Rackspace Email + Namecheap

Set up Rackspace Email on Namecheap

The records Rackspace Email needs, written with the field names Namecheap uses (Host, Value), in the order to add them.

  • 5 steps
  • 6 DNS records

Before you start

  1. Have your Rackspace Email account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Rackspace Cloud Office Control Panel .
  2. Open DNS at Namecheap: Sign in to Namecheap and select Domain List in the left sidebar. Select Manage next to your domain. Open the Advanced DNS tab.
  3. Keep both tabs open and add the records below one at a time.

Rackspace Email on Namecheap: what to know

How long changes take

Namecheap’s default TTL is 30 minutes, so after a change other DNS servers can show the old value for up to 30 minutes.

Source: How do I set up host records for a domain? (Namecheap Knowledgebase)

Records to add

Copy each value with the button next to it. Rows marked “Copy from Rackspace Cloud Office Control Panel” are unique to your account.

MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host @ Value mx1.emailsrvr.com Priority 10 TTL 3600 (1 h)
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host @ Value mx2.emailsrvr.com Priority 20 TTL 3600 (1 h)
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Host @ Value v=spf1 include:emailsrvr.com ~all Priority n/a TTL 3600 (1 h)
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Host See your provider Value Copy from Rackspace Cloud Office Control Panel Not yet confirmed by us Priority n/a TTL Automatic
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Host _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Automatic
Autodiscover Automatic app setup · recommended Type CNAME Host autodiscover Value autodiscover.emailsrvr.com Priority n/a TTL 3600 (1 h)

Step by step in Namecheap

Point your MX records

MX records tell other mail servers where to deliver your email. How MX works

Type
MX
Host
@
Priority
10
Value
mx1.emailsrvr.com
  • Rackspace warns that no other MX records should exist, or you'll have problems with your email.
  • Use 3600 seconds or the lowest TTL your host allows.
Type
MX
Host
@
Priority
20
Value
mx2.emailsrvr.com

In Namecheap

  1. In the Mail Settings section, choose Custom MX from the drop-down list. You may need to scroll the list to find it.
  2. Select Add New Record.
  3. Enter @ as the Host, the mail server as the Value, and the Priority in the box to the right of the Value.
  4. Select the check mark to save the record.
  5. Delete every other MX record with its trash icon, then confirm with Yes.
  6. Repeat for each MX record above.

Add the SPF record

SPF lists the services allowed to send email as you. How SPF works

Type
TXT
Host
@
Value
v=spf1 include:emailsrvr.com ~all

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose TXT Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark, or Save All Changes, to save.

Set up DKIM

DKIM signs your mail so receivers can trust it. How DKIM works

Type
TXT
Host
See below
Value
Copy it from Rackspace Cloud Office Control Panel (see below)

Where to find your value

In the Cloud Office Control Panel, go to Domains → Sender Authentication (DKIM), select your domain and click Enable DKIM for it.

We haven’t been able to confirm this value from Rackspace Email's public docs yet, so we don’t show one.

  • After adding the TXT record, click Verify TXT Record in the control panel.
  • Allow 24 to 48 hours for the record to propagate.

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose TXT Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark, or Save All Changes, to save.

Add the DMARC record (recommended)

DMARC tells receivers what to do with mail that fakes your domain. How DMARC works

Type
TXT
Host
_dmarc
Value
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com
  • Rackspace's setup page doesn't list a DMARC value. This is the standard starting record; replace the report address with one you read.

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose TXT Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark, or Save All Changes, to save.

Add the Autodiscover record (recommended)

Autodiscover lets Outlook and other mail apps find your account settings without manual setup.

Type
CNAME
Host
autodiscover
Value
autodiscover.emailsrvr.com

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose CNAME Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark to save.

Check your setup

Once the records are saved, run a live check. We look up your domain in public DNS and tell you what is right, missing or wrong, with the fix in Namecheap’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with Rackspace Email on Namecheap

Leaving other MX records

Rackspace says no other MX record entries should exist alongside mx1 and mx2.emailsrvr.com.

Namecheap: Switch Mail Settings to Custom MX first

MX records for an outside email provider go in the Mail Settings section, and only after you choose Custom MX. The other options (Email Forwarding, Private Email, No Email Service) manage MX records for you.

Namecheap: No CNAME on the bare domain

A CNAME record on the bare domain (yourdomain.com) overrides every other record for that name and breaks email.

Visit Rackspace Email Visit Namecheap

Rackspace Email on Namecheap: questions

Where do I add Rackspace Email DNS records in Namecheap?

Sign in to Namecheap and select Domain List in the left sidebar. Select Manage next to your domain. Open the Advanced DNS tab. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Host field at Namecheap?

Enter @ for records on your bare domain, such as MX and SPF. For the others, enter only the part before your domain, for example _dmarc. Namecheap adds your domain automatically.

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at Namecheap?

Yes. Sending servers pick an MX record by its priority (lowest number first) and fall back to the others, so a leftover MX record can receive some or all of your mail. Keep only the Rackspace Email MX records and delete the rest. MX records for an outside email provider go in the Mail Settings section, and only after you choose Custom MX. The other options (Email Forwarding, Private Email, No Email Service) manage MX records for you. A CNAME record on the bare domain (yourdomain.com) overrides every other record for that name and breaks email.

Where do I get my Rackspace Email DKIM record?

Use the value shown in the table on this page.

How long until Rackspace Email works on Namecheap?

Namecheap’s default TTL is 30 minutes, so after a change other DNS servers can show the old value for up to 30 minutes.

Sources

Every value and step on this page comes from these official pages. Dashboards change, so if something doesn’t match what you see, tell us.

Rackspace Email on other hosts

Other email providers on Namecheap