Mail Exchanger (MX) Records for Email Verification
What are MX Records?
MX records, or Mail Exchanger records, are a type of DNS (Domain Name System) record used to specify which mail servers are responsible for receiving email on behalf of a domain. In simple terms, when you send an email to someone, your email service looks up the MX records of the recipient’s domain to find out where to deliver the email. MX records point to the servers that handle the email traffic for that domain and ensure that emails reach their intended destination.
How Sendigram Uses MX Records for Email Verification
MX records play a fundamental role in the process of email verification and are used by email verification services like Sendigram. In order to determine whether an email is valid, Sendigram checks the MX records of the recipient’s domain to ensure that the email address exists and is capable of receiving emails. If the MX records indicate that the domain does not have a valid mail server configured, Sendigram flags the email address as invalid.
By identifying invalid emails on your mail list with Sendigram, and doing so regularly, you can reduce both bounce and spam rates, and maintain your reputation.
Common MX Record Configurations
- Single MX record: A single MX record for a domain means that there is only one specified mail server that is responsible for handling all incoming mail for that domain. This is a very straightforward setup that works for smaller businesses or domains with simpler email requirements.
- Multiple MX records, on the other hand, are used when a domain relies on more than one mail server to receive emails. In this case, each MX record has a different priority, that indicates the order in which the servers should be used: the lower priority server is the primary one and is used first. If it is unavailable, then the next lowest priority server is attempted, and so on. This setup ensures that mail can be delivered without interruptions.
- Backup MX Records: A backup MX record is an MX record that is used when a primary server is down for whatever reason. As the servers with lower priority are used first, backup servers have higher priority numbers.
How to Check MX Records
Checking MX records is a straightforward process. You can check the MX records for a domain using various online tools. Simply enter the domain name (e.g., example.com) into the tool, and it will display the MX records associated with that domain along with other DNS information. Another way to check MX records is by using command line tools that are available on most operating systems.
Make your email verification process more efficient and effective with Sendigram's email verification service.