Understanding DNS: The Internet’s Address Book
Before we can fully grasp MX records, we need a basic understanding of the Domain Name System (DNS). Think of DNS as the internet’s global address book or directory. It’s a foundational system that makes the internet user-friendly.
What is DNS (Domain Name System)?
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network. Its primary job is to translate human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into the numerical IP addresses (like 192.0.2.1) that computers use to identify each other and communicate over a network. Without DNS, we’d have to remember long strings of numbers instead of memorable domain names.
Types of DNS Records (Brief Overview)
DNS uses various types of records to store different kinds of information about a domain. Some common ones include:
- A Record: Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address.
- AAAA Record: Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address.
- CNAME Record (Canonical Name): Points a domain or subdomain to another domain name (an alias).
- TXT Record (Text): Allows administrators to insert arbitrary text, often used for verification purposes (like SPF records for email authentication).
- MX Record (Mail Exchange): This is our focus. It specifies the mail servers responsible for receiving emails on behalf of a domain.
Why DNS is Essential for Email
DNS plays a critical role in email delivery. When someone sends an email to an address at your domain (e.g., [email protected]), the sending mail server needs to know which specific mail server on the internet is set up to receive mail for yourdomain.com. DNS, through MX records, provides this vital directional information.
Defining MX Records: Directing Your Domain’s Mail
Now, let’s zoom in on MX records. These specialized DNS records are exclusively dedicated to handling email delivery for your domain name.
What “MX” Stands For
The “MX” in MX Record stands for Mail Exchange. This name clearly indicates its purpose: it exchanges mail information, specifically telling other servers where to send email destined for a particular domain.
Core Function: Specifying Mail Servers
The primary function of an MX record is to specify the mail server (or servers) that are designated to accept incoming email messages on behalf of your domain. When another mail server wants to send an email to [email protected], it first looks up the MX records for yourdomain.com to find out which mail server it should connect to.
No MX Record = No Inbound Email (for that domain)
This is a critical point: If your domain does not have correctly configured MX records, you will not be able to receive emails at your custom domain addresses (e.g., [email protected]). Sending servers simply won’t know where to deliver the mail. While you might still be able to send email using that address (if your sending service is configured), inbound mail will fail.
Analogy: The Specific Department or PO Box
Think of your domain name as a large company’s main street address. The MX record is like specifying the particular department, mailroom, or PO Box number within that company where all mail should be directed. Without this specific instruction, mail might get lost or returned to the sender. The MX record ensures email reaches the correct digital “mailroom” for your domain.
How Do MX Records Work? The Delivery Process
The process of an email using MX records to find its destination involves a series of queries and connections. Here’s a simplified step-by-step look at how it works:
1. An Email is Sent to Your Domain
Let’s say someone sends an email to [email protected]. The sender hits “send” in their email client.
2. Sender’s Mail Server Queries DNS
The sender’s email server (Mail Transfer Agent, or MTA) now has the task of delivering this message. It doesn’t inherently know where yourcustomdomain.com’s mail server is located. So, it performs a DNS lookup, specifically asking the Domain Name System for the MX records associated with yourcustomdomain.com.
3. MX Records Provide Server Hostnames
The DNS system responds to this query. If MX records exist for yourcustomdomain.com, the DNS will return one or more hostnames of the mail servers that are designated to handle email for that domain. For example, it might return mx1.emailprovider.com or aspmx.l.google.com (a common Google Workspace MX record).
4. Priority / Preference Values in Action
MX records come with a priority (or preference) number. This is a numerical value assigned to each MX record for a domain.
- Lower number = higher priority. The sending mail server will attempt to connect to the mail server with the lowest priority number first.
- Multiple MX Records for Redundancy: Domains often have multiple MX records with different priority numbers. If the sending server cannot connect to the highest priority mail server (e.g., if it’s temporarily down), it will then try the server with the next lowest priority number, and so on. This provides backup and redundancy, ensuring mail can still be delivered if one server is unavailable.
5. Connection to the Designated Mail Server
Once the sending server identifies a target mail server hostname from the MX records (starting with the highest priority), it then initiates an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) connection to that mail server. If the connection is successful and the recipient’s mailbox exists on that server, the email is delivered.
Conceptual Email Delivery Flow:
- Email is composed and sent to [email protected].
- Sender’s mail server (MTA) receives the email.
- Sender’s MTA queries DNS for MX records of yourdomain.com.
