Yes, the control panel for your hosting account will allow you to modify or add your own MX DNS records. Please note that we do not provide any support for modifications or custom DNS records.

MX records determine exactly which server accepts email for your domain. The ability to edit them in the control panel gives you full control over mail routing. This is useful when you need to direct mail to a server not hosted on the default platform. However, incorrect changes can cause email to bounce, disappear, or be marked as spam. Because support is unavailable for custom DNS work, you must understand the implications and test thoroughly after every edit.

#Understanding MX Records

An MX (Mail Exchange) record is a DNS resource record that specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email messages on behalf of a domain. Each record contains a priority (or preference) value and a host name. Lower priority numbers are preferred; mail servers try them in ascending order. You can define multiple MX records for redundancy or to distribute load. The control panel exposes these records in the domain's DNS zone, letting you replace defaults with entries that point to any valid SMTP endpoint you control.

  • Route mail to an on-premises or dedicated mail server Direct email to a specialized third-party mail platform Create backup mail exchangers for failover Assign different priorities to control delivery order

#Steps to Add or Modify MX Records

Log into the control panel for your hosting account. Locate the DNS management or zone editor area for the domain in question. You will see any existing MX records listed. Before adding new ones, delete or disable the default records to prevent conflicts. When creating a custom record, supply the domain or subdomain, the priority value, and the fully qualified hostname of the target mail server. Set an appropriate TTL (typically 14400 or 3600 seconds) so changes propagate in a reasonable time. Save the updates and allow DNS propagation to occur.

example.com.    14400   IN   MX   10   mail.example.com.
example.com.    14400   IN   MX   20   backup.example.com.

The example above shows two MX records with different priorities. The mail server host must resolve to a valid A or AAAA record; pointing an MX directly at a CNAME is considered bad practice and can cause delivery problems. After saving, flush local DNS caches and verify resolution from multiple geographic locations.

#Common Pitfalls

  • Leaving old default MX records active alongside custom ones, causing unpredictable routing Using incorrect priority values that send mail to an overloaded or unreachable server first Omitting or failing to update related DNS records such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, leading to spam filtering or outright rejection Specifying a mail hostname that does not have a corresponding A record or that resolves to an IP without an SMTP service listening Ignoring DNS propagation delays—records with high TTLs can take 24-48 hours to update everywhere

Each of these mistakes can result in intermittent or total email failure. Since no support is offered for custom DNS configurations, you bear full responsibility for diagnosing and correcting issues that arise. Tools such as command-line dig, nslookup, or public MX lookup services should be used both before and after changes.

#Best Practices and Verification

Always document the original MX records before editing so you can restore them if needed. Make changes during a maintenance window and notify users of possible brief delivery delays. After updating, send test messages from external domains and inspect the receiving server's mail logs for acceptance and any errors. Confirm that reverse DNS on the mail server IP matches the hostname used in the MX record. Keep TTL values moderate so future adjustments propagate quickly. If you are not confident managing DNS independently, leave the default records in place; they are fully supported and sufficient for standard email requirements.

Takeaway: Custom MX records provide flexibility but require precise configuration and independent verification. Use external DNS lookup tools immediately after changes to confirm resolution, and always maintain a rollback plan. For standard hosting email setups, the provided default records remain the safest, supported option.