This article explains the MX DNS record type in detail. A general guide to DNS records and their settings in the customer administration can be found in the article DNS – Domain Records.
In this article, you will learn:
- What MX records are used for
- How to find MX mail server addresses
- How to correctly enter MX records
- Examples of MX record usage
- Common problems
- Frequently asked questions
What MX records are used for
You use MX records to specify the domain addresses of servers that process incoming email. You usually want more than one such server so that if one fails, another can take over. Most email service providers offer 2-3 addresses for MX records. By entering all MX records of the provider and adding an SPF record, you do your best to ensure smooth mail delivery.
Create a separate record for each MX mail server address.
If you are dealing with a problem where emails are sent but not received, the issue may be a missing or incorrectly entered MX record.
Finding MX mail server addresses
WEDOS provides email services with Webhosting and the WebSite service (except for the Free variant) and separately as the Mailhosting service.
Webhosting and WebSite
The mail server addresses for MX records are the same for these services. Including the recommended priorities, they are:
1 wes1-mx1.wedos.net 1 wes1-mx2.wedos.net 10 wes1-mx-backup.wedos.net
You can also find these addresses in the customer administration ⧉ in the service detail, in the Service addresses table.
Mailhosting
The MX mail server addresses for the Mailhosting service differ from those for Webhosting. If you use mail with Webshoting or WebSite, do not use these records. Including the recommended priorities, they are:
10 mx1.wedos.email 10 mx1.wedos.global 10 mx1.wedos.com 10 mx1.wedos.mx 20 mx1.wedos.online
You can also find these addresses in the customer administration ⧉ in the service detail, in the Service addresses table.
Own mail server
If you use your own mail server to receive mail, you need to enter its domain address, because MX records do not support IP addresses. First, create a suitable (sub)domain with the IP address of the given server via an A or AAAA record. Then enter this (sub)domain as the MX record address (see the example).
Services outside WEDOS
If the service whose MX record address you want to find is not with WEDOS, look up the service's help, or contact its provider's support.
Entering MX records
A general guide to setting DNS records in the customer administration can be found in the article DNS – Domain Records.
If the domain uses external DNS servers, automatic or manual changes to WEDOS records will not affect its behavior.
When entering MX records, follow these basic rules:
- Leave the Name field empty if you do not want to receive email on a subdomain (for example: info@sub.domain.tld).
- Always enter one number and one address in the Data field (for example: 1 wes1-mx1.wedos.net).
A general MX record looks like this:
Name TTL Type Data (empty, or subdomain) 300 MX (priority) (MX mail server address)
The number before the address is the so-called priority. The higher the number you enter here, the more the system considers the server as a backup.
MX records for VEDOS services
Correctly entered VEDOS MX records for Webhosting, WMS and WebSite look like this:
Name TTL Type Data
300 MX 1 wes1-mx1.wedos.net
300 MX 1 wes1-mx2.wedos.net
300 MX 10 wes1-mx-backup.wedos.net
And for the Mailhosting service:
Name TTL Type Data
300 MX 10 mx1.wedos.email
300 MX 10 mx1.wedos.global
300 MX 10 mx1.wedos.com
300 MX 10 mx1.wedos.mx
300 MX 20 mx1.wedos.online
Automatic MX record setup
MX records can be set automatically under certain circumstances. Our system sets DNS records on WEDOS DNS servers.
Automatic DNS record setup can be entered:
- By checking the DNS record settings when creating and renaming Webhosting, the WebSite service, or Mailhosting, or when setting up an alias.
- By forwarding the domain to the service according to the guide Domains – Forwarding to services.
Examples of MX records
Example: Correctly entered MX records for VEDOS Webhosting or WebSite services:
Example: Correctly entered MX records for the VEDOS Mailhosting service:
Example: MX record for your own mail server at IP address 46.28.108.1:
Common problems
Common problems when entering MX records include:
Cannot save MX record
Problem: When saving the MX record, an error message appears: Incorrect MX record value entered.
Cause: You must enter MX records in the format number + space + MX server domain address, e.g. 1 mx.domain.tld. The number is the record priority. You cannot enter IP addresses in an MX record, nor multiple mail servers at once.
Solution: Adjust the record data so that it matches the pattern in the error message.
Mail is not arriving
Problem: Mail does not arrive after creating/editing an MX record.
Cause: The error may be in the record itself, but also in many other places.
Solution: Check that the domain really uses WEDOS DNS servers and that the MX records have had enough time to propagate (typically 1 hour). If you are sending email to the main domain, make sure the Name field is empty.
If the records are correct, check that you have an active webhosting, a mailbox created, and enough space.
Frequently asked questions
My webhosting provider did not give me any MX records, what should I do?
Find out whether the provider offers email services at all. If not, look for an email service provider that meets your requirements.
If I have VEDOS Webhosting, can I use another email service provider?
Yes, just enter the MX records of that provider correctly.
Which records should I use if I have Webhosting and Mailhosting on the same domain?
You cannot have both Webhosting and Mailhosting services on one domain at the same time. If you have Webhosting, mail services are part of it and you use the MX records for Webhosting.
If you have one of these services on a subdomain, set the corresponding records for that subdomain.
Can I keep WEDOS MX servers as a backup in case my provider has an outage?
We generally do not recommend combining MX records from different providers. Instead, choose a provider with a sufficient number of backup mail servers and enter all their addresses into the DNS records according to the provider's instructions.
Are these addresses universal for all WEDOS mail servers?
These addresses work for MX record types. The mail servers for SMTP, POP and IMAP are different, and addresses containing mx will not work.