

Ask HN: Using a hosted mail server with a CNAME that isn't your domain name - ScottWhigham

I want to use a hosted, pay-by-the-mailbox email service for email but I'm concerned about getting our emails marked as spam. I'm looking at Simplicato now (http://simplicato.com) and, when I see the configs to use, I get nervous that since the CNAME is not my domain name, many ISPs will block the email or will rate it a higher likelihood of it being spam. Example:<p>To use the Email Hosting Service, here are the MX and CNAME records:
   ·Point mx record to mx1.theemailserversdomain.com with priority 10
   ·Point mx record to mx2.theemailserversdomain.com with priority 20
   ·Point mx record to mx3.theemailserversdomain.com with priority 30
   ·Point CNAME mail.scottsdomain.com record to mail.theemailserversdomain.com<p>Notice how the MX and CNAME records are not my domain. Anyone have any thoughts on this?<p>Thanks!
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mixmax
How did this story get 0 points? Is there a downvoting button somewhere?

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DanielBMarkham
If there is, I don't see it anywhere

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SwellJoe
Nonsense.

You have a weird idea of what information SMTP servers care about when
determining spamminess. DNS _is_ vitally important to getting your mail
delivered...but what CNAME is in your MX record is completely and utterly
unimportant (it's like worrying about what the name of your mailman
is...George or Franny...when the important thing is your address and zip
code).

Get your DNS RFC compliant, get your SPF records correctly configured for the
servers that will send mail for your domain, make sure your sending SMTP
server(s) are not in any RBLs, and you'll be fine. MX records are irrelevant.

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tihomir
add TXT SPF Record on your domain that includes your MX record

IN TXT "v=spf1 a:mx1.theemailserversdomain.com a:mx2.theemailserversdomain.com
a:mx3.theemailserversdomain.com ~all"

and then check out <http://old.openspf.org/dns.html> If you want on that site
you can look on other domains examples.

