How to Update DNS Settings for Email Basic or Pro Services

If you’ve purchased Professional Email with 1-grid, ensuring your DNS is correctly configured is essential for your email to work securely and reliably.  
 
Follow this easy-to-use guide to understand what is needed to update DNS settings for Email Basic or Email Pro Services. (Professional Email from 1-grid). 

Why DNS Matters for Email 

Your domain’s DNS acts like an address book for the internet. Email-specific records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) tell other mail systems where to deliver mail, which sources are trusted, and how to validate authenticity. Without the correct DNS, messages may bounce, land in spam, or fail altogether. 

This means having a Domain Parking (free) or Domain Essentials (R99.99 per month) package for your domain (if you are only hosting your emails with us, and have not purchased a hosting package) is important so that your DNS can be managed appropriately.

DNS Record Types for Professional Email 

IMPORTANT: In the items below, simply replace “@yourdomain.com” with your actual domain name. 

There are several DNS entries that are required in order to activate your Professional Email service package.  Below, we’ve listed what is needed to update DNS settings for email functionality.

Record	Purpose	Entries
A (mail.yourdomain.com)	It finds the server’s IP address, allowing your device to connect to the correct computer on the internet.	41.185.110.240
CNAME  (smtp.example.com, pop.example.com, imap.example.com)	Allows one domain name to act as a shortcut to another. This means you can use several different domain names (like www.example.com and blog.example.com).	mail.yourdomain.com
MX (Priority: 5)	Determines where incoming mail should go.	1-grid-mx01.co.za  1-grid-mx02.com  1-grid-mx03.co.za  1-grid-mx04.com
SPF (TXT)	Declares which servers are allowed to send mail for your domain.	v=spf1 mx a ip4: ($serverip$)a:mail.example.com a:smtp.mail.yourdomain.co.za include:relay.mailchannels.net ~all
Optional, But Recommended DNS Entries
DMARC (TXT)	Provides instructions on how to treat mail failing SPF/DKIM.

Optional, But Recommended DNS Entries 

Autodiscover

This is a way to allow users to quickly and easily set up accounts in email clients, both on desktop and mobile. Autodiscover is just that: a way for user settings to be discovered, automatically, by the email client. These settings include incoming/outgoing mail server information, ports used, etc. However, in order for autodiscover to work, it requires DNS entries. 

Setting Up SRV

You need to add the following:

• A Record: This should be set to “autodiscover.$servername$.1.grid.com”, and point to the IP address of that domain’s mail server ($serverip$).
• SRV Record: This record returns the available domain and the service being used back to the client. The format for the SRV is “_autodiscover._tcp.example.com”.

SRV Example:

Domain: $servername$.1-grid.com Service:_Autodiscover Protocol:_tcp Priority:0 Weight:0 Port:443

NOTE: Not all devices and email clients handle autodiscover in the same way. Therefore, just because you set up autodiscover doesn’t mean it will work for each user.

DKIM

Most major email providers require an additional layer of security before they’ll accept incoming email. Free email providers like Gmail, Yahoo! and Outlook.com are using these “mail signing protocols” as a way to further protect their users from unwanted email and phishing schemes. Therefore, having DKIM set up for your mail domains is a very good idea. 

Setting Up DKIM

First, enable it for a domain within SmarterMail through the Domain Admin side.

1. Go to the domain’s Settings page.
2. On the Email Signing card, click Enable.

A modal window opens up containing both a Text Record Name and a Text Record Value. You must add both as TXT records to the domain’s DNS for DKIM to work.

You can simply copy/paste the values into whichever interface is used for the DNS management.

TXT Record Example: 

Host Name:8D48750357DA749._domainKey.example.com Text:p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEAk+caX2o1xAtkGdQSNrtNNhvNCpfbdXOVTmm+ol0E7 uKWYTqbFuyFEncusd1XGNQSC8Nzifn0qikrgSBG0xHUZJ+6GVcyQw42oRl7Kej1F8YY bX4uHzLVv1uned2leDpSiSOLca2Q0arBtlyxzPNZ4P8YqujHydRsRwfJvYqvO9ge5eJFbEwCXq0d1bF8F cCkm6gghYzQyaPPCpni8bu99uYwlqf7kJHEG4gH2YKhkYDgzg61+3wmu7gIv6ix3p5rBFmY6tC62d5p9Y8ZOyL1bbo5 kFGMnvKc1CaxkTCoupBOflTOkDMzwht3RGClOk5DX3in6/80DQmwsFNfZkDa3QIDAQAB Time to Live (TTL):5 minutes

Step-by-Step DNS Update Flow (Domain Essentials Only)

NOTE: Should you only have a Domain Parking package with us for your domain in order for your DNS to be managed, our Support Team is able to help you update DNS settings for email to function correctly, should it not automatically be set up at the time of purchase, so let them know. 

If you have purchased the Domain Essentials package for R99.00 per month, then you will have the functionality to manage your DNS via the Domain Admin dashboard.

