Namecheap DNS Setup Guide

Step-by-step instructions for configuring DNS records in Namecheap

Setting Up DNS Records in Namecheap

This guide will walk you through adding the necessary DNS records to your Namecheap domain to verify ownership and enable email authentication for Brew.

For official documentation from Namecheap, please visit their How to add TXT/SPF/DKIM/DMARC records page.

Prerequisites

• A Namecheap account with your domain already registered
• Your domain added to Brew (from the Set Sending Domain step)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Log in to Namecheap

   Go to Namecheap.com and log in to your account.
2. Access your domain's DNS settings

   1. Click on “Domain List” from the left sidebar
   2. Find your domain and click “Manage”
   3. In the domain management page, click on the “Advanced DNS” tab
3. Set up Custom MX if using Gmail/G Suite

   If you are currently using Gmail or G Suite with Namecheap’s automatic integration:

   1. In the “Mail Settings” section, click the dropdown and select “Custom MX”
   2. This will allow you to add your own MX records
   3. Important: If you switch from Gmail to Custom MX, you’ll need to manually add Gmail’s MX records to maintain your Gmail service

   If you’re using Gmail or G Suite with automatic integration, switching to Custom MX without adding Gmail’s MX records will disrupt your email service. Make sure to have Gmail’s MX records ready to add.

4. Add MX Record

   1. In the “Mail Settings” section (if you selected Custom MX), click “Add New Record”
   2. Select “MX Record” from the Type dropdown
   3. For the Host field, enter the subdomain you’re using with Brew (e.g., “mail” or “news”)
   4. For the Value field, paste the MX value from your Brew dashboard
   5. In the Priority field (the empty column after Value), enter “10”
   6. Leave TTL as “Automatic”
   7. Click the checkmark to save

   Namecheap doesn’t label the Priority column. It’s the empty column after the Value field.

5. Add SPF Record (TXT)

   1. In the “Host Records” section, click “Add New Record”
   2. Select “TXT Record” from the Type dropdown
   3. For the Host field, enter the same subdomain you used for the MX record
   4. For the Value field, paste the SPF value from your Brew dashboard
   5. Leave TTL as “Automatic”
   6. Click the checkmark to save
6. Add DKIM Records (CNAME)

   For each DKIM record shown in your Brew dashboard:

   1. In the “Host Records” section, click “Add New Record”
   2. Select “CNAME Record” from the Type dropdown
   3. For the Host field, enter the long string ending with ._domainkey (copy exactly as shown in Brew)
   4. For the Value field, paste the DKIM value from your Brew dashboard
   5. Leave TTL as “Automatic”
   6. Click the checkmark to save
7. Add DMARC Record (Optional but Recommended)

   1. In the “Host Records” section, click “Add New Record”
   2. Select “TXT Record” from the Type dropdown
   3. For the Host field, enter _dmarc
   4. For the Value field, enter v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[e-mail] (replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain)
   5. Leave TTL as “Automatic”
   6. Click the checkmark to save
8. Verify DNS Records in Brew

   1. Return to your Brew dashboard
   2. Click the “Verify Records” button at the bottom of the DNS Records page
   3. Wait for the verification process to complete

   DNS changes in Namecheap typically propagate within 30 minutes, but can take up to a few hours. If verification fails initially, wait and try again.

Common Issues with Namecheap DNS Setup

Gmail/G Suite integration conflicts

If you use Namecheap’s Gmail integration, switching to Custom MX will remove your Gmail configuration. You’ll need to manually add Gmail’s MX records to maintain your Gmail service while adding Brew’s records.

Missing priority for MX records

Namecheap doesn’t label the Priority field for MX records. It’s the empty column after the Value field. Make sure to enter “10” in this field for your Brew MX record.

Records not saving

After entering a record, make sure to click the checkmark icon to save it. Namecheap requires you to save each record individually.

Conflicting SPF records

If you already have an SPF record for your domain or subdomain, you should modify the existing record instead of creating a new one. Add include:spf.getbrew.ai before the final ~all or -all in your existing record.

Namecheap-Specific Tips

Save Each Record Individually

In Namecheap, you must click the checkmark icon to save each individual record after creating it. Don’t forget this step or your records won’t be saved.

Custom MX Required

To add your own MX records, you must select “Custom MX” from the Mail Settings dropdown. This is required before you can add MX records for Brew.

Domain Parking Page

If you’re seeing Namecheap’s parking page instead of your site, make sure to disable domain parking in the domain settings after adding your DNS records.

Automatic TTL

Namecheap’s “Automatic” TTL works well for most purposes. There’s no need to change this setting unless you have specific requirements.

Need support?

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Scheduled support

Book a call with the founders — we have time slots open most days

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Immediate support

Call us on [phone] or emails us on [e-mail]

Email us now

We’re more than happy to help you set up your DNS records. Ping us on Slack (we should have connected with you by now) or through one of the mechanisms above.