Whenever a computer (or network-aware) device is connected to the Internet, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) associates that connection with an IP address. The IP address is a series of numbers that identify that particular connection to the Internet. Your ISP may change your IP address at any time and do so without notice. Because your IP address changes all of the time, it is almost impossible to run any kind of server on your Internet connection, such as remote web cameras, Remote Desktop, home automation, etc.

Consider the communication problems you would have if every time someone needed to telephone you, the phone company changed your phone number! The connection provided by your ISP is not reliable for remote access -- it is tailored for simple websurfing. Your ISP may provide a static IP
address (a fixed address), but at a considerable expense costing hundreds of dollars per year. The ISP may not offer static IP addresses at all. So how would you connect to your home IP camera if the address changes all of the time?

TZO works with your existing Internet connection, tracking your dynamic IP address. When your Internet provider changes your IP address, the TZO client will publish your new IP address in your domain name record. TZO's DNS servers are very fast, so domain name update take just seconds to be available anywhere on the globe. After an update, whenever you (or someone else) types your domain address into some Internet software (such as a web browser), that software checks with TZO for your current IP address. Other people connecting to your site do not need TZO to find your server.

How to use TZO:
One of the most popular uses for web cameras is remote security. With a remote camera on the Internet, you can remotely connect to your site using a web browser, monitoring your home, business, or other needs. Typically you will configure your network and camera, test it so you know it works... and then it could stop working because your Internet provider changed your IP address! If you were using TZO to track your connection it would not matter if your ISP changed your IP address, because your domain name would resolve to your new IP address automatically.

Another popular use of TZO is for sharing photos, files, and running a basic webserver. In fact, no webserver administration experience is even necessary as the TZO client provides an optional webserver which is perfect for beginners. Advanced users may (of course) choose to run a third party webserver such as Apache httpd or Microsoft IIS Web. You can also use TZO to assist with remote desktop access, provided by pcAnywhere or Microsoft Remote Desktop. You might be at the office or a hotel, and you want to gain access to your home desktop. You might want remote access to transfer a file, or save a commute to troubleshoot a desktop PC. Could you ever remember your IP address when you are off-site? What if the address changes? With TZO, you will have a fixed hostname/domain name you can use to reach your server(s), so you never need to bother with your IP address.

Will TZO work on my system or network?

On the network whose connection you wish to track, you will need a TZO DDNS software client. This software client could be an an official download from TZO, or it could be a third party TZO client provided in some network routers. The TZO DDNS client is responsible for tracking your IP address and publishing changes to the TZO servers. TZO supports software clients for Windows, Linux, BSD UNIX, and Apple MacOSX. Other operating systems may work if a third-party client is available.