MX Record

What is MX Record?

RFC 5321, the SMTP standard, says the DNS Mail eXchanger mechanism is used to identify the appropriate next-hop destination for a message, and that a relay server is usually the target of an MX record rather than the final delivery system. In practice a domain lists one or more mail servers, each with a priority number, and senders try the lowest number first. See SMTP and DNS record.

An MX record names a host, not an address, and the host needs its own record.

Why does it matter on a fixed wireless connection?

For an hdiss.net address, High Desert runs the mail servers and publishes pop.hdiss.net and smtp.hdiss.net for customers. If you own a domain and use another mail service, your MX record points there, and web hosting can be at a third place. The three can be at different companies, which surprises people. See email on your own domain.

When a site moves to a new host, the mail records can be lost if only the website is changed. Read moving a website to a new host.

What should I do about it?

Before any DNS change, copy down all the existing records. Ask who handles mail for the domain and keep the MX records unless the mail service is moving too. Changes can take time to spread, so test with a message from another address after the change.

If you do not know where your domain's records live, see nameserver. Call 775-575-9593 before you change records for a High Desert hosted domain, since the company hosts and registers domains as a service.

Keep a copy of the old records for at least a month after any move.