Setup Guide

Everything you need to get dns-connect running on your machine.

Downloading the app

dns-connect is available for Windows and macOS. Download the version for your operating system below.

Download for Windows

Windows 10 or later · 64-bit

Download for macOS

macOS 13 or later

Your browser may warn that the file could be harmful. This is a standard warning for downloaded executables. Click Keep (Chrome) or Allow (Edge) to proceed.

Installation

Windows

1

Run the installer

Double-click PersonalDNS-Setup.exe. Windows may show a SmartScreen warning — click More info then Run anyway. Follow the setup wizard to complete installation.
2

Look for the tray icon

The app runs in your system tray. Look for the dns-connect icon in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar.
The PersonalDNS icon is a cat playing with a globe
The PersonalDNS icon is a cat playing with a globe

macOS

1

Unzip the download

Double-click PersonalDNS-macos.zip to extract the app.
2

Open the app

Right-click PersonalDNS.app and choose Open. Do not double-click — macOS will block an unnotarized app unless you right-click first.
3

Confirm the security prompt

Click Open on the security dialog. You only need to do this once.
If macOS says the app is damaged or cannot be opened, open Terminal and run: xattr -cr ~/Downloads/PersonalDNS.app then try right-clicking and choosing Open again. This removes the quarantine flag macOS adds to downloaded files.
4

Allow notifications

The app will request permission to send notifications. Click Allow to receive alerts when your IP cannot be reached.

Creating your account

1

Go to the signup page

Visit dns-connect.org/signup and enter your email and a password.
2

Verify your email

Check your inbox for a verification email from dns-connect. Click the link inside to verify your address.
3

Sign in

Once verified, sign in at dns-connect.org/login to access your dashboard.
You must verify your email before you can access the dashboard. Check your spam folder if the email does not arrive within a few minutes.

Creating a subdomain

1

Open your dashboard

Sign in and go to your dashboard.
2

Enter a subdomain name

In the Create Subdomain card, type your desired name — for example, home will create home.dns-connect.org. Only letters, numbers, and hyphens are allowed.
3

Click Create subdomain

Your subdomain is created instantly. It will initially show an IP of 0.0.0.0 until the desktop app updates it with your real IP.
Each subdomain can only be linked to one device or router at a time. Generating a new token invalidates the previous one — if you switch from a router to the desktop app (or vice versa), the old token will stop working and the previous device will no longer be able to update that subdomain.

Connecting the app

1

Open the app setup

Click the dns-connect icon in your system tray and select Open Setup.
2

Sign in to the app

Enter your dns-connect email and password. The app signs in directly and fetches your subdomains.
3

Select your subdomain

Choose which subdomain this machine should update. The app automatically generates a token and will begin polling your public IP immediately. You should see your public IP address, the email associated with your dns-connect acount, and your subdomain when you right-click on the tray icon.

Understanding the tray icon

The tray icon gives you a quick view of the app's current state. Right-click it to see the full menu.

Running — IP shown

The app is active and your DNS record is up to date. The menu shows your current public IP address.

Checking IP…

The app is in the middle of an IP check. This is normal and resolves within a few seconds.

Setup required

The app has not been configured yet. Click Open Setup to sign in and select a subdomain.

Authentication failed

Your token has been invalidated — likely because a new token was generated for this subdomain. Right-click the tray icon and select Regenerate Token to restore access.

Router DDNS setup

If your router supports entering a custom DDNS server address, you can use it to update your subdomain without keeping the desktop app running. This is common on routers running open-source firmware such as DD-WRT or OpenWrt.

Not sure whether to use the router or the desktop app? See the FAQ →
1

Generate a DDNS token

From your dashboard, go to Dynamic DNS and click Generate new token. Copy the token.
2

Open your router's DDNS settings

Log in to your router admin panel. Find the DDNS or Dynamic DNS section — usually under Advanced, WAN, or Network settings.
3

Enter the following settings

Service typeCustom / DynDNS
Serverdns-connect.org
UsernameYour dns-connect email address
PasswordThe DDNS token you generated
HostnameYour full subdomain (e.g. home.dns-connect.org)
4

Save and test

Save the settings. Your router will now update your subdomain automatically whenever your IP changes.
Router DDNS and the desktop app do the same job. You only need one — use the router if you want updates without keeping a computer on, use the desktop app if your router does not support custom DDNS providers.

Troubleshooting

The app shows "Authentication failed"

Your session expired and could not be refreshed automatically. Right-click the tray icon, click Fix Authentication, and sign in again.

The app shows "No network connectivity detected"

Your machine has lost its internet connection. The app will resume updating automatically once connectivity is restored.

The app shows "Unable to retrieve public IP address"

Your machine is online but the IP check services are temporarily unreachable. This usually resolves on its own within a few minutes.

My subdomain still shows 0.0.0.0

The app has not completed its first IP update yet. Wait a minute and refresh the dashboard. If it persists, make sure the app is running and configured.

macOS says the app cannot be opened

Right-click the app and choose Open instead of double-clicking. This bypasses the Gatekeeper check for unnotarized apps.

Windows Defender blocked the app

Click More info on the SmartScreen dialog, then Run anyway. The app is open source and safe to run.

I did not receive a verification email

Check your spam or junk folder. If it is not there, go to the verify email page and click Resend verification email.

My subdomain was deleted

Subdomains are automatically released after 12 months without an IP update. Create a new subdomain from your dashboard and reconnect the app.