remote website with local email

[Chadly]

Hi,
I apologize if this has already been answered elsewhere. I did a search on the forums before posting, but couldn't find the answer to my issue. Currently I'm using the following version of cPanel:

cPanel Version 11.36.0 (build 18)
Theme x3
Apache version 2.2.23
PHP version 5.2.17

Here's the issue: I have a client who recently decided to have a site built using Clover. I have pointed the domain, which is hosted with us to the unique IP assigned by Clover. They, apparently, do not use nameservers. What a pain in the arse. Anyway, my client wants to keep their email hosted with my server while having their new site with Clover. The problem is after I pointed the domain, their email stopped functioning. I have looked at the advanced options in my WHM, but I have no idea what I need to change next or what I should change it to. Clover seems to be clueless as well. Go figure. I would be much obliged to have some help resolving this issue with making the necessary configuration changes so my client can resume getting their email on my mailserver. Thanks so much.

 

[alphawolf50]

Their MX records should point to your server's A record instead of their domain, and they'll need to point their email client at your server as well.

If they have an SPF record, make sure it either explicitly allows your server's IP address, or allows any MX for the domain.

 

[quietFinn]

Without seeing the DNS Zone of that domain (let's call it clientdomain.com), I would guess it's like this:

In the DNS zone of clientdomain.com there is a MX record:
clientdomain.com. 14400 IN MX 0 clientdomain.com.

because clientdomain.com is pointing to another server, also the MX record is pointing there.

You fix it like this:
In the DNS zone of clientdomain.com:
change
mail 14400 IN CNAME clientdomain.com.
to
mail 14400 IN A <IP_OF_THE_DOMAIN_IN_YOUR_SERVER>

and
clientdomain.com. 14400 IN MX 0 clientdomain.com.
to
clientdomain.com. 14400 IN MX 0 mail.clientdomain.com.

In "Email Routing" select "Automatically Detect Configuration", click "Save", and after that you see:

Reconfiguring Mail Routing:

LOCAL MAIL EXCHANGER: This server will serve as a primary mail exchanger for clientdomain.com's mail.: This configuration has been automatically detected based on your mx entries.

 

[Chadly]

FYI Found the answer on this thread: http://forums.cpanel.net/f5/best-way-point-domain-external-ip-server-but-keep-mail-local-89465.html Hope it helps someone else. It sure helped me.

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Just saw your reply quietFinn. Thanks so much for the quick response. Very much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[cPanelTristan]

Hello,

I just want to add a note for anyone to understand why you have to have two records for this setup. An MX record cannot take an IP address for it and must be a fully qualified domain name such as domain.com. or mail.domain.com. instead.

As such, this is why now that domain.com points off the server that you would need to change the MX to mail.domain.com. and then change the mail.domain.com. from a CNAME to an A record that points to your server.

Thanks!

 

[Chadly]

Wanted to thank everyone for being so quick to respond to this issue. Also cPanelTristan's addendum is what I ended up doing. I referenced this change in an earlier comment which was linked to another thread. That thread was where I found the answer I was looking for, just before you guys responded. Tristan's comment underscores the change outlined on the other thread, which resolved the issue. Once again, many thanks.

- - - Updated - - -

Marking this thread as solved. Thank you.