Set Up Email on Your Own Domain: Step-by-Step MX Record Guide

After registering a domain, most businesses want a professional email like [email protected]. The MX Record (Mail Exchanger Record) is what tells the internet which mail server handles email for your domain.

What is an MX Record?

An MX Record is a DNS record that specifies which mail server receives email for your domain. Think of it as GPS directions that guide incoming email to the right destination.

MX Record structure: Priority MailServer — e.g. 10 mail.yourdomain.com

Lower priority number = higher priority (10 beats 20). A single domain can carry several MX records so it has a backup mail server if the primary one goes down. The system always tries the MX with the lowest priority first, and only moves on to a higher-numbered one if that server fails to respond. For most users with a single mail server, one MX record is all you need.

The reason a business should run @yourdomain.com email instead of a free @gmail.com or @hotmail.com address comes down to credibility and brand image. Customers and partners trust mail from [email protected] far more than a free address anyone can sign up for. On top of that, email on your own domain gives you full control over the number of accounts, mailbox sizes and security policies, without being tied to a free provider that could change its terms at any time.

Prerequisites

• A registered domain (e.g. yourbusiness.com)
• An active Email Hosting account (AsiaGB, Google Workspace, Zoho, etc.)
• MX Record details from your email hosting provider

Step 1: Get MX Record Details from Your Provider

Your email hosting provider will give you MX Record information. Example from AsiaGB Hosting:

MX Priority 10: mail.yourdomain.com
# A Record: mail.yourdomain.com → Hosting server IP

Step 2: Add MX Record in DNS

Go to your domain's DNS Management (via Registrar or DirectAdmin):

1. Add MX Record: Host = @, Value = mail.yourdomain.com, Priority = 10, TTL = 3600
2. Add A Record: Host = mail, Value = Mail Server IP, TTL = 3600
3. Wait for DNS Propagation: 15 minutes to 48 hours

Step 3: Create Email Account

In DirectAdmin go to Email Manager → Create Email Account:

• Username: contact (becomes [email protected])
• Password: set a strong password
• Quota: set mailbox size limit

Step 4: Verify MX Record

dig MX yourdomain.com +short
# Should show: 10 mail.yourdomain.com

Or use MXToolbox: https://mxtoolbox.com/

Email Client Settings (Outlook, Thunderbird)

• IMAP Server: mail.yourdomain.com, Port 993, SSL
• SMTP Server: mail.yourdomain.com, Port 465, SSL

The Complete Set: MX, SPF and DKIM Records

An MX Record alone is enough to receive incoming mail, but if you want the email you "send" from your domain to reach its destination without landing in the Spam folder, you need to add SPF and DKIM as well. All three are DNS records directly tied to email delivery, and they are exactly the records that beginners managing their own domain most often forget to configure.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) declares which mail servers are authorised to send email on behalf of your domain. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) uses a digital signature to prove that the message body was not altered in transit. With both in place, receiving providers such as Gmail or Outlook trust your mail more and are far less likely to flag it as spam.

The table below summarises every record your DNS zone should contain when using AsiaGB Email Hosting through DirectAdmin:

In DirectAdmin, the DKIM and SPF records are generated automatically when you enable email for a domain. You simply copy the values DirectAdmin shows you into your DNS zone if you use external DNS (for example Cloudflare or your registrar). If your DNS already lives at AsiaGB, the system fills these records in for you automatically.

The DMARC value in the table starts with p=none, meaning "monitor only" — it does not yet reject mail that fails authentication. That is ideal at the start, while you still want to collect reports showing who is sending mail in your domain's name. Once you are confident that SPF and DKIM are correctly configured, you can tighten the policy to p=quarantine (send to Spam) or p=reject (refuse outright) to strictly block email spoofing under your brand. Ramping the policy up gradually like this reduces the risk of accidentally blocking legitimate mail.

Verify MX Propagation

After adding or changing an MX Record, the change does not take effect worldwide instantly, because every DNS resolver still caches the old value according to its TTL. This window is called DNS propagation, and it can take anywhere from a few minutes up to 48 hours depending on the TTL set beforehand. Lowering the TTL (for example to 3600 seconds = 1 hour) before you plan a change makes your next update propagate faster.

Check whether your MX has fully propagated with the following commands:

dig MX yourdomain.com +short
# Should show: 10 mail.yourdomain.com

# Check the A record of the mail server
dig A mail.yourdomain.com +short
# Should show the Hosting IP

# Check SPF
dig TXT yourdomain.com +short
# Should show: "v=spf1 a mx ~all"

To check from multiple locations around the world, use an online tool such as https://mxtoolbox.com/ or any DNS propagation checker that queries several countries at once. When every location returns the new value, propagation is complete and it is safe to start using the mailbox.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

When setting up email on your own domain for the first time, most issues come from DNS records that were set incorrectly or have not propagated yet. Here are the most common problems and how to resolve them:

Email never arrives (sent but disappears)

The usual cause is a missing MX Record, or an MX that points to a host with no backing A Record. Run dig MX yourdomain.com +short; if nothing is returned, the MX is either not set or has not propagated. Make sure mail.yourdomain.com has an A Record pointing to your real Hosting IP, and that the email account has actually been created in DirectAdmin.

MX points to the wrong server

If you previously used another email provider, an old MX Record may still be lingering in your DNS zone, sending mail to a server you no longer use. The fix is to delete every old MX Record and keep only the MX pointing to AsiaGB's mail.yourdomain.com. When multiple MX records exist with different priorities, mail is delivered to the one with the lowest priority number first.

Conflict with Google Workspace or another provider

A domain can only have one primary set of mail servers at a time. If you had Google Workspace MX records (aspmx.l.google.com etc.) and then added AsiaGB's MX on top, the system becomes confused about where mail should go. Before migrating to AsiaGB, remove all Google Workspace MX records, including the old SPF record that references include:_spf.google.com, then replace it with AsiaGB's SPF value so the two do not conflict.

Outgoing email lands in Spam

If recipients receive your email but it sits in the Spam folder, it usually means SPF/DKIM are missing, or the Reverse DNS (PTR) of your IP does not match the mail server name. Configure SPF, DKIM and DMARC fully as shown in the table above, then test your sender reputation with an SPF/DKIM checking tool before going live.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does an MX Record take to work?

It usually takes effect within 15 minutes to a few hours, but if the previous TTL was set high it can take up to 48 hours to propagate worldwide. Set the TTL to 3600 (1 hour) before planning an MX change so your next update applies faster.

Do I need an A Record for the mail server?

Yes. An MX Record must point to a hostname (such as mail.yourdomain.com) that has a backing A Record. By RFC standards you must never point an MX directly at an IP address; the mail server name must always resolve to a real IP through an A Record.

Is configuring SPF and DKIM difficult?

Not at all. DirectAdmin generates the SPF and DKIM values automatically when you enable email for a domain. You simply copy the displayed values into your DNS zone. If your DNS already lives at AsiaGB, the system adds these records for you without any manual work.

Can I use @yourdomain.com email with Gmail or Outlook on mobile?

Yes. Every account supports the IMAP/SMTP standards, so it connects with the Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird apps. Use IMAP mail.yourdomain.com Port 993 (SSL) and SMTP Port 465 (SSL) as listed above.