SPF Settings

What is an SPF Record

An SPF record tells the world what email servers are allowed to send mail with your domain name in the from address field.  For example, if your email address is joe@acme-furniture.com, then an SPF record tells other mail servers around the world what mail servers you use to send mail from for the domain name acme-furniture.com.  

Why do I care about SPF

If you don't have an SPF record implemented, spammers can put your domain name in the from field of their emails, thus harming your reputation.

How does it work?

When you send an mail, the recieving mail server takes the from address domain name and checks for an SPF record in your DNS settings.  If it exists, it checks that the mail server you are sending from is authorized, if yes, it accepts the mail, if no, it rejects or trashes the mail.  

Where does the SPF record reside

In your dns settings with your dns provider.  You need to create a TXT record that contains the paramaters specifying all of the mail servers utilized by your company.  This can include your corporrate email server, a cable provider for an at home worker, and you will need to include our mail servers for sending newsletters via our system.  

How do I create an SPF Record

SPF records can get a bit complicated so we recommend that someone with an IT background create it for you.  Here are some online references on how to create and test an SPF record.

OpenSPF

SPF Wizard

Wikipedia

How to I include the mail servers that are used in the Mailing Module?

Add this paramater to your SPF record 

include:skymailservice.com

Testing your SPF Record is working

MX Toolbox

In addition to testing the ip addresses of your mail servers, you should test our servers also (you must have the include:skymailservice.com added in your spf record before testing)

Visit SPF Record Testing Tools

In the section "Test an SPF record" test these three ip addresses

72.5.27.60
38.83.199.253
64.150.160.103