SPF record comparison

Simkill

Hi all! I am currently trying to set up an SPF record for our domain, and I have gotten stuck. Names have been changed to protect the innocent!

We send and receive email from 3 locations, smtp.domain.com, smtp1.domain.com and smtp2.domain.com. These locations also deal with domain.co.uk email. I need an SPF record to show this. We currently send mail out via dns so I am unsure if I need to use the soft bounce or hard bounce options (~all or -all).

Pref Hostname IP
10 smtp1.domain.com 83.217.122.x
20 smtp.domain.com 82.110.240.x
30 smtp2.domain.com 87.83.216.x

I have come up with: "v=spf1 mx a ptr a:smtp.domain.com a:smtp1.domain.com a:smtp2.domain.com mx:domain.co.uk -all"

A colleague has come up with this "v=spf1 a ptr mx:smtp.smartestenergy.com mx:smtp1.smartestenergy.com mx:smtp2.smartestenergy.com -all"

I am unsure which is correct and why. Any advice would be appreciated!

---

popowich

Hi Simkill,

If you know the IP addresses and/or network ranges, and they don't change, you can use those in your SPF record.

If you want to use the PTR's it's the names used in reverse DNS that matter, not how you refer to them with A records in your mail program settings.

It's tough to check your DNS without knowing the exact domains and IP's involved.

to Email Questions!

__________________

Register today to ask an email question in our email forums!

---

Simkill

Hi Popowich, sorry for the horrendously late reply, I got stuck on another project. I would rather use the names than the IP's, as the IP's may rarely change and the names will not. In which case, would either of these SPF records work? I am unsure of the correct use of the a: or mx: which is the main difference between the two. Also, I'm new to the record itself so other options such as the soft and hard bounce values are a bit of a Grey area to me too.

Thanks for the help.

---

popowich

It depends on which hosts you want to allow to send From: your domain.

Here is an SPF wizard that will ask more detailed questions and walk you through creating your policy:

Sender ID Framework SPF Record Wizard

Please let us know if you need help answering any of the questions.

__________________

Register today to ask an email question in our email forums!

---