Understanding your DNS records for domain verification - Tue - Jan 11, 2022 - 9:06am

Stacy Chapman
Jan 2022 ⚬ 0 Comments Email Delivery
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Column names -- Hostname, Host, Name...

Every DNS management tool uses different names for the top of each column of the DNS records listed.  In the records we provided, we use "Hostname" but your DNS tool might instead have it labeled as Host or just Name.  This column is usually displayed right after the "Type" column.

In the third column of records we provided you, we ask that you "Enter this value".  In your DNS management tool, the column might be labeled as Value or Content.

Some DNS tools have a final column labeled TTL, or "Time to Live".  The TTL refers to how quickly you want the new record to go into effect.  If most of your records are listed as "Auto", then add the new records with the same protocol.  If most records have a time associated, like 1 hour, choose the option that is the fastest or is the shortest time offered to ensure the DNS records are found as soon as possible.


Check the format of existing records


Look at the existing DNS records in your DNS Management tool.  Do you see any records in the Hostname with your full domain name like yourwebsiteaddress.com?   If you do see your domain name typed in full on existing records, then you'll want to add your SPF record (discussed below) with the full website address.





However, if you don't see your full domain name listed, look for @ -- the at sign.  When it comes to DNS, the @ symbol means the dame thing as your full domain name, so the @ symbol would be the expected format for your SPF record if you see that on other records. See the example below:





Ensure you have only 1 SPF record

There can only be one SPF record for the entire domain. An SPF record is always type, TXT, and the value usually begins with “v=spf1”. Please look through your DNS records to see if you already have an SPF record. If you do, you will need to “combine” it with the record listed above. Here’s how to combine records:


Let’s say that you have an existing record that looks like this:


v=spf1 include:secureserver.net ?all


You’ll need to combine it with the record we’re requesting below by copying the part that has “include” and pasting it near the other parts that say “include” in our record.


v=spf1 include:mailgun.org include:spf.mailjet.com ~all

The newly combined records would look like this:


v=spf1 include:mailgun.org include:spf.mailjet.com include:secureserver.net ~all

Note that v=spf1 is only included once at the  beginning and that "all" is only included once at the end of the line.

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