Duck DNS configuration - I don't get it

Configuration
1

I created a Duck DNS account, got the domain and token .
I installed Duck DNS add-on.
In the add-on documentation, the last step is to put this in configuration.yaml:

http:
  ssl_certificate: /ssl/fullchain.pem
  ssl_key: /ssl/privkey.pem

I do that, and HA won’t restart because “http” isn’t recognized. I look close at the documentation, and it says I need the “HTTP integration”. So I go to Integrations and search for “http” - nothing is found. And yet, there is documentation for an “HTTP integration” which is supposedly used in 100% of installations, implying it’s built-in.

At this point I give up - this duck won’t hunt. What am I missing here?

2

did you set up ngnix?

3

After doing that you have to connect using https

If you are using anything other than your DuckDNS domain name to connect (the ip address or homeassistant.local) you will have to add a security exception in your web browser when prompted as the SSL certificate is only for your DuckDNS domain.

EDIT: hang on

Where are you putting this?

4

There was nothing about “ngnix” in the DuckDNS add-on documenation, or in the setup tutorials I found online. Even Google doesn’t know what “ngnix” is.

Seriously - is it really this hard to use Duck DNS with HA? Maybe it’s not worth the trouble. I’m only trying to use it because Nabu Casa has not been reliable.

5

At the end of configuration.yaml. Then I try to restart the HA core and get this error message:

The system cannot restart because the configuration is not valid: Invalid config for [http]: not a file for dictionary value @ data[‘http’][‘ssl_certificate’]. Got ‘/ssl/fullchain.pem’ not a file for dictionary value @ data[‘http’][‘ssl_key’]. Got ‘/ssl/privkey.pem’. (See /config/configuration.yaml, line 22).

6

It is saying the file you are referring to does not exist

I can understand why people are paying for Nabu Casa, since VPN can be a bit tricky to set up, but I never understand why people are willing to open up their network to the internet with this DuckDNS setup.
Its a huge security hole and should never be a recommended solution.
Set up a VPN on your router instead, if possible, otherwise set it up on the HA installation.

7

Ok I’ll back up. The setup instructions I found online said to configure the DuckDNS add-on by entering the domain and token, then click “Save”. But when I did that nothing happened. I looked in the log for the add-on and it was empty. The only thing that happened was that the “save” button was grayed out.

I’m thinking that the add-on just didn’t generate the files it was supposed to. And with nothing in the log I have no idea why.

I’ve never used a VPN and that seems like a long slog.

8

And what did it say about a certificate?
Do you have one or did you setup a Lets Encrypt script to get one?

9

Again, nothing in the instructions I found. I guess I thought the DuckDNS add-on would generate one, and that’s what those files represented.

I’m getting the feeling that the helpful tutorial I found online is a bit lacking and that this is way more trouble than it’s worth.

10

You are probably following a guide for users that already have a certificate ready.

11

Ok, thanks, I think I’m over my need for Duck DNS. I just cleaned up my configuration.yaml and uninstalled the DuckDNS add-on.

There has to be another option. Nabu Casa is not reliable for me, and their tech support was no help.

Maybe a VPN. I’ll think about it.

Thanks for the help.

12

The tutorial said this:

“Start the DuckDNS and go to Log tab. Ensure there is no error message and the certificate is created.”

But nothing happened when I tried it. I believe I’d entered everything correctly.

13

link the tutorial

14

I don’t mean to badmouth the guy, maybe I missed something…

1 Like
15

The add on in the supervisor does the duckdns and letsencrypt.

You need the nginex add on to do the reverse proxy.

16

Ok, that should create a certificate, so what did your terminal show?

17

I have Samba… Nothing in \SSL. Empty.

Nothing in the log.

Looks like the add-on just didn’t execute anything on ‘save’

18

Did you start the addon?
Maybe restart the system too

19

I thought ‘save’ started it. Apparently there’s something else? I’m not at the system right now.

20

Save just saves the configuration.
You need to start it on the Info page