How to Redirect an Exchange to a New IP Address

Sometimes you may wish to route your incoming email to a mail exchange server.

By default, email is hosted through the same server as a domain's website files. Some organizations, however, need a more robust email solution that requires a separate mail exchange server.

A mail exchange is a computer server whose primary function is to send and receive email. In order to use an exchange that is on a separate server, you will need to redirect the incoming and outgoing mail to the the exchange server's IP address.

Instructions

1. Determine the hostname and IP address of your mail server. Contact your hosting provider's support team to determine the server name and address of the computer that will act as the new mail exchange.

2. Edit your main domain's zone files / DNS records through your domain registrar or through your server's control panel. Click edit or add a new MX record under the DNS control panel.

3. Enter a priority for the mail exchange (a lower number means a higher priority) you are adding which, in most cases, should be a "0". Enter the hostname or IP address of the new mail exchange server.

   Complete any other optional fields your domain registrar or hosting provider requires (like TTL) and hit submit. Your changes should propagate anywhere within an hour to 72 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• While editing zone files and DNS settings are not reversible, mistakes can easily be made if you do not understand what you are doing. Both your current hosting provider and the provider of the new server should have tutorials for updating MX records.

References

• Postini FAQ: How MX Records Work