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Configure an MX record for email management
Find out how to add a MX record to your OVHcloud domain name’s configuration
2024-02-29

Objective

With an MX record, you can link a domain name to the server on your email platform. It is essential for the sender’s email service to reach the recipient’s email service.

Find out how to configure an MX record for your domain name at OVHcloud.

Requirements

  • You have access to the OVHcloud Control Panel.
  • You have the rights to manage the DNS zone for the domain name concerned via the OVHcloud Control Panel.
  • The domain name concerned uses the OVHcloud configuration (i.e. OVHcloud DNS servers).
  • You have an MX Plan solution (included in the web hosting plan), an Exchange offer , or an external email service.

[!primary]

  • If your domain name does not use OVHcloud DNS servers, you will need to modify the MX records using the interface of the service provider that manages your domain name configuration.

  • If your domain name is registered with OVHcloud, you can verify that it uses the OVHcloud configuration in the OVHcloud Control Panel. Once you have selected the domain name concerned and the General information{.action} tab is displayed, check the entry DNS servers : If you see Enabled underneath it, your domain name is using the OVHcloud DNS servers.

email{.thumbnail}

Instructions

Understanding the role of MX records

MX (Mail eXchange) records are used to link your domain name to the receiving email servers attached to your email service. We will use an example.

When the address [email protected] sends an email to [email protected], the Outgoing mail server will:

  • (1) Query the DNS zone of the domain name mydomain.ovh and read the MX records.
  • (2) Forward the email to the URL of the MX record it has found.

email{.thumbnail}

The email will be sent to the target mx0.mail.ovh.ca, which is preceded by a value of 0. This value is called priority. The lowest value is queried first and the highest value is queried last. This means that the presence of several records makes it possible to compensate for an absence of response from the MX record having the lowest priority.

You can set up multiple MX records for the same domain name. It is then necessary to define a priority number for each of them. MX records are queried in ascending order from lowest number to highest number until a response is received from the receiving server.

Warning

Generally speaking, modifying MX records in a domain name’s DNS zone warrants caution. If you make any mistakes configuring the records, it may make it impossible for emails to reach your email address. Please take care when you carry out this procedure. If you have any doubts, we advise contacting a specialist provider.

OVHcloud MX configuration values

Below, you will find the OVHcloud MX configuration to use for our MX Plan solutions (MX Plan standalone or included in an OVHcloud web hosting plan) and Exchange. Our email servers have antispam and antivirus integrated.

Domain TTL Record type Priority Target
leave blank 3600 MX 1 mx0.mail.ovh.ca.
leave blank 3600 MX 5 mx1.mail.ovh.ca.
leave blank 3600 MX 50 mx2.mail.ovh.ca.
leave blank 3600 MX 100 mx3.mail.ovh.ca.
leave blank 3600 MX 200 mx4.mail.ovh.ca.

These MX records must be configured in your domain name’s DNS zone.

Configuring an MX record in an OVHcloud DNS zone

To create or modify the MX records in your domain name’s OVHcloud configuration, log in to the OVHcloud Control Panel. Go to the Domain names{.action} section, click on the domain concerned, then go to the DNS Zone{.action} tab.

The table shows your domain name’s OVHcloud configuration. Each row corresponds to a DNS record.

As a first step, please check whether any MX records already exist in your domain name’s OVHcloud DNS configuration. You can do this using the filtering list located above the table for your DNS zone.
Select the MX type, then confirm to display only the MX DNS records for your DNS zone. Use the screenshot below.

dnsmxrecord{.thumbnail}

  • If MX records already exist and you want to edit them, click the ...{.action} button to the right of each table row, and then click Edit Entry{.action}.
  • If no MX record is present, click the Add record{.action} button to the right of the table, then choose MX{.action}. Enter the information requested, depending on the email solution you have chosen:

If you have an OVHcloud email solution, please refer to the information provided in the OVHcloud MX configuration step.

dnsmxrecord{.thumbnail}

Fill in the values, complete the steps, then click Confirm{.action}.

If you have another email solution, please refer to the information provided by your email service provider.

[!primary]

The change can take between 4 and 24 hours to propagate fully.

Go further

General information about DNS servers

Editing an OVHcloud DNS zone

How to improve email security with an SPF record

How to improve email security with a DKIM record

For specialised services (SEO, development, etc.), contact OVHcloud partners.

If you would like assistance using and configuring your OVHcloud solutions, please refer to our support offers.

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