Last Updated: Dec 15, 2016

Your SPF record (Sender Policy Framework) is a special entry in your domain's DNS settings that defines a list of IP addresses that are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Many email services providers use this setting to determine if email is spam, so it is vital that this record be set-up correctly for your domain.

SPF Record Set-up

Follow the steps outlined below to confirm your SPF record:

• Confirm that your domain has an SPF record:
  You can use this tool from mxtoolbox.com to check if your domain has an SPF record.
• Recommended Format:
  The basic syntax for a standard SPF record looks like this:

          	v=spf1 a mx ~all
          

• Format with included IP Address:
  If you are linking to an InfiPlex site from your main website, you will need to make sure your SPF record includes the IP Address of the server your InfiPlex site is on. You can contact support to inquire about your IP Address if you do not know it already. The basic syntax for including an IP address looks like this:

          	v=spf1 a mx ip4:170.02.148.80 ~all
          

• You can visit the OpenSPF.org syntax page to read about how an SPF record is constructed. The record shown above is the most basic and shortest version which says that all of your DNS "A" records and "MX" records are valid email sending servers. The "~all" tells email servers that email sent from anywhere else should be considered a soft fail, which means they will most likely send it to the user's spam folder or possible block it all together depending on how the receiving email servier is configured.
• Add Your SPF Record to Your DNS:
  Your domain's DNS settings are usually accessed through the domain registrar you purchased your domain at, like GoDaddy or Network Solutions. Your registrar will give you tools to add the SPF record as a DNS text record. Please contact your registrar's support team or knowledge base for assistance adding this record.

 

IMPORTANT: Emails from your website will get lost without an SPF record

 

It is very important to have a properly configured SPF record. If you don't, emails from your website will go to user's junk folders or in some cases be blocked and never delivered.