Replies to Gmail accounts being rejected

[#1]

That would break sending email for anyone who doesn't send email through the Plusnet servers.  Not having a SPF record shouldn't be an issue according to the standard.  It's Gmails insistence on having it that is non-standard and unusual.

[#2]

Hi,

I have started having the same issue.  Just rang up the helpdesk and they were told by someone in networks that you cannot have an SPF record added.

Does anyone know if this is a new policy?  Might as well move providers if that is the case

[#3]

Just rang up the helpdesk and they were told by someone in networks that you cannot have an SPF record added.

there never was a formal way of adding an spf record. If you have a p,usnetbhosted domain, then AFAIK the workaround detailed earlier In this thread still works to add the fixed spf record.

[#4]

Nice one give it 6 hours then.  Fingers crossed

[#5]

Well this says no, but fingers crossed still.  Otherwise maybe leave PN after 23 years

Dear Mr Brown, As per our conversation on the phone I am very sorry that our domain system doesn't allow for SPF records, again if this is something your domain requires you will need to transfer it to an alternative host. Kind regards, [CSA Removed] [Email notification sent to: [Removed]]

Moderators Note: Personal information and CSA name removed

[#6]

That email is not quite right, the domain system i.e the DNS servers do support TXT records ( and thus SPF records ), but the 'user' configuration Domain control facilities in the Plusnet member portal does not!. Domain hosting is a legacy facility and there is little chance of the portal being enhanced to support adding TXT records.

So a work-around was developed using the existing portal facility to add MX records to a domain. The addition of the dummy MX record described earlier, is picked up by a script which then adds the SPF TXT record directly to the DNS servers database.

This is, however, an unsupported facility and so 1st line customer services will likely no be aware of it.

When all said and done, SPF is a non-mandatory requirement for email, the problem is that GMAIL are mandating either it or DKIM for mail to personal ( but not business? ) gmail accounts.

[#7]

I think this just took a little longer than 6 hours, as the domain now has an SPF record.

[#8]

Well I now have an SPF record as predicted by yourselves.  My wife was so happy about this, no not really, I work in IT and she always expects me to know the answers immediately, I   on the other hand am very happy.

Thanks all very much

[#9]

I have the same issue regarding sending to gmail and, as an old plusnet user I had hosting with them.  I can see hosting information (although no web sites are there anymore) so have tried the spf 'fix' twice without success.

I have also used mxtoolbox to see if anything comes out, but nothing there.

It is probably down to my lack of knowledge in this area of IT, but I cannot get the fix to happen.

Any suggestions?  If it helps www.thekitesociety.org.uk

Jon

[#10]

@thekitesociety  looking at your domain, it does not appear to be hosted by Plusnet, rather the primary nameserver is ns1021.ui-dns.de which from what I can see is 1 & 1 ?

Is this correct ?

The 'fix' is only applicable where the domain is hosted by PN and using their nameservers.

[#11]

OK - I did think that might be the case (it is 1and1).  I am just confused as all email ends up with and goes through Plusnet servers so I presumed (wrongly it appears) that it was the mail servers that needed something done.

I guess there must be a redirect somewhere that is handling sending emails to the domain and forwarding to PN

Jon

[#12]

I am just confused as all email ends up with and goes through Plusnet servers so I presumed (wrongly it appears) that it was the mail servers that needed something done.

@thekitesociety TBH you're not the only one who's confused! Your domain MX record is set to mx.avasin.plus.net which is the PN mail server! That means that mail for your domain is being sent directly to the Plusnet mail server, rather than being sent to 1 & 1 and then forwarded. I'm not sure how that's even working, since AFAIK PN will only accept mail for a domain that is hosted ( and thus uses the PN nameservers ). Having said that, incoming mail is obviosly working!

Given that your domain is hosted by 1 & 1 , you ought to be able to add an SPF record directly using their domain control panel.

Assuming you are sending mail via the Plusnet servers (relay.plus.net) then add the following as a TXT record using the 1 & 1 system

v=spf1 a mx include:_spf-internal.plus.net include:_spf-internal2.plus.net ~all

[#13]

Could the posts above confuse registration with hosting?

I had a domain registered with LCN.com using Plusnet’s name server and hosting.

IIRC it used to be possible to have the name server elsewhere too and point the MX to Plusnet. Sounds potentially similar to the above.

[#14]

Could the posts above confuse registration with hosting?

My first thought was that it was registered with 1&1 but hosted with PN ( legacy hosting only) but my understanding is that for PN hosting the nameservers must be PN's (ns1.force9.net)

IIRC it used to be possible to have the name server elsewhere too and point the MX to Plusnet. Sounds potentially similar to the above. 

Certainly does, I just didnt think the PN systems allowed it.

[#15]

Thanks for the help everyone.

I will see about adding spf through 1&1, although mny reading of their help does not allow for this situation as far as I can see.  I suspect that the MX record was there when PN did host the web site(s) and has never changed as all I have ever done is move the site around.

Jon