Docs / Domains & DNS
Set up email records
15 minute read
SimpliCloud does not host mailboxes, but your domain's DNS lives here, so the records your email provider needs go here too. This guide uses Zoho Mail and Google Workspace as examples; any provider gives you the same four kinds of record: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
1. Add MX records
MX records tell other mail servers where to deliver mail for your domain. The number is the priority: lower is tried first. Use exactly the hosts your provider lists.
| Type | Name | Value | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX | @ | 10 mx.zoho.com | Zoho Mail |
| MX | @ | 20 mx2.zoho.com | Zoho Mail |
| MX | @ | 50 mx3.zoho.com | Zoho Mail |
| MX | @ | 1 smtp.google.com | Google Workspace (instead of the above) |
2. Add an SPF record
SPF lists who may send mail as your domain. A domain must have only one SPF record, so if you send through more than one service, combine them into a single TXT value.
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | @ | v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all |
| TXT | @ | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:zoho.com ~all (two senders, one record) |
3. Add the DKIM key
DKIM signs each message so receivers can check it was not changed. Your provider generates the key and tells you the selector name; paste the whole value into one TXT record.
simplicloud dns records create korafoods.ng --type TXT --name zmail._domainkey \--value "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQC…"
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | zmail._domainkey | v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQC… |
| TXT | google._domainkey | v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIB… |
4. Add a DMARC policy
DMARC tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF and DKIM, and where to send reports. Start with p=none to watch, then move to quarantine and reject once reports look clean.
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | _dmarc | v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected] |
| TXT | _dmarc | v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:[email protected] (later) |
5. Check everything resolves
Records go live within a minute. Then use your provider's verify button and send a test message to a Gmail address; Show original should say PASS for SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
dig +short MX korafoods.ng# 10 mx.zoho.com.# 20 mx2.zoho.com.# 50 mx3.zoho.com.dig +short TXT korafoods.ng# "v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all"dig +short TXT zmail._domainkey.korafoods.ngdig +short TXT _dmarc.korafoods.ng