GoDaddy DNS Setup

Use this guide when your domain uses GoDaddy nameservers.

Add the A record

1. Open the domain in GoDaddy.
2. Go to DNS > DNS Records.
3. Click Add New Record.
4. Choose A.
5. Set Name to mail.
6. Set Value to your mail server IP, such as 203.0.113.10.
7. Save.

Add the MX record

1. Add or edit an MX record.
2. Set Name to @.
3. Set Value to mail.yourdomain.com.
4. Set Priority to 10.
5. Save.

If another mail provider already has MX records, decide whether PING8 or that provider should receive inbound mail. Do not leave conflicting MX records unless you intentionally understand the priority order.

Add SPF

GoDaddy should have only one SPF TXT record at @.

Example:

v=spf1 a mx ip4:203.0.113.10 -all

If you also send through another provider, merge includes into one SPF record instead of creating a second SPF record.

Example merged SPF:

v=spf1 ip4:203.0.113.10 include:example-smtp-provider.com -all

Add DKIM

1. Add a TXT record.
2. Set Name to the DKIM host shown by PING8, for example default._domainkey.
3. Paste the full DKIM value.
4. Save.

Add DMARC

1. Add a TXT record.
2. Set Name to _dmarc.
3. Start with a monitoring policy:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com

Move to stricter DMARC only after successful test sends.

Verify in PING8

Return to PING8 and click Records set, verify DNS resolution. If GoDaddy says changes are underway, wait and retry.

GoDaddy checklist

• Use @ for the root domain.
• Use mail for mail.yourdomain.com, not the full domain unless GoDaddy explicitly asks for a full host.
• Remove duplicate SPF TXT records at @.
• Remove duplicate DMARC TXT records at _dmarc.
• Confirm the MX priority is set and the value is the mail hostname.
• Configure PTR/rDNS with the server or IP provider, not GoDaddy, unless GoDaddy also provides the outbound IP.