2

(Disclaimer: I totally suck at being a sysadmin) I am sending email for a domain using Gmail. The domain is partyboatcharters.com.au (I hope I am allowed to put domains here). Gmail is configured to send email as that. Emails sent to sales@partyboatcharters are forwarded straight away to partyboatchartersahs@gmail.com by the MX.

The MX is s412.syd5.hostingplatform.net.au (there is only one MX).

I can send email fine. However, sometimes (but only sometimes) emails are not getting through, with this error message (received by the SENDER):

partyboatchartersahs@gmail.com
host gmail-smpt-in.l.google.com [4004:6800:4003:c00::1a]
SMTP error from remote email server after end of data:

550-5.6.26 This message does not pass authentication checks [SPF and DKIM both[
550-5.6.26 SFP checl for [partyboatcharters.com.au] does not pass
550-5.6.26 with IP> [2400:b800:6::52]

I found this document:

https://support.google.com/googlecloud/answer/10756302?hl=en

Which reads:

**Problem**
I need to set up SPF on my domain to send emails with Gmail, not receive.

**Environment**
MX (mail exchange) entry is set to `v=spf1 a mx -all` with domain host
Set up a Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record to send emails with Gmail interface

**Solution**
Sign in to the management console for your domain host.
Locate the page where you update TXT records for your domain.
Create a custom TXT record for SPF: It should look like this: v=spf1 [IP ADDRESS] include:_spf.google.com include:[DOMAIN] ~all

I tried adding this TEXT entry to the DNS:

TXT @ v=spf1 [43.250.142.8] include:_spf.google.com include:[partyboatcharters.com.au] ~all

As 43.250.142.8 is the IP address of the MX server...) However, I don't really know what I am doing here. The article seems to cover sending emails with Gmail for another domain... not receiving them.

This other article:

https://support.google.com/a/answer/10685031

Seems to imply that the SPF should be:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

But I am NOT using Google Workspaces (I know, I know, I should...). I am simply 1) Forwarding emails from sales@partyboatcharters.com.au TO partyboatchartersahs@gmail.com 2) Configuring Gmail so that it sends emails from sales@partyboatcharters.com.au.

So, what should SPF be? What about DKIM?

Merc
  • 789
  • 1
  • 6
  • 16
  • 1
    In many cases mentioning the actual domain name is essential for the community to be able to help diagnose DNS related issues. So thank you for doing that. Please refer to [this Q&A](http://meta.serverfault.com/q/963/37681) for our recommendations with regards to how and what (not) to obfuscate in your questions. – diya Nov 24 '22 at 12:34
  • The IPv6 address `[2400:b800:6::52]` that is reported is problematic is not your MX record, but resolves to se8.syd.hostingplatform.net.au which isn't included in any way in [your current SPF record](https://mxtoolbox.com/SuperTool.aspx?action=spf%3apartyboatcharters.com.au) - if that is valid host host should be allowed to send email on behalf of your domain (maybe a web- or application server running a mail script) then it should be included in your SPF record – diya Nov 24 '22 at 13:01
  • se8.syd.hostingplatform.net.au is Zuver -- it's the provider doing the forwarding! So I should add Zuver to our SPF... how do I do that? – Merc Nov 25 '22 at 02:27
  • See for example this Q&A https://serverfault.com/q/369460/984089 – diya Nov 25 '22 at 10:59
  • I did but the question doesn't cover using a server as a forwarder... – Merc Nov 26 '22 at 11:02
  • Plus how did you translate that `[2400:b800:6::52]` into `se8.syd.hostingplatform.net.au`...? – Merc Nov 26 '22 at 11:03
  • I assume I did `dix -x 2400:b800:6::52` – diya Nov 27 '22 at 09:23

0 Answers0