of the generated one. Everything was working fine and that name was configured on all of my clients. Then a little over a week ago the IP address of my VPN Server changed and the DDNS field as shown in the server Manager switched back to its generated form and my clients were no longer able to connect. I created another name and set that up on the clients and it is now working again.

Like you I couldn't reuse the old name because it said it was already in use. If I do a DNS query on the original name it is still in the DNS database but is still associated with the old IP address.

Does DDNS only work with the original generated name or is it supposed work with the user supplied strings too?

[thisjun]

If you have previous DDNS key, you can recover previous domain name.
Please overwrite DDNS key on VPN server configuration.

[nazar_ko]

hi, I have the same issue.

recently I installed SoftEther VPN server on a virtual machine and registered a dynamic DNS domain.
Accidentally the virtual machine has been lost. Expectantly, the domain name kept busy and I have no idea how to restore it.

Actually there is about six month (or more) already has left and the mentioned domain is still busy. I'm able to ping it and see an IP from my local ISP. So I'm 99% sure the SoftEther domain database remember my old IP and able to ping any other client whoever is currently owner of that dynamic IP.

I'm afraid the SoftEther won't release the dynamic domain while anybody is using that IP. Am I wrong? If there is any other double check if there is an FoftEther software is running?

What is the real timeout to release the domain?

Is there any other way to try restore the my favorite domain?

Thanks

add: I haven't kept the DNS key unfortunately

[sky59]

Keeping the same dns after reinstall you have to change name of computer to the old string!

[nazar_ko]

hi, do anyone know if there is any timeout for DDNS entry? a year, two or more?
thanks

[Frankie0p]

For anyone landing here from Google...

I had the same problem as mentioned; the config had changed after I changed the name of a server and the key hadn't been written down beforehand.

In my case at least, I was saved by the automatic backup of config files, which were saved in the install folder:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\SoftEther VPN Server\backup.vpn_server.config

I copied the old key from one here, shutdown the vpn server (not manager, the actual vpnserver_x64 process) from task manager, pasted the old key into the current config file and then started the vpn from powershell:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\SoftEther VPN Server\> vpnserver_x64.exe /start

Hope this helps someone.

[nrjohnstone]

One extra piece of information to add, I run my softether VPN in a docker container and deploy it using Ansible.

After loosing my DDNS name a few times, even though I have a backup of the "key" and was restoring it correctly each time, I figured out there is a missing piece to the puzzle

The "key" that gives you ownership of the DDNS name is also linked to the hostname of your server, in this case since I was running in docker, each time the container was killed, it gets a random hostname. This means the same "key" for the DDNS will not work since you also have to have the hostname matching as well.

Easy fix for me was to make sure I set the container name the same, rather than allowing docker to use a random hashed one, and then generate a new DDNS with that hostname and save the key into the config.

If your using VMs and real machines, even if you saved the key, you will have to use the same hostname to get your DDNS back.