Adding MX records to Gandi

These instructions are for users who purchased their domain on Gandi and would like to change their mail records (MX) so they can send and receive mail with Fastmail.

Changing your MX records is the best option for users who have a website on their domain hosted with another service. For users who do not have a website hosted at their domain, switching nameservers is usually a better option.

This guide covers three steps to setting up your domain:

  1. Add your domain to Fastmail
  2. Edit your MX records in Gandi
  3. Signing your domain

1. Add your domain to Fastmail

We have a setup guide to help you get your domain working as quickly and easily as possible.

After you have purchased your domain from Gandi, log in to Fastmail and go to the Settings → Domains screen.

Add your domain(s) (e.g. mydomain.com). Using the Add Domain button brings up the new domain screen. Type your domain into the text box.

If your domain has been purchased from Gandi, we will display this on the next screen. You can also choose Gandi from our list of supported registrars.

Follow the wizard to add your email addresses to Fastmail. To have the wizard provide you with steps to update your MX records by default, choose Yes when you are asked if you have a website.

Please note: If you are on a legacy plan, the domain setup wizard can only set up email addresses, not users. You will need to add users manually in order to create additional user accounts at your custom domain.

 

2. Edit your MX records in Gandi

Note: We recommend making these changes at a time that you do not expect much mail to be sent to your domain.

1. Log in to your account at Gandi.

2. Click on Domain in the left hand panel, then click on the domain you would like to use with Fastmail.

3. Along the top of the screen, click DNS Records:

the DNS Records option at Gandi

4. You should see two MX records. Click the pencil icon to edit them:

The Edit button in Gandi

If you don't have any MX records listed, you can add them.

5. Change your first MX record to the following:

Name Hostname Priority
@ in1-smtp.messagingengine.com. 10

6. Click Update. Your screen should look like this:

the first MX record in Gandi

7. Back in the DNS control panel, click the pencil icon on the second MX record, and change this to the following:

Name Hostname Priority
@ in2-smtp.messagingengine.com. 20

8. Click Update. Your screen should look like this:

Two MX records added at Gandi

You should now have two MX records, in1-smtp.messagingengine.com and in2-smtp.messagingengine.com.

 

3. Signing your domain

Your domain should now be ready to receive messages. In order to make sure your sent messages reach your recipients, there are a couple more records to add in your Gandi account.

1. Scroll up to Host Records in your Gandi domain panel and click Add in the top right of the screen. Add three new records, all with the type CNAME and the following information (make sure to replace mydomain.com with your actual domain name):

Type Name Hostname
CNAME fm1._domainkey fm1.{mydomain.com}.dkim.fmhosted.com.
CNAME fm2._domainkey fm2.{mydomain.com}.dkim.fmhosted.com.
CNAME fm3._domainkey fm3.{mydomain.com}.dkim.fmhosted.com.

When you are finished, your domain control panel should look like this, with your domain name in the blank space:

Fastmail's CNAME records in Gandi

2. Add another record. Click the pencil icon to edit the TXT record, and change it to:

Type Name Text value
TXT @ v=spf1 include:spf.messagingengine.com ?all

When you are finished, it should look like this:

The TXT record entered at Gandi

3. Add one more record, click the pencil icon to edit the TXT record, and change it to:

Type Host Value
TXT _dmarc.{mydomain.com} v=DMARC1; p=none;

Once you have finished this step, your domain should be ready to use with Fastmail.

To check that all of your settings are correct, log in to your Fastmail account and go to the Settings → Domains screen. Click Recheck DNS. Your domain should now say Active. MX records set.

Gandi has further instructions for using their DNS configuration panel available here.

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