How I Automated Namecheap Dynamic DNS Updates from Unraid for My EdgeRouter 4 and Caddy Setup

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Background: Home Lab DNS Troubles

Can’t think of a way to introduce this. You’re probably here if you’re trying to setup dynamic DNS with Namecheap. And your dynamic DNS client isn’t taking a wildcard. Well, hello to all 7 of you. Hopefully this post saves you some time.

I’ve been updating my home network/home lab setup recently.

Three different components are relevant here.

• Ubiquiti EdgeRouter 4: My main router and firewall.

• Caddy: A powerful reverse proxy and automatic HTTPS provider.

• Namecheap: My registrar and DNS host.

The goal was straightforward: use Dynamic DNS (DDNS) to ensure my domain always points to my current home IP address. This is critical for two reasons:

• My ISP (like most) gives me a dynamic, not static, IP—so it changes occasionally.

• I want to access self-hosted services remotely (and automate SSL certificates with Caddy), so I need my domain to resolve to the correct IP at all times.

The Problem: Wildcard DNS and EdgeRouter’s Limitation

I wanted to update the wildcard DNS A record (*) at Namecheap.
A wildcard record lets you use any subdomain (e.g., foo.mydomain.com, bar.mydomain.com) and still have it resolve to your home IP. This is perfect when you might want to host multiple services or experiment with different subdomains.

However, when I tried to set this up using the EdgeRouter 4’s built-in DDNS client, I hit a wall:

• The EdgeRouter 4 DDNS client won’t accept a wildcard (“*”) as the host for dynamic DNS updates.

• It’d require me to configure a specific subdomain. The settings allow for multiple to be configured but that’s obnoxious to setup every added subdomain by hand any time you need a new one.

• This means I couldn’t automate updates for wildcard DNS using the built-in tools, and any subdomains I wanted to use wouldn’t resolve if my IP changed.

In short: the router’s built-in DDNS was too limited for wildcard records, which I needed.

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Namecheap Dynamic DNS Beta Client

Namecheap offers an official Dynamic DNS client in beta (DNS Client Version 2.0x ). This Windows-based tool supports more flexible record updates, including wildcard records, unlike some routers’ built-in clients.

But running another Windows app 24/7 for one API call? Not ideal.

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Automating Namecheap DDNS from Unraid

Since I already have an Unraid server that’s always on, I decided to automate the Dynamic DNS update with a shell script. You could use any always-on system for this (Raspberry Pi, Linux VM, NAS, etc.), but Unraid is perfect for hands-off automation.

How Namecheap Dynamic DNS Works

Namecheap DDNS uses a simple HTTP(S) URL to update your DNS record. Here’s the URL format:

https://dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com/update?host=[HOST]&domain=[DOMAIN]&password=[DDNS_PASSWORD]&ip=[IP_ADDRESS]

• [HOST]: The subdomain (use “*” for wildcard, or “@” for root)

• [DOMAIN]: Your domain name (e.g., mydomain.com)

• [DDNS_PASSWORD]: Find this in your Namecheap dashboard under “Advanced DNS” → “Dynamic DNS Password”

• [IP_ADDRESS]: Optional. If omitted, the server sees your public IP.

Example for wildcard (*) record:

https://dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com/update?host=*&domain=mydomain.com&password=YOURPASSWORD

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How to Automate with a Script (Unraid or Linux)

1. Create a shell script (e.g., update-namecheap-ddns.sh):

    #!/bin/bash
    HOST="*"
    DOMAIN="yourdomain.com"
    PASSWORD="your_ddns_password"
   
    curl "https://dynamicdns.park-your-domain.com/update?host=${HOST}&domain=${DOMAIN}&password=${PASSWORD}"
   

2. Make it executable:

    chmod +x update-namecheap-ddns.sh
   

3. Schedule with cron or Unraid’s User Scripts plugin:

   • On Unraid, use the User Scripts plugin to schedule the script to run at your desired interval. Choose something longer than 5 minutes.

   • On Linux, add to your crontab:

       */15 * * * * /path/to/update-namecheap-ddns.sh
     

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Conclusion: Reliable Dynamic DNS for Home Labs

If your EdgeRouter 4 or other router can’t handle updating wildcard (“*”) DNS records on Namecheap, skip the hassle!
Just use the HTTP API directly from any always-on system—Unraid, a Linux box, even a lightweight container. This gives you full control and works perfectly with Caddy for reverse proxy setups, SSL automation, and more.

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Disclaimer:
Most of the formatting and a lot of the wording in this article were put together by ChatGPT 4.1, working from my notes and technical experience. I’m not a professional writer—just sharing what I’ve learned in the hope it might save someone else some time. Both ChatGPT and I can make mistakes, so always use your own judgment and double-check things before making changes to your own setup.