- Every email sent to your domain starts with an MX lookup.
- This guide explains how MX records route mail, what the priority numbers do, and how to change providers without losing a single message.
When someone emails you, their server asks one question first: which server accepts mail for this domain? The answer lives in your MX (Mail Exchanger) records — arguably the most important two lines of DNS your business owns. Misconfigure them and mail does not slow down; it disappears or bounces entirely.
Anatomy of an MX Record
An MX record has three parts: the domain it serves, a priority number, and the hostname of a mail server. For example:
yourdomain.com.np → 10 mx.zoho.comyourdomain.com.np → 20 mx2.zoho.com
Lower numbers are tried first. If the priority-10 server is unreachable, senders automatically try priority 20. The hostname must be a name (never a raw IP), and that name must resolve via an A record.
What Common Setups Look Like
| Provider | Typical MX targets |
|---|---|
| cPanel hosting | mail.yourdomain.com.np (priority 0 or 10) |
| Zoho Mail | mx.zoho.com, mx2.zoho.com, mx3.zoho.com |
| Google Workspace | smtp.google.com (single record, modern setup) |
| Microsoft 365 | yourdomain-com-np.mail.protection.outlook.com |
Changing MX Records Safely
- Prepare the new platform first: create every mailbox on the new provider before touching DNS — mail routed to a server with no matching mailbox bounces.
- Lower the TTL of the MX records to 300 seconds a day in advance, so the change propagates fast.
- Swap the records in one edit: remove old, add new with correct priorities.
- Keep the old mailboxes readable for a week — mail cached toward the old server during propagation still lands there.
- Update SPF and DKIM in the same session; MX changes usually mean the sending platform changed too.
Mistakes That Lose Mail
- Pointing MX at a CNAME or an IP — both violate the standard and fail unpredictably.
- Leaving old and new provider MX records mixed — mail splits randomly between two systems.
- Deleting MX entirely: some senders then fall back to the A record of the domain, delivering mail to your web server where nothing reads it; most simply bounce.
- Backup MX pointing at an open relay — spammers deliberately target high-priority-number backup servers with weaker filtering.
Checking Your MX Right Now
Run dig MX yourdomain.com.np or use an online MX lookup. Verify the hostnames match what your current provider documents, priorities make sense, and no forgotten records from an old provider linger. Two minutes of checking has saved many Nepali businesses from weeks of mysteriously missing mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do MX changes take to propagate?
Up to the TTL of the old record — commonly one to twenty-four hours. Lowering TTL beforehand shrinks the window.
Can I host website and email with different providers?
Absolutely — that is exactly what MX records enable. Website A records and mail MX records are independent.
Do I need a backup MX?
Rarely in 2026. Real senders retry for 48 hours or more, and major platforms provide their own redundant MX targets.
Switching providers? We handle the whole MX migration on business email and Zoho Mail plans — get migration help.
