How to Set Up Sarv Email for a Custom Domain: A Complete DNS & Authentication Guide

To set up Sarv Email for a custom domain, you must configure four core DNS records in your domain registrar: MX records to route incoming mail to Sarv’s servers, and SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your outbound emails. This complete authentication stack prevents domain spoofing and ensures your emails reach the inbox instead of the spam folder.

When migrating your business infrastructure to an environment like Sarv Email, getting the underlying DNS configuration right is non-negotiable. A sloppy domain setup doesn’t just disrupt your workflow; it destroys your sender reputation and flags your domain as a spam risk.

Setting up custom domain email isn’t just about pointing MX records anymore. Modern email deliverability requires strict cryptographic proof that you own the domain you are sending from.

Table of contents

Prepare Your DNS Environment

Before touching anything, ensure you have administrative access to your domain’s DNS manager (e.g., Cloudflare, Route53, GoDaddy). You will be adding a combination of MX, TXT, and potentially CNAME records.

Configure MX Records (Inbound Mail)

Mail Exchanger (MX) records are the routing instructions for your domain. They tell the internet which servers are responsible for receiving your inbound emails.

1. Log into your DNS provider and navigate to your DNS management zone.
2. Delete any existing MX records pointing to your previous email provider to avoid routing conflicts.
3. Create new MX Records using the values provided in your Sarv Workspace admin panel.

• Type: MX
• Name/Host: @ (or your root domain)
• Priority: As specified by Sarv (e.g., 10, 20).
• Value/Points To: The Sarv mail server addresses.

Note: Without correct MX records, your domain will silently drop all incoming emails.

Set Up SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF is your first line of defense against domain spoofing. It is a TXT record that explicitly lists which IP addresses and servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.

1. Create a new TXT Record.
2. Name/Host: @
3. Value: v=spf1 include:_spf.sarv.com ~all (Note: Always verify the exact include string in your Sarv dashboard).

The Real-World Rule: You can only have one SPF record per domain. If you already use other services for transactional emails or marketing, you must merge them into a single record using SPF concatenation (e.g., v=spf1 include:_spf.sarv.com include:otherprovider.com ~all).

Implement DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

While SPF checks the source, DKIM acts as a cryptographic wax seal on your emails, proving the message wasn’t altered in transit.

1. Generate your DKIM keys inside the Sarv Email admin panel.
2. Sarv will typically provide either a TXT or CNAME record containing your public key.
3. Add the record to your DNS:

• Type: TXT or CNAME
• Name/Host: The selector provided by Sarv (e.g., sarv._domainkey).
• Value/Points To: The public key or destination URL generated by Sarv.

Lock It Down with DMARC

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) ties SPF and DKIM together. It instructs receiving servers (like Gmail or Microsoft 365) exactly what to do if an email fails authentication—monitor it, quarantine it, or reject it outright.

1. Create a new TXT Record.
2. Name/Host: _dmarc
3. Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:admin@yourdomain.com;

Best Practice: Always start with a policy of p=none. This tells providers to deliver the mail but send you a report if it fails. Once you monitor the reports and confirm legitimate emails are passing, upgrade your policy to p=quarantine or p=reject to fully secure your domain.

Verification and Testing

DNS changes aren’t instantaneous; they can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours to fully propagate across the global network.

Don’t assume your setup is perfect on the first try. Use an independent audit tool like MxToolbox to verify your configuration. Check your MX routing, validate your SPF syntax, and ensure your DKIM keys are broadcasting correctly. Once your authentication stack passes green, your Sarv Email custom domain is production-ready.

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