OPNsense DDNS with Cloudflare

This process changes often as OPNsense has moved away from dd-client plugin and integrated cloudflare into the native system. This process works as of December 2023.

Pre-reqs

  • Cloudflare setup with you domain (example.com)
  • DNS A record for hostname in Cloudflare (host.example.com)

Basic Steps

  1. Create Cloudflare API Token
  2. Create DDNS service in OPNsense

Create Cloudflare API Token

Official Documentation

Use the template for Edit DNS

  • Edit the token name to something descriptive, (this will be the username in OPNsnese)
  • Zone , DNS, Edit
  • Zone, Zone, Read
  • Include – All zones

Keep the API token, this will be the password for the DDNS service.

Create OPNsense DDNS service

Official Documentation

OPNsense > Services > Dynamic DNS

Make sure the “native” option is selected for “backend” under general settings.

  • Description : something meaningful
  • Service: Cloudflare
  • Username: token name from creating API steps above
  • Password: API token from creating API steps above
  • Zone: domain name in format example.com
  • Hostname: Full FQDN in format host.example.com
  • Check IP method: Interface
  • Interface to monitor : WAN
  • Check IP Timeout: 10
  • Force SSL: YES

Quirks

  • I’ve noticed that if the A record is edited in Cloudflare from the web UI, after OPNsense updates it, OPNsense will not update it again. To fix this, I roll the API token, and update the DDNS service. The A record in Cloudflare then updates from OPNsense.
Danny Eckes
Danny Eckes

Welcome to my personal blog! This site is dedicated to my personal interests in IT, Photography, and Cooking. Running an IT homelab and needed a website for proof of concept and constant tinkering. I figured recipes would make good content. Let's face it, finding recipes online can be challenging! Between navigating past countless ads and lengthy superfluous instructions, it takes far too long to find the actual recipe. Posting recipes here for my quick reference. Hope you can find them useful as well. Pictures (taken with mobile) and instructions written for myself.

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