Welcome to Mail-List.com's User Guides!Help DocsEmail Discussion Group - List Owner ManualList SettingsDomain: Use your own to send/receive messages to the List (instead of @mail-list.com).

Domain: Use your own to send/receive messages to the List (instead of @mail-list.com).

There are two ways to use your domain name with Mail-List.com:

  1. The first method involves creating a new sub domain, with changes to your Domain Name Server (DNS).
  2. The second method is for email to go to your mail server, which immediately forwards it to our server via an alias file.

NOTE: Because of increasing anti-spam technologies, forwarding email on the Internet is unreliable and no longer supported by Mail-List.com.

Note: Creating a three-level domain name will typically solve delivery problems.

 

If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Using a sub-domain for your Mailing List is a Premium Option available with an additional charge.

New Sub-Domain - Defined

You need to create a new sub-domain to use this Premium Option.  Sub-domain examples:

lists.example.com
listserv.example.com

This domain will only be used for your Mailing List email hosted here at Mail-List.com. Typically, this new domain would have at least 3 nodes, as in the examples above.

The DNS server for your domain name controls where email is sent via Mail Exchange (MX) records.  That means when somebody sends an email message to your Mailing List, their ISP will look up in the Domain Name Server (DNS) to see where to send it.

By adjusting your DNS to include our Mail-List.com server for a sub-set of your email, we can have your Subscriber email come directly to our server.

For example:
If your domain name was example.com, then we could set up a sub-domain of that domain. Perhaps lists.example.com or mail-list.example.com.

We would use that complete domain name for your Mailing List. Mail-List.com will then re-write all headers with that complete domain name on all outgoing email. Using the example above, people would send email to your List by sending it to:

[email protected]

How do I make this change?

1. STEP ONE

Using the web interface, log into your mail-list account at https://database.mail-list.com.

  • Click Customize Your List.
  • Click Premium Price Options.
  • Add your 3 level domain name to both of these options:
    • First, click and update Domain Name.
    • Next, click and update Primary MX Name.
Fill in your 3 level domain name in both the Domain Name and Primary MX Name fields

Once the above is complete, you receive an email with exact instructions.

This email includes the server hosting your Mailing List and is critical for the DNS setup.

2. STEP TWO

The sections below are a preview of the steps you will take.

You need the email we send to know the name of your Mailing List server. That email's Subject Line will be:

Using your domain name via DNS

Set up your DNS with the proper MX records.

You do not need an A record or CNAME record for email, just MX records.  (MX = Mail Exchange)

Please work with your tech support on this step, as there are many different interfaces for updating DNS.

For example, using the Bind format of DNS entries

lists.example.com     MX      10     transport.mail-list.com
lists.example.com     MX      10     canon.mail-list.com
lists.example.com     MX       5      stratus.mail-list.com

The above says that stratus.mail-list.com has the highest priority (lowest value), and all email should be sent directly to that server. In the event the ISP cannot reach stratus.mail-list.com, they will send email to one of the other two mail hosts where it will be accepted and queued for final delivery.

You configure your domain name server to have all email come to our server, by setting up MX records. There is no need to set up an A record nor a CNAME record for this new name. Only the 3 MX records are needed.

Our server will accept the email for this specific domain name. When sending the response, our server will set the headers to your domain name.  List Subscribers will think the email is coming directly from your own domain.

Special Instructions for Go Daddy

For Go Daddy, the steps are slightly different. Add the MX records, and use the sub-domain in the Hosts field.  Example:

Priority    Hosts   Points To                                  TTL

   50          lists   transport.mail-list.com             4 hours
   50          lists   canon.mail-list.com                 4 hours
   40          lists   stratus.mail-list.com                4 hours 

Special instructions for Microsoft Online Services

For Microsoft Online Services, you need to add the new sub-domain to your settings.  

Use the Add New Domain Wizard in the Microsoft Online Services Administration Center.

Verify the Settings

Verify the new settings are correct by using an off-site, third party tool. Tools to use include:

MX Tool Box
DNSChecker

Confirm these services find the correct MX records for your new domain name.

Inform Your Subscribers

Be sure to notify your Mailing List about this new domain name.