Getting Started with Your New OX App Suite Email

Welcome to your new OX App Suite + Productivity email service! We know that getting your email securely connected can feel a bit technical at first, especially when dealing with DNS records. This guide breaks down exactly what you need to know to get your mail flowing smoothly and securely.

Demystifying DNS: What Do These Terms Mean?

To make your email work, you need to add "DNS records" to your domain. Think of DNS as the traffic cop of the internet. Here is a quick translation of the terms you will see in your domain control panel:

• Record