An MX (Mail Exchange) record is a type of DNS record that names the mail server responsible for accepting email for a domain. Other mail servers look it up to know where to deliver messages sent to your addresses.
How do MX records work?
When someone sends an email to an address at your domain, their mail server looks up the MX records for your domain. It then delivers the message to the server named there, which puts it in the right mailbox.
A domain can have more than one MX record, each with a priority. Lower numbers come first. If the first server cannot be reached, mail goes to the next one, so delivery can carry on while one server is down.
The MX record for Lurstan Host email
If your email is hosted with us and your domain uses our nameservers (ns1.lurstanhost.net and ns2.lurstanhost.net), the MX record is added for you. It points at your domain name itself, for example yourdomain.com, with priority 0. You do not need to change it.
If your DNS is managed elsewhere, see What are your mail DNS records?
MX record questions
Do you need an MX record to send email?
No. An MX record is only needed to receive email. Some receiving servers may still reject mail from a domain that has no MX record, as a spam check.
Where should my MX record point?
To the name of the mail server that accepts email for your domain. For email hosted with us, that is a name that leads to our server, as described above.
Can an MX record be an IP address?
No. An MX record must point to a hostname, not an IP address.
Is an MX record a DNS record?
Yes. It sits in your domain's DNS zone with your other records. See What are your mail DNS records?
What happens if there is no MX record?
Other mail servers then try your domain's own address (its A record) instead. If no mail server answers there, messages sent to you bounce.
How do I fix "no MX record found"?
Create an MX record for your domain that points to the correct mail server hostname. If your domain uses our nameservers and the record is missing, open a ticket and we will look at it.
What is the difference between MX and SPF records?
An MX record says which server receives mail for your domain. An SPF record says which servers may send mail for your domain. See Can I add SPF records for my domain name?