- DNS responds with a list of MX records, each containing a mail server hostname and a priority value.
- Example: 10 mail.primaryprovider.com
- Example: 20 mail.backupprovider.com
- Sender’s MTA attempts to connect to mail.primaryprovider.com (priority 10) via SMTP.
- If successful, email is transferred. If not, it tries mail.backupprovider.com (priority 20).
- Recipient’s mail server receives the email and places it in the user’s mailbox.
What Does an MX Record Look Like? (Components)
An MX record, like other DNS records, has a standard structure. Understanding its components can help when you need to view or configure them. Here’s what typically makes up an MX record:
Hostname/Domain
This field specifies the domain name the MX record applies to. For emails sent to [email protected], the hostname in the MX record will be yourdomain.com. Sometimes it might be represented by an “@” symbol in some DNS management interfaces, which usually means the root domain itself.
Record Type
This simply indicates the type of DNS record. For Mail Exchange records, this will always be “MX”.
Value / Mail Server Hostname
This is one of the most crucial parts. It contains the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the mail server that is responsible for receiving emails for your domain. This is the address the sending mail server will try to connect to. Examples: mx.google.com, mail.yourhostingprovider.com, inbound.custommailservice.net.
Priority (Preference Number)
As mentioned earlier, this is a numerical value that indicates the order in which mail servers should be tried.
- Lower numbers represent higher priority. A server with priority 10 will be tried before a server with priority 20.
- If you have multiple mail servers (e.g., a primary and a backup), they will have different priority numbers. If you only have one mail server, the priority number is still set (often to 0 or 10), but it’s less critical in terms of order since there’s only one option.
TTL (Time To Live)
TTL specifies, in seconds, how long a DNS resolver (like your ISP’s DNS server) should cache (store) this MX record information before it needs to query the authoritative DNS server again for a potentially updated record.
- Common TTL values range from a few minutes (e.g., 300 seconds = 5 minutes) to several hours (e.g., 3600 seconds = 1 hour, or 86400 seconds = 24 hours).
- Lower TTLs mean changes propagate faster, but can increase DNS query load.
Table: Example MX Record Structure
Here’s how these components might look in a DNS management interface for a domain with two MX records:
| Domain | Type | Priority | Value / Mail Server Hostname | TTL |
| yourdomain.com | MX | 10 | mail1.emailprovider.com | 3600 |
| yourdomain.com | MX | 20 | mail2.emailprovider.com | 3600 |
In this example, sending servers will first try to deliver email for yourdomain.com to mail1.emailprovider.com. If that fails, they will try mail2.emailprovider.com.
Why are MX Records So Important?
MX records are not just a technical detail; they are fundamental to the functioning of email for any custom domain. Their importance stems from several key roles they play.
Enabling Email Reception
This is their primary and most critical function. Without correctly configured MX records, your domain effectively has no address for receiving mail. Emails sent to [email protected] will bounce back to the sender because their mail server won’t know where to deliver the message. MX records make your custom email addresses reachable.
Directing Email to the Correct Provider
Many businesses and individuals host their website in one place (e.g., with a web hosting company) but use a different service for their email hosting (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, or a specialized email hosting provider).
- MX records allow you to point your domain’s email traffic to the specific servers of your chosen email provider, independently of where your website is hosted. This flexibility is essential for choosing best-of-breed services.
Providing Redundancy (Backup Mail Servers)
By setting up multiple MX records with different priority values, you can designate primary and backup mail servers.
- If your primary mail server becomes temporarily unavailable (due to maintenance, an outage, etc.), sending mail servers will automatically try to deliver the email to your next-highest-priority (lower numerical value is higher priority) backup server.
- This redundancy helps ensure you don’t miss incoming emails during temporary server issues.
Impact on Email Deliverability (Indirectly for Sending)
While MX records are for receiving email, a domain’s ability to properly receive mail can indirectly affect the reputation of emails sent from that domain.
- If your domain has no MX records or poorly configured ones, leading to bounces of legitimate incoming mail (like replies or system notifications), it can appear to anti-spam systems as a less legitimate or poorly managed domain.
- A healthy, fully functional email setup (which includes correct MX records for receiving) contributes to an overall positive domain reputation.
Professionalism and Brand Identity
Using a custom domain email address (e.g., [email protected] instead of [email protected]) significantly enhances professionalism and reinforces brand identity.
