Author Topic: MX Records an' stuff  (Read 998 times)

MX Records an' stuff
« on: 24 March, 2020, 08:45:38 am »
Trying to set up email for Mrs Ham's quilting group. Their domain is hosted by wordpress, who only allow 5 email forwards. I was hoping to use gmail to manage the mail, but because wordpress want to sell you g-suite for £60/year, you can't use their SMTP from google (or probably, anywhere)

I have a domain hosting server, which runs cPanel, that I should be able to use to fix this. At least, if I really knew what I was doing.

What I think I need to do is:

- Set up the domain on my server.
- Config the MX record at Wordpress to point at my name server
- Config the forwarder on my server to forward all mail to gmail (this feels a bit wrong)
- Probably something more

Anyone know ?

Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #1 on: 24 March, 2020, 09:00:34 am »
For incoming mail, you should just be able to configure the MX records on the Wordpress site like so:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/6150791?hl=en

Outgoing mail from Gmail should hopefully Just Work.

I don't think your server needs to be involved unless I'm missing something.

Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #2 on: 24 March, 2020, 09:08:09 am »
That link refers to G-Suite setup, which AFAICS is the £60/year that Wordpress want for the benefit.

Setting up another mail on your gmail account requires that you log in to the domain SMTP to validate ownership, which you can't with Wordpress (I suspect once you have paid the £60, you can)

Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #3 on: 24 March, 2020, 09:25:08 am »
In that case the steps you mention sound about right.

Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #4 on: 24 March, 2020, 09:31:57 am »

- Config the forwarder on my server to forward all mail to gmail (this feels a bit wrong)


That's because I need to set the default address, not forwarding

Davef

Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #5 on: 24 March, 2020, 09:43:21 am »

- Config the forwarder on my server to forward all mail to gmail (this feels a bit wrong)


That's because I need to set the default address, not forwarding
I have vague feeling that all your outgoing mail will go to spam, if you get it working at all.


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Kim

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Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #6 on: 24 March, 2020, 11:22:02 am »
- Set up the domain on my server.
- Config the MX record at Wordpress to point at my name server mail server

FTFY

Quote
- Config the forwarder on my server to forward all mail to gmail (this feels a bit wrong)

In the sense that "the forwarder" is a thing that somehow maps incoming mail to one or more specific gmail addresses, sure.  You can't just relay $username@quitgroup.org.uk to $username@gmail.com, for obvious reasons.

(Obviously the mail server needs to know it's authoritative for quiltgroup.org.uk to receive those mails in the first place.)


Quote
- Probably something more

Enough SPF and DKIM and so on that google doesn't wrinkle its nose and immediately consign it to the spam bucket.  This is a becoming a bit of a black art even for non-forwarded mail.  "Don't be evil" went out the window some time ago, and it suits google just fine if the path of least resistance is for everyone to use their product.

Re: MX Records an' stuff
« Reply #7 on: 24 March, 2020, 08:25:50 pm »
Well, partial success.

Changing the MX record was straightforward enough, and works happily.

Default address works fine, too.

I wish I could work out how I've managed to set up using Google SMTP in Gmail on my domains in the past, I have to use the hosting mail server and that is currently blacklisted at BTInternet