[SOLVED] Apache2 virtualhost "allow from" dynamic DNS hostname?

Apache2 virtualhost "allow from" dynamic DNS hostname?

I have a cloud-based apache2 web server, which serves multiple sites using various virtualhost conf files.

One of the websites is for my development only, and is currently configured to only allow my current IP address.

    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 1.2.4.5

However my IP changes once a week or so - so I'd prefer to use my dynamic DNS hostname. Alas this...

Allow from abc.ddns.net

... does not work. Can it be done?

Solution

It can work, but it requires your DNS to be setup perfectly. If you use allow from {hostname} then for each relevant URI path, Apache requests a reverse DNS lookup of the IP for the connection, and then if that returns the correct host name from your allow directive Apache then rechecks that that name resolves to the IP of the original connection.

This is all a relatively expensive set of operations and is normally not recommended. Allow from {ip address} would normally be preferred.