- MX records are the technical linchpin that makes using such branded email addresses for receiving mail possible.
Managing Your MX Records
Understanding what MX records are is one thing; knowing where and how to manage them is another. Typically, you’ll interact with MX records through your domain’s DNS hosting provider.
Where are MX Records Managed?
MX records, like all other DNS records for your domain, are managed through the DNS hosting provider for your domain name. This could be:
- Your Domain Registrar: Companies where you purchased your domain name (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) often provide DNS hosting services.
- Your Web Hosting Provider: Some web hosts also manage DNS for domains pointed to their servers.
- Dedicated DNS Hosting Services: Services like Cloudflare, Amazon Route 53, or DNSMadeEasy specialize in DNS hosting and offer advanced features.
You need to log into the control panel or dashboard provided by whichever service is currently managing your domain’s authoritative DNS servers.
How to Add or Modify MX Records (General Steps)
The exact interface will vary between providers, but the general process is usually similar:
- Log In: Access the control panel of your DNS hosting provider.
- Navigate to DNS Management: Find the section for managing DNS records, DNS zones, or similar. Select the domain you want to configure.
- Add/Edit MX Records: Look for an option to “Add New Record” or edit existing MX records. You will need to specify:
- Type: Select “MX”.
- Host/Name: Often “@” or your bare domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) to apply to the root domain. Some providers might require you to leave it blank if it’s for the root.
- Value/Points To/Mail Server: Enter the hostname of the mail server provided by your email hosting service (e.g., aspmx.l.google.com).
- Priority: Enter the numerical priority value (e.g., 10, 20) also provided by your email host.
- TTL: You can usually leave this at the default setting (often 1 hour or 3600 seconds) unless instructed otherwise.
- Save Changes: After entering all the required MX records (your email provider might give you several), save your changes.
Important Note on DNS Propagation: After you save changes to your DNS records, it can take some time for these changes to propagate across the internet. This can range from a few minutes to, in some cases, 24-48 hours, though it’s often much quicker.
Getting MX Record Values from Your Email Provider
You don’t invent MX record values. Your chosen email hosting provider (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, Fastmail, or your web host if they provide email) will give you the exact MX record hostnames and priority numbers that you need to enter into your DNS settings. Always refer to their specific documentation.
How to Check Your MX Records
It’s often useful to check your domain’s current MX records, either to verify a new setup, troubleshoot email problems, or simply out of curiosity. There are several ways to do this.
Using Online DNS Lookup Tools
Numerous free websites offer DNS lookup services, including specific MX record lookups. These are generally the easiest way for most users to check.
- Examples:
- MXToolbox (popular for various email-related checks)
- Google Admin Toolbox – Dig
- whatsmydns.net (shows propagation across different locations)
- Many others are available with a quick search for “MX record lookup tool.”
- How they work: You simply enter your domain name, and the tool queries the DNS for its MX records, displaying the results, including mail server hostnames and priorities.
Using Command Line (for more technical users)
If you’re comfortable with the command line interface on your computer, you can use built-in utilities:
- For Windows, Linux, and macOS (using nslookup):
- Open your command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS).
- Type: nslookup and press Enter.
- Then type: set type=MX and press Enter.
- Finally, type your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com) and press Enter.
- Alternatively, in one line: nslookup -type=MX yourdomain.com
- For Linux and macOS (using dig):
- Open your terminal.
- Type: dig MX yourdomain.com and press Enter.
- (You can also use dig yourdomain.com MX.)
These commands will query the DNS and output the MX records associated with the domain.
What to Look For When Checking
When you view your MX records, you should:
- Confirm they point to the correct mail servers: Do the hostnames match what your email hosting provider specified?
- Verify the priority settings: Are the priority numbers correct, especially if you have multiple MX records for primary and backup servers?
- Check for any unexpected or old records: Sometimes, old MX records from a previous email provider might still be present and could cause conflicts.
Common MX Record Issues and Troubleshooting
Even though MX records are relatively simple, misconfigurations can easily lead to email delivery problems. Here are some common issues and how to address them:
No MX Records Found
- Symptom: Emails sent to your domain bounce back to the sender, often with an error like “Domain not found,” “No such user,” or “MX record query failed.”
- Cause: Your domain’s DNS zone does not contain any MX records.
- Solution: Add the correct MX records provided by your email hosting service to your DNS settings.