Alternatively, you can manage your DNS with another host, should your domain not be hosted with us.

Quick Steps

1. Log in to your DNS Registrar / DNS Control Panel / Web Host
2. Then, navigate to the DNS Zone / DNS Records / Manage DNS section. 
3. Next, you need to add/update MX Records.

• Point them to mail.yourdomain.com (or the host address: mail01.1-grid.com provided by 1-grid). 
• Set priority (lower = higher priority). 
• Remove any old/legacy MX entries. 

4. Add / Update SPF (TXT) Record.

• If there’s an existing SPF record, modify it instead of creating duplicates. 
• Include necessary includes or IPs from 1-grid. 

5. Configure DKIM.

•  If 1-grid provides a DKIM selector + public key, add that as a TXT or CNAME record per instructions. 

6. Set DMARC (if you use it).

• Create a TXT record named _dmarc.yourdomain.com with appropriate policy (p=none/quarantine/reject). 

7. Then, save all changes. 

8. Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours to propagate worldwide). 

9. Test email sending/receiving and validity (use tools like MxToolbox and DNSChecker). 

Propagation and What to Expect 

DNS changes don’t take effect instantly. During propagation: 

• Some mail servers may still direct messages to old MX servers.
• Some retries or delays may occur. 
• TTL values from old records may persist for some time. 

Common Errors and Troubleshooting 

Incorrect MX Priority or Duplicate MX Records 

• The email was routed incorrectly or bounced. 

Missing SPF or Malformed Syntax 

• This causes “sender not authorised” or spam flagging. 

DKIM Setup Mismatches 

• This means that outgoing mail fails validation. 

No DMARC Policy or Weak Policy  

• Mailbox providers may flag your domain. 

Old or Conflicting DNS Records Lingering  

• Legacy MX or TXT entries are causing conflicts. 

Wrong TTL (too long) 

• Delays in changes taking effect. 

Best Practices and Recommendations 

• Use TTL = 3600 (1 hour) or a reasonable value for email records during changes. 
• Always avoid duplicate or conflicting records. 
• Rotate and renew DKIM keys periodically. 
• Monitor DMARC reports to detect abuse. 
• Once stable, lower the TTL for production settings. 
• Use external DNS checkers (MxToolbox, DNSChecker) to verify your setup.

When to Seek Help 

If you: 

• Don’t have access to DNS settings (Domain Parking). 
• Are not sure which host or provider is managing the DNS. 
• Have email failing after the confirmed propagation period. 
• Need help interpreting error messages (bounce codes, authentication failures). 

When contacting Support, include: 

• A screenshot of your DNS records setup. 
• The error messages you are receiving. 
• The domain you are trying to configure. 

FAQs 

Why do I need to update my DNS settings for email?

Updating DNS records (like MX, SPF, and DKIM) ensures your email reaches the right servers, avoids spam filtering, and keeps your email secure and trusted.

How long do DNS changes take to work?

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate worldwide. During this time, some emails may still route to old settings.

Can I set up Professional Email without updating DNS?

No, DNS records are essential for routing your email; therefore, without correct DNS settings, email may bounce, fail to deliver, or be flagged as spam.

What happens if I enter the wrong DNS records?

Incorrect settings stop email from being delivered, so always double-check values against 1-grid’s provided settings and avoid duplicates.

Do I need all of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC?

You must set up MX records, and we strongly recommend setting up SPF. Similarly, DKIM and DMARC add extra protection against spoofing and improve deliverability.

Where do I update my DNS records?

In your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider’s control panel. If 1-grid hosts your domain, you can then update records through the Customer Zone when you have a Domain Essentials package with us for R99.00 per month.

How can I check if my DNS changes were applied correctly?

Using free online tools like MxToolbox or DNSChecker to confirm MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is great. Then, you can confirm that they are visible and valid.

Can I still access my email while waiting for DNS to update?

Yes, but some incoming mail may route to the old server until propagation is complete. Your outgoing email works if you set SPF/DKIM correctly, so check that this is accurate.

Additional Resources 

Professional Email Product Page
What is Professional Email from 1-grid?
How to Create an Email Account for Professional Email
How to Access an Email Account for Professional Email    
Difference Between Our Domain Parking and Domains Essentials Packages
Troubleshooting Steps for Email
Email Error Messages: What Do They Mean and How to Fix Them
Top 10 Common Email Issues and How to Resolve Them
What Is Email Spoofing? How It Works and How to Protect Yourself  
How to Spot a Scam Email: Phishing, Spoofing and Red Flags  
Email Headers FAQs
Email FAQs
MailChannels FAQs 
SpamTitan FAQs 

Need Additional Support? 

We’re Here to Help: 

Updating your DNS settings to make your 1-grid Professional Email function properly doesn’t have to feel tricky with this easy-to-use guide. Stuck? Contact our Support Team for guidance (https://1grid.co.za/contact-us/). We’re ready to see how we can help!