To configure your domain with Windows Live Hotmail, register the domain in Windows Live Admin Center and update its MX record in the ASPnix Control Panel DNS Zone Editor to point to the provided mail server. This routes email for your domain to Microsoft's servers so that addresses like user@yourdomain.com function as full Windows Live IDs. These IDs work with Hotmail, Messenger, and other Live services. One account serves as administrator for creating, editing, and deleting users.

Windows Live Admin Center, formerly known as Windows Live Custom Domains, lets you manage accounts through a web interface or Windows application. Users can access mail via the Hotmail web interface, Windows Live Mail, or Outlook. The administrator can also enable self-service account creation through a link on your site. Correct DNS setup is required before the domain becomes active in the Admin Center.

#Prerequisites

  • Active ASPnix Hosting Account with Control Panel access at http://cp.aspnix.com
  • Domain delegated to ASPnix nameservers: ns1.aspnix.com, ns2.aspnix.com, and ns3.aspnix.com (optional but recommended for non-US clients)
  • Existing Windows Live ID to designate as the domain administrator

#Registering Your Domain in Windows Live Admin Center

Open the Windows Live Admin Center site and sign in with your Windows Live ID. Click Get Started, enter your exact domain name, and continue. Review the displayed settings, accept the service agreement, and proceed. The resulting page lists the MX server value you must use under the Mail Setup section. Record this value exactly; it will be required in the next section.

#Adding the MX Record

Log in to the ASPnix Hosting Control Panel. Navigate to Domains, select the target domain, then click DNS Zone Editor. Click the Add button and choose MX Record type. You must create a record with three specific values. Use the @ symbol for Host Name so the record applies to the domain root. Entering the bare domain name here produces an incorrect record such as yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com.

ini 
Host Name: @
Record Type: MX
MX Server: [paste value from Admin Center].
Priority: 10

Paste the MX Server value from the Admin Center page into the corresponding field. Append a trailing period (.) to the end of the MX Server entry; this is required for proper FQDN resolution. Set Priority to 10 and save the record. Omitting the trailing dot is a common cause of activation failure.

Return to the Windows Live Admin Center page and click Refresh. If the MX record was entered correctly, the domain status changes to Active. Propagation can take up to an hour in some cases, but the Admin Center verification usually confirms success quickly.

#Creating and Managing Accounts

In the Admin Center, click Member Accounts followed by the Add button. Supply the desired username and other details to create the new Windows Live ID on your domain. Upon successful creation you receive a confirmation screen. The administrator account can later edit or delete any account. These accounts function for email in Windows Live Hotmail and for sign-in to all Windows Live ID enabled services.

#Optional: Custom Mail Subdomain

To allow login at a branded address such as http://mail.yourdomain.com, navigate to Custom Addresses on the left side of the Admin Center. Click Add and enter "mail" as the prefix. Then return to the ASPnix DNS Zone Editor and add a CNAME record.

ini 
Host Name: mail
Record Type: CNAME
Points to: go.domains.live.com.

After the CNAME is added and verified, users can reach the mail interface through the custom subdomain. Test both the standard login at http://mail.live.com and the custom address after DNS changes have propagated.

Your domain is now fully configured for Windows Live Hotmail. Use the administrator account to provision additional mailboxes as needed. Always verify MX and CNAME records with the Admin Center refresh function before notifying users. If mail delivery issues arise, double-check the trailing period on the MX target and confirm the nameservers are correctly delegated.