How to Verify and Configure Email DNS Records for Better Deliverability

Description:
This comprehensive guide explains how to check and configure your email DNS records to maximise the reliability and deliverability of your email. It’s tailored for shared hosting customers using Eco Web Hosting (or similar providers) and covers the essential DNS records for sending and receiving emails successfully.

Why DNS Records Matter for Email

Proper DNS records are critical for:

Ensuring your emails reach inboxes and are not flagged as spam
Seamless sending and receiving of messages
Verifying your domain’s identity to build trust with other mail servers

The four core DNS records for email are:

MX Records: Route incoming mail to your mail server
SPF Records: Specify which mail servers are allowed to send on your behalf
DKIM Records: Attach a digital signature to your outgoing emails for verification
DMARC Records: Set policies for how unauthenticated emails should be handled

Step 1: Locate Your DNS Management

You can manage DNS records for your domain through your Eco Web Hosting client area.

To access DNS Management:

Log in to your Eco Web Hosting client area.
Find your domain and click Manage Hosting.
Open the DNS Management section in the hosting control panel.

If your domain uses external DNS (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.), sign in to that provider’s DNS control panel instead.

Step 2: Verify Existing Email DNS Records

MX Records

Purpose: Direct email traffic to your mail server.

How to check:

In DNS Management, look for records of type MX.

For Eco Web Hosting email, you should see:

Host: yourdomain.com
Type: MX
Value: mx.enmail.co
Priority: 10

If you use a third-party email service (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365), enter the MX settings they provide.

SPF Record

Purpose: Prevents unauthorised mail servers from sending emails using your domain.

How to check:

Look for a TXT record beginning with v=spf1.

For Eco Web Hosting, your SPF record should look like:

Host: yourdomain.com
Type: TXT
Value: v=spf1 include:_spf.enmail.co ~all

If you use other services (such as Mailchimp), add their include: statements to your SPF record according to their instructions.

DKIM Record

Purpose: Digitally signs outgoing emails to prove they come from your domain.

How to enable DKIM on Eco Web Hosting (shared hosting):

Log in to your Eco Web Hosting client area.
Click Manage Hosting next to your domain.
Open the Email section in the hosting control panel.
Select DKIM from the menu.
Click Enable DKIM for your domain.
- The system will generate the required DKIM DNS record: a TXT record with the appropriate selector and key.

Copy the DKIM record details provided (it will look similar to this):

Host: default._domainkey.yourdomain.com
Type: TXT
Value: v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqhki...

Add this record in your DNS Management area if it isn’t automatically added.

If you use a third-party email provider, follow their instructions to obtain and add a DKIM record.

DMARC Record

Purpose: Tells receiving servers how to treat emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.

DMARC records are not always mandatory but are recommended for security and deliverability.
```
Host: _dmarc.yourdomain.com
Type: TXT
Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:your@email.com
```
Start with p=none to monitor without rejecting emails. Once you’re confident everything is configured correctly, you can change the policy to quarantine or reject for stricter enforcement.

Step 3: Add or Update DNS Records

In your DNS Management panel, click Add Record or Edit next to an existing record.
Choose the correct record type (MX, TXT).
Enter the values provided above.
Save your changes.

Note:
DNS updates might take up to 24–48 hours to fully propagate across the internet.

Step 4: Test Your Email Configuration

Send a test message to a Gmail or Outlook address and see if it arrives in the inbox, not the spam or junk folder.
Use online testing tools to check your DNS and email setup:

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Email Goes to Spam

Double-check that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are present and valid.
Review your email for spam-like content or overly large attachments.
Ensure your sending IP address is not blacklisted (test with MXToolbox).

Not Receiving Emails

Confirm that your MX records point to the correct mail server.
Remove any conflicting or outdated MX records.
Always check your spam/junk folder.

SPF/DKIM/DMARC Fails

Make sure you’ve copied and pasted each record exactly as provided—no extra spaces or line breaks.
Only one SPF record is allowed per domain; combine includes if needed.
Verify the Host field matches the instructions exactly.

Examples

SPF Record for Multiple Sending Services:

v=spf1 include:_spf.enmail.co include:mailchimp.com ~all

Sample DMARC Record with Quarantine Policy:

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:your@email.com

Additional Tips

Always back up your current DNS settings before making changes.
Be patient—DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours.
After any DNS update, retest your email configuration.

Still Need Help?

If you’ve followed this guide and still face issues, please submit a support ticket including details of your problem and what you’ve tried so far. Our support team will be happy to help!

Last updated: July 2025