Mail bouncing to gmail

[#1]

Well, I have a Plusnet account with 2x domains hosted by Plusnet on it and because of email size restrictions, I am using Hosted Exchange mailboxes with a third party. I cannot see how I can use Plusnet's SMTP server? Is it possible?

[#2]

You use Plusnet's SMTP server for sending from @youraccount.plus.com or the domain hosted on Plusnet's mail server.

If you have an Outlook.com account, use with OUTLOOK 2016/9 that will use an Exchange connection to the mail server ... and you DO NOT send Plusnet emails via that service.  Thereby your Plusnet domain's SPF does not need to reference Outlook's SMTP services.

[#3]

Problem is domain is hosted with Plusnet and Exchange Hosted mailboxes are with GIACOM and Plusnet DNS will not let me set a custom SPF - I think that is only a feature of the HDomain Hosting DNS service. MX records point to Giacom Mailservers, but cannot set anything at GIACOM end as they do not host the domain!

[#4]

Something is breaking down in the communication here...

If the domain is hosted by Plusnet - that is, the domain is configured in the Plusnet user portal, then you send emails from that domain via PlusNet's SMTP service, no Exchange, for which the SPF record will be fine.

You should not be sending emails from @plusnet-hosted-domain.co.uk via any other SMTP server ... therefore you do not need a custom SPF record as you infer.

If the domain is actually hosed elsewhere and that is forwarding emails to your Plusnet mailboxes ... that becomes a rather different matter.  In which case, the hosting platform is where you configure the SPF record.

[#5]

I thought I had been clear 🤔

Plusnet Hosts my .co.uk domain ( dns via Plusnet Portal ).

GIACOM Hosts my users Exchange Mailboxes boxes.

Plusnet DNS has MX records that direct email for my .co.uk domain to GIACOM.

Plusnet DNS has DNS records that direct Web to other third party hosting.

Problem is - cannot configure SPF on the domain hosting DNS ( which is Plusnet ).

I cannot use Plusnet email as too restrictive on mailbox size and prefer Exchange anyway. Plusnet kept sending me warnings about email capacity, so switched to GIACOM hosted Exchange Email.

So, to recap Plusnet hosts the domain and DNS directs email to Giacom Email host.

Hope that sounds better?

[#6]

No, not clear at all until now!  "My domain is hosted by Plusnet", unless qualified, means that Plusnet is the domain name registrar, receives the domain's email and (if the account is old enough) hosts the domain's website.

Your response clarifies that Plusnet hosts the domain NAME but not the domain's (email and website) SERVICES.  There is a distinct difference between hosting a domain name and (also) hosting the services that name points to.

Given that email sent to (and sent from) your domain name now comes no where near PlusNet's mail services, then your problem (and solution) is very different from the general issues (and solutions) under discussion here.

You have moved your mail hosting  elsewhere, you have moved your web hosting elsewhere, you now need to move your domain name registration elsewhere as well.  That will give you full control of the DNS records.

You will still be able to access the email which is still on the Plusnet platform via your accounts 'native' domain name you@account.plus.com

[#7]

Aha! Shame another service has to be moved away from Plusnet! I suppose I thought as much to tell the truth. A small glimmer of hope shone when I heard about the SPF script, but now it is fully extinguished!

Thanks for your time and expert input.

Mike ( Been with Plusnet from dialup since force9 ).

[#8]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the come back on this one.  This is the oddest of configurations in this space that myself and @MisterW have yet encountered in seeking to offer help.  Sorry for the consequential mis-communications!

Detailed semantics in this space are pivotal to understanding what is happening ... and then delivering the most appropriate guidance.  Your scenario brings the potential understanding of a simple "Plusnet hosts my domain name" statement to a total of three quite different scenarios...

1. Plusnet receives directly my domain's email and it provides, registration, the DNS and name server services for the domain (everything is with Plusnet) - use the SPF 'hack' mentioned elsewhere
2. Plusnet receives my email by redirection (to my @account.plus.com mail address) from some other host provider, which provides registration, the DNS and name server services - go configure the SPF record on the host provider's panel as described elsewhere
3. Plusnet provides my domain's registration, the DNS and name server services, but my DOMAIN NAME email goes nowhere near Plusnet's - move registration, DNS and name servers to a third party hosting provider

(1) is common place, we have seen a few of (2) but (3) - yours - is a new one, which requires very different advice.  It becomes very apparent why you thought that the "right" answer might be to reference a third party SMTP server for the domain within PlusNet's DNS.  Technically correct, but not doable, as you cannot configure TXT records.

You will need to chose a new registrar provider.  When you are ready to move, raise a topic on the Everything Else board asking for the TAGS to be changed on your domain (assuming it is a .uk domain).  Another sour cherry in this space is that the domain will no longer be "free for life".

Good luck,

Cheers, Kevin

[#9]

Thanks for that Kevin.

Amazing how things can end up pointing here, there and everywhere!

I was afraid that ultimately, this would be the case! 

and another Sour Cherry indeed !

I suppose I will transfer the Domain to someone like Fasthosts in the end.

Any idea how long transfer takes from Plusnet side? I assume it is actioned overnight to help with DNS propagation lag?

Regards

Mike

[#10]

Hi Mike,

@MisterW is the specialist in this area.

The process is multi stage. The domain name transfer is the undefined bit - Plusnet responsiveness on Tags change or EPP request. That moves the domain name as is, still pointing to Plusnet’s name server. That can be changed later.

[#11]

And finally, apologies to all for any unintended hijack here.

Many thanks Townman and MisterW. Keep up the great work!

Regards

Mike

[#12]

@MisterW is the specialist in this area.

The process is multi stage. The domain name transfer is the undefined bit - Plusnet responsiveness on Tags change or EPP request. That moves the domain name as is, still pointing to Plusnet’s name server. That can be changed later. 

Sorry for late reply , I was out most of yesterday.

@boxnet I think @Townman has covered the basics of domain registration transfer. Make a note (screen dump?) of your domain settings on the PN portal before you transfer. Once you've got the domain transferred, you configure the same settings MX etc on the new providers DNS . Then you can switch the nameservers to the new provider.

[#13]

All clear!

Many thanks!

[#14]

Hi,

I completed this process for my domain shortboat.com yesterday early afternoon, and so far nothing has changed.

Is the automated script still working?  I think I got it right.

[#15]

Hi @shortboat 

From what I can see, there were two records added, one was correct, but one with a missing 9. Unsure if the duplicate record would have had an effect on generating the SPF record, so I've redone it for you. 

See how things look this evening.