Incorrect MX Record Values (Wrong Server Hostname)
- Symptom: Emails are not being delivered to your mailboxes. Senders might receive bounce messages indicating delivery failure to an incorrect server.
- Cause: The hostname(s) in your MX records point to the wrong mail server(s). This could be a typo or outdated information.
- Solution: Carefully verify the mail server hostnames with your email provider and update your MX records in your DNS settings accordingly.
Incorrect Priority Settings
- Symptom: Email flow might be unreliable, especially if you have primary and backup mail servers. Mail might be delayed or lost if the primary is down and the backup isn’t being tried correctly.
- Cause: The numerical priority values are not set according to your email provider’s instructions. For instance, your backup server might have a higher priority (lower number) than your primary.
- Solution: Ensure the priority numbers are configured exactly as specified by your email provider, with the lowest number for the primary server.
Typographical Errors
- Symptom: Similar to incorrect MX values; emails fail to deliver.
- Cause: Simple typos in the mail server hostnames (e.g., mail.examplleprovider.com instead of mail.exampleprovider.com).
- Solution: Proofread your MX record entries very carefully. Copy and paste the values from your email provider’s documentation if possible.
DNS Propagation Delays
- Symptom: You’ve just updated your MX records, but email isn’t working yet, or it’s working intermittently.
- Cause: DNS changes take time to propagate across the internet’s DNS servers worldwide. This can range from a few minutes to 24-48 hours.
- Solution: Be patient. Use online tools like whatsmydns.net to check propagation status from different locations. Avoid making rapid, successive changes.
Conflicts with Other Records (e.g., CNAME at Root)
- Symptom: Inability to add MX records or unpredictable email behavior.
- Cause: According to DNS specifications, if a CNAME record exists for a hostname (like your root domain yourdomain.com), no other DNS records (including MX) can exist for that same hostname.
- Solution: Ensure your root domain (@ or yourdomain.com) uses an A record, not a CNAME record, if you need to have MX records for it. Consult your DNS provider if unsure.
MX Records and Send by Elementor
While Send by Elementor is a powerful toolkit for sending emails and SMS messages directly from your WordPress site, understanding MX records is still relevant for ensuring a complete and professional email communication setup.
Receiving Replies and Bounces
When you use Send by Elementor to send marketing campaigns or automated emails (e.g., from [email protected]), recipients will often reply to these messages. Furthermore, if an email cannot be delivered (a “bounce”), a bounce-back notification is typically sent to the “From” address or a specified “Return-Path” address.
- For your domain to successfully receive these replies and bounce notifications, its MX records must be correctly configured to point to the mail server that handles your incoming mail. Without proper MX records, these important responses could be lost.
Domain Reputation
The overall health and configuration of your domain’s DNS, including its MX records, can subtly contribute to its reputation in the eyes of Mailbox Providers.
- A domain that is properly set up to send and receive email generally appears more legitimate and well-managed.
- While Send by Elementor focuses on outbound email, ensuring your domain is fully functional for inbound mail (via MX records) supports a trustworthy sending identity.
Web Creator Responsibility
If you are a web creator using Send by Elementor to set up email marketing or communication solutions for your clients, it’s good practice to ensure (or advise your client) that their domain’s MX records are correctly pointing to their chosen email provider (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365).
- This ensures that the branded email addresses they use for sending through Send by Elementor (e.g., [email protected]) are also fully capable of receiving replies, contributing to a seamless communication experience for their customers.
Ensuring a Professional Setup
Using a custom domain email address with Send by Elementor (e.g., sending campaigns as [email protected]) is excellent for branding and professionalism. Correctly configured MX records are essential to make that professional email address fully functional for two-way communication, not just for sending. This completes the professional image.
Conclusion: Ensuring Your Email Finds Its Home
MX records, or Mail Exchange records, are a small yet absolutely vital part of the Domain Name System. They act as the crucial signposts that direct all incoming email for your custom domain to the correct mail servers. Without them, your professional email address ([email protected]) simply wouldn’t be able to receive messages.
For anyone using a custom domain for email communication—be it for business, client projects, or personal branding—understanding and ensuring correct MX record configuration is fundamental. While tools and platforms like Send by Elementor excel at crafting and sending compelling email and SMS messages, the ability for your domain to reliably receive mail is a user or administrator responsibility that underpins the entire email ecosystem. Getting your MX records right means your emails will always find their way home.