Google Workspace MX and CNAME records

When setting up Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) for your domain, configuring the MX (Mail Exchange) records is crucial to ensure that email is properly delivered to your Google mail servers. This guide will show you the correct DNS settings to use and explain how to prioritise Google’s mail servers. You’ll need to enter these values at your domain host (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap), not in your Google Admin console.

Google Apps MX Records Configuration

Each MX record points to a specific Google mail server. The Priority column determines the order in which mail servers are used. Emails are delivered to the server with the highest priority (lowest number) first. If that server is unavailable, the email is sent to the next server in the list.

Recommended MX Record Settings

Explanation of Each Field

• Name/Host/Alias: Enter @ or leave it blank to indicate the root domain. This field might be labelled differently depending on your domain host.
• TTL (Time to Live): Set to 3600 seconds (1 hour). This value determines how long servers cache the DNS record.
• Record Type: Always use MX for Mail Exchange records.
• Priority: Lower values indicate higher priority (e.g., 1 has higher priority than 5).
• Value/Answer/Destination: Points to the specific Google mail server.

Important Points to Remember

• Priority Settings: While the priority numbers can vary slightly, ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM must always have the highest priority.
• One MX Record Limitation: If your host only allows one MX record, use ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM as the sole record.

Configuring Additional DNS Records for Google Services

In addition to the standard MX records, you may need to configure other DNS records for Google services like SPF, CNAME, and TXT records. These records help validate your domain, improve email deliverability, and enable additional Google services.

Example DNS Configuration for Google Services

Explanation of Additional Records

• CNAME Record: Used to set up custom mail addresses like mail.yourdomain.com.

  • Name/Host: Use mail to create a subdomain (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com).
  • Value: Points to ghs.googlehosted.com to connect it to Google’s mail servers.

• TXT Record: Used for domain verification and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) settings.

  • Google Site Verification: Verifies your domain ownership.
  • SPF Record: Ensures that only authorised servers can send emails on behalf of your domain.

Managing SPF Records

To configure the SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record:

• Use a TXT record with the following value:

    v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
  

• ~all vs -all: The ~all indicates a soft fail, allowing unauthorised emails to pass with a warning. Using -all would indicate a hard fail, blocking all unauthorised emails.

• Avoid Multiple SPF Records: Having more than one SPF record can cause email delivery issues. If you have multiple sources sending emails, combine them into a single SPF record.

Further Notes

• MX Record Priority: Always ensure that ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM has the highest priority to avoid delivery issues.
• Propagate Time: Changes to DNS records might take up to 48 hours to propagate. During this period, some servers may still use the old configuration.
• Domain Host Specifics: Some domain hosts use different labels or require additional fields. Refer to their documentation if you encounter any issues.

By correctly configuring your MX records and associated DNS entries, you can ensure smooth email delivery and seamless integration with Google services. For more detailed guidance, consult your domain host or Google Workspace support.