Issue
A bounceback message is received after sending email. The bounceback references SMTP 550-5.7.26 this mail is unauthenticated.
Cause
Email addressed from your domain is originating from an source that has not been authorized. Receiving mail service providers have begun to check that emails addressed from your domain (e.g. [email protected]) are only originating from approved sources. This check is becoming industry standard as part of the effort to combat email spoofing, spamming, phishing and fraud. SPF, or Sender Policy Framework, is an email authentication method designed to detect forging of sender addresses during email delivery. It ensures emails are sent from authorized servers, adding a layer of integrity to your domain's email communication.
This check is done by comparing the IP address of the your email service against the list of approved sources which are published as an SPF record in your domain's DNS records. DNS specifications mandate that a domain must have only one SPF record. Multiple SPF records can lead to mail authentication issues as only the first record is evaluated, causing the others to be ignored.
Solution
Ensure that all legitimate sources of email for your domain are defined in your DNS SPF TXT record. It is essential to avoid having multiple SPF records for the same domain, as it can result in email authentication failures and delivery issues. Instead, combine all necessary information into a single record.
If Webnames.ca's mail service is the only source of legitimate mail for your domain, the value v=spf1 a:spf10.webnames.ca -all is the correct value for your SPF record.
If you have additional providers that you use to send out email from, use a tool such as the one found at https://mxtoolbox.com/SPFRecordGenerator.aspx to create a record that is right for you. If you discover multiple SPF records for your domain, merge them into a single record by including all required elements and ensuring proper syntax.
Handling Multiple SPF Records
If your domain has multiple SPF records, follow these steps to resolve the issue:
Identify All Existing SPF Records: Review your domain's TXT records in the DNS management interface.
Remove Redundant Records: Delete outdated or incorrect SPF entries.
Combine Records: Merge the policies into a single SPF record using proper syntax. For example,
v=spf1 ip4:192.168.0.1 include:[example.com](https://example.com) ~all.Validate Changes: Use online SPF validation tools to ensure correctness.
Allow Propagation Time: Wait for DNS changes to propagate globally, which might take several hours.
Updating your DNS records
Updating your domain's DNS records first starts by determining who hosts these records in the first place. If you are unsure who hosts your DNS records, perform a WHOIS search of your domain via the button below.
Scroll through the results until you reach the list of three name servers assigned to your domain. These servers are where your DNS records reside. Contact the service provider associated with these name servers for assistance.
If Webnames.ca is your DNS provider, your DNS record interface is located in one of two places, depending on whether the domain also is associated with our Website Hosting.
For domains with Webnames Website Hosting:
Visit your list of domains that have Website Hosting:
Click on the Manage button beneath the Web Hosting heading of the applicable domain name.
On the subsequent page, scroll down to the Hosting Logins section and click the Login button in Hosting Control Panel.
In the Hosting Control Panel, locate and click on DNS Settings in the main center panel.
Add or update your DNS TXT Record
If Webnames.ca's mail service is the only source of legitimate mail for your domain, the value v=spf1 a:spf10.webnames.ca -all is the correct value for your SPF record.
If you have additional sources, use a tool such as the one found at https://mxtoolbox.com/SPFRecordGenerator.aspx to create a record that is right for you.
Click OK, and wait up to six hours for this change to propagate across the internet.
For domains without Webnames Website Hosting:
Click on the Manage button beneath the DNS heading of the applicable domain name.
On the DNS Hosting tab, scroll down to the TXT records section of the page.
Add or update your DNS TXT Record
If Webnames.ca's mail service is the only source of legitimate mail for your domain, the value v=spf1 a:spf10.webnames.ca -all is the correct value for your SPF record.
If you have additional sources, use a tool such as the one found at https://mxtoolbox.com/SPFRecordGenerator.aspx to create a record that is right for you.
Click Apply at the bottom of the page, and wait up to six hours for this change to propagate across the internet.