Configure outgoing mail on shared hosting - PTR, SPF, so it doesn't get bounced?

Hi,

PTR records are setup at the data center level, and basically offer "reverse lookup" for an IP address.

*** "forward lookup" (A Record) points a "domain to IP", where "reverse lookup" (PTR Record) points a "IP to domain". ***

If you're data center does not have a PTR record for an IP, just tell them to add one which will fix this part.

SPF records can be automatically created within Virtualmin upon the creation of a domain where email is enabled.

*** "sender policy framework" (SPF Record) is an e-mail validation system designed to prevent e-mail spam ***

DKIM records can be created though currently not automatically.

*** DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM Record) is a method for associating a domain name to an email message, thereby allowing a person, role, or organization to claim some responsibility for the message. ***

Hope this information helps :-)

Hi,

The party who "owns" (not to be confused with the party "using") the IP addresses (the "data center") is the one who controls the PTR record, unless they have specifically delegated this role to you, which is rarely the case.

Some data centers offer a control panel to facilitate the updating of the PTR record in their DNS zone (such is the case with ours), and others will adjust and/or create the record on request.

Email only requires that a when a reverse lookup on an IP is done it resolves to something.

Hi,

Yes, one PTR per IP address is correct. However, email does not require that PTR be setup on a per domain basis, just that it exists.

Hi,

Like I mentioned, email only requires that the IP address be resolvable to a domain in general.

So as long as the IP address resolves to "A" domain, it meets the requirements.

*** my original example which illustrates how we have reverse lookup setup on our own servers (web3.tpnservers.com is a real server) ***

The only time PTR based issues exist with email is when the IP address does NOT have a reverse lookup (PTR) record assigned to it. Sometimes when an IP owner (data center) has an IP address which is not being used, they either delete or don't setup the PTR record. Sometimes even when they are being used by a client like yourself, they don't set the PTR record up unless you specifically ask. And finally, in most cases, the PTR record is generic to their service.

You can check if your IP address has a PTR record by simply running this command:

nslookup X.X.X.X.X

(where "X.X.X.X.X" is the IP address you want to lookup)

For testing, I welcome you to run the command:

nslookup 184.75.242.177

mine will echo something like:

Then run against your own IP address, and if you see something similar then the PTR is in place, but if it shows an error, then you have something to talk to your data center about.

*** If you require further assistance, I am available most days via Skype using nickname "tpnsupport" ***

Howdy,

Just to underscore what tpnsolutions mentioned -- it's no problem that multiple domains share an IP address.

Mail servers aren't going to be comparing the PTR record to all the domains running on your server.

A few of the more strict ones may compare the PTR record to your server's hostname -- but that's the most you'll have to deal with.

To deal with those stricter systems -- my suggestion is to make sure that, whatever your hostname is set to, that the PTR record for your server's primary IP be set to that same hostname.

-Eric