Domain Addition & Verification

Domain Verification is a pre-requisite for sending emails using ZeptoMail. It confirms your ownership of the domain and prevents unauthorised use. Emails sent from a verified domain are more likely to be trusted by recipient servers. To verify a domain, you should add the DKIM and CNAME records to your domain's DNS settings. 

DNS records

SPF

The Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record lists all the servers authorised to send emails on behalf of a particular domain. When an email reaches the recipient server, it checks the return-path domain in the envelope address (this is different from the from address). The server then looks up the SPF record of the return-path domain and checks if the sending server's domain or IP is listed. If it is, then SPF passes. SPF mainly helps prevent the misuse of a domain for phishing and other scams. 

DKIM 

The Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an authentication method that ensures that the email's content has not been altered in transit. It uses a public-private key pair to achieve it. The sending server creates a hash value and signs it using a private key. This digital signature is then added to email header. When the recipient server receives the email, it retrieves the public key from the sender's DNS. It uses this key to verify the signature. Simultaneously, it creates a separate hash value. This new hash value is compared with the one in the signature. If they match, the DKIM check is cleared. DKIM ensures that the email content is not modified to carry out phishing activities.

CNAME

The Canonical name (CNAME) record is a type of DNS record that maps one domain name (usually a sub-domain) to another domain. This acts as an alias allowing multiple domain names to point to the same source without duplicating the DNS records. 

CNAME record added in ZeptoMail specifies the subdomain that will be used to capture the bounced emails, i.e., the bounce or return path address.

DNS Record Summary

* - mandatory DNS records

Add your Domain

Follow the steps given below to add your domain in your ZeptoMail account:

1. From the left panel, click on Domains. The Domains section will open up.
2. Click on Add Domain. A pop-up will appear.
   
3. Enter your domain name.
4. Select the Mail Agent(s) to which this domain has to be associated. You can select multiple Mail Agents too.
5. Click on Add to complete the domain addition process.
6. The new domain will successfully be added. 
   

Edit your Domain

If you have mis-spelled any of your un-verified domains, you can edit it. To edit your domain, follow the below steps:

1. From the left panel, click on Domains.
2. Hover on the domain that is not verified. You will see the edit icon located next to the domain name.
3. Click on the edit icon.
   
4. Enter the new domain name and click on the save icon.
   
5. You have successfully edited your domain name.

Verify your Domain

Once you add your domain, the Domains section will provide the DKIM and CNAME values for the added domain. You should add these records in your DNS and complete the domain verification process. The Verification status shows whether the domain verification is completed or pending. The Verification status is marked as complete only if the two records (DKIM & CNAME) are verified. 

You can authenticate your domain using any of the below methods:

• Self Authentication
• Authentication with the help of IT administrator

Self Authentication

1. From the left panel, click on Domains.
2. Click on any domain from the domains list. A section will appear with the DKIM and CNAME details.
3. Select your DNS provider by clicking on the drop-down. The Host Value will be populated according to your DNS provider. Refer here for instruction specific to popular DNS providers like GoDaddy. If your DNS provider is not listed, you can select Other from the drop-down. 
   
4. Copy DKIM Record and CNAME Record and publish them to DNS.
5. After these records are published, click on Verify.
6. The Verification Status for your domain will change to Verified. It may take 24-48 hours for the records to be published in the DNS. So your domain will not be verified until that time and you will not be able to send any emails.

Authentication with the help of IT administrator

Sometimes you may not be handing your domains. In that case, you can get help from your IT administrator or your colleague to publish DNS Records. Follow the below steps to share your records:

1. From the left panel, click on Domains.
2. Click on Share records with colleague for help.
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3. You will get an email template pop-up.
4. You can enter the email address of your IT administrator or the colleague and all other related email IDs who must be notified to get your DNS records published. Add additional information in the body text. Click on Send.
5. After these records are published, click on Verify.
6. Your new domain is successfully Verified. It may take 24-48 hours for the records to be published in the DNS. So your domain will not be verified until that time and you will not be able to send any emails.

One click verification 

ZeptoMail also supports one click verification for accounts hosted with certain DNS providers. This allows you to automatically add the DNS records to your domain providers without having to manually add them.

You can refer our guides on Go-daddy and 1&1 DNS providers to use the one click verification.

Domain validation

The domains associated with your account will be constantly checked for the published DNS records. If any discrepancy arises in the published records, you will be given a certain period to publish the relevant DKIM records. Failing to do so within the given time will result in the suspension of emails being sent from that particular domain.
To authenticate your domain again, follow the above mentioned verification methods.

DNS Missing and Domain suspension

In cases where your DNS records have been modified or deleted, you will be shown the Domain verification warning pop-up when you login. This pop-up lists the domains whose DNS settings have been changed.

There are two cases :

• DNS missing
• Domain suspension.

DNS missing case:

When the DNS records - DKIM and CNAME, of a particular domain have been deleted or modified, a pop-up warning about the changed data will be displayed. You will also be able to view the records that have been modified. Click view button near the domain to navigate to view the details corresponding to it in your ZeptoMail account's Domains section.

The deadline before which you have to verify these records will also be shown in the pop-up. A period of time will be given to add the required data, post which email sending will be suspended from that domain. Apart from this, we will also be sending you email intimations about the modified records. 

Domain suspension case :

When you fail to add and verify the deleted or modified DNS records, email sending will be suspended for that particular domain. Further, the domains whose email sending has been disrupted will be shown in the pop-up when you login. You can add the missing data in your DNS settings and verify your domain to start sending your emails again.

Follow the steps given above to add and verify your records.

You will be able to view the information about the missing DNS record in the Domains section of your account too. The list of domains with the DNS missing case will be shown in the left pane along with the date before which they should be verified.