What is the difference between an ISP's server and a DDNS server? Or in other words, how would I go about to have a (hopefully) cost effective way to turn my DDNS server into my own ISP? Linux has (GPL and $$$) "free" software, why not provide our own "free" internet? Sure, I wouldn't have any tech support, but that's the spirit of Linux!

And yes, I did check similar threads/google/other forums, but was unable to find anything that answered my questions.

Thank you in advance.

A DDNS works just like a DNS server as far as mapping domain names to IP. The feature of DDNS is that for those with Dynamic IP it updates the Domain Name IP to the new Dynamic IP when it is renewed. DNS is for static IP mapping. Not sure what the question of turning a DDNS into and ISP means.

If you have a static IP register a domain name and setup DNS. If you have dynamic IP then I would use a service that handles dynamic IP.

Brian

The internet is just a network of, well, networks. I shouldn't have to pay for internet access (I think) to companies like Comcast/Time Warner (net neutrality, anyone? ), and so I'm researching how to access this "Network of networks" called the internet without having to use AOL/MSN/Comcast/Ethernet/"Insert Commercial ISP of Choice".

I have a DDNS server, and I've been studying how to use it to connect to the internet. What I'm not understanding is the commercial ISP's place in the structure of the internet, i.e. why do we need them? What is their function? Why is it I need one to connect to the server that hosts the web site I want to see? Shouldn't I be able to connect directly to said server? My network would need to know the server's IP; is an ISP just a repository of IP's then? If so, could I not just put that data on my computer downstairs? (the server)

Ack, I love researching...

You actually only need the ISP for the line to the net. If you lease a T1, the company you are leasing the T1 from is your ISP. The only folks that *technically* don't need an ISP are the companies that own the T/OC lines (they already have the 'net access). That's pretty much it. All an ISP does is give you a way to access the internet, basically. If you want to run your own fiber to the telco, you actually don't need an ISP. But most people don't want to do that due to cost restraints/lack of knowledge.

Check out what a coop ISP/telco is. It's kinda the closest thing you can get to not having an ISP and still get on the net.

[edit]http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet-infrastructure1.htm

Nice link that explains it a helluva lot better than me.

Basically you hit on the only part of the Internet that is in fact, free: DNS (well NTP I suppose qualifies, but that's not a critical component). Here are the other pieces that you must pay someone for:

- Physical connection to the POP (cable or phone line)
- Circuit in the POP
- Upstream connection to a NAP
- Carrier who will agree to send your packets over their backbone

The first piece will never be free because the local infrastructure is incredibly expensive to build and travels across public land. You can't just go stringing cable haphazardly through your neighborhood. Besides that, is has to connect to something... Someone is going to charge to patch the connection from a Point of Presence into a Network Access Point. Even if you managed to string cable to the nearest NAP the facility would charge you to have the necessary equipment, space, and power to use their facility. Even if you had a buddy on the inside who could smuggle your stuff into the NAP and covertly plug it in without permission, you'd still need to pay to interconnect with a carrier who would send your packets across a backbone to other NAPs.

Thanks all for your help. Greatly appreciated. It's nice to have a place to rant about ridiculous prices and be shown why (to some degree) the cost is such. This is definitely one forum I'll be sticking around in.

Looking forward to contributing to this community!