Domain Email Problems
Overview
Domain email problems occur when DNS records responsible for routing email are misconfigured. Email servers use MX records to determine where incoming mail should be delivered. If these records are missing or incorrect, messages cannot reach the intended mail server.
Common Causes
- MX records pointing to a non-existent mail server
- incorrect priority values in MX records
- DNS changes during hosting migrations removing existing mail records
- missing SPF or DKIM records affecting authentication
- domain configured for web hosting but not configured for mail services
How the Problem Appears
- incoming messages bouncing with delivery failure notices
- email messages delayed or never arriving
- outgoing messages flagged as spam by recipient servers
- mail clients unable to connect to the domain’s SMTP server
How It Is Diagnosed
- checking MX records with
dig domain.com MX - verifying SPF and DKIM DNS records
- reviewing SMTP logs from the mail provider
- testing email delivery using mail diagnostic tools
- comparing DNS records against the mail provider’s required configuration
Typical Fix
- publish correct MX records provided by the email hosting service
- configure SPF records allowing the mail server to send messages
- enable DKIM authentication if supported by the provider
- remove outdated MX records from previous email services
- confirm DNS changes have propagated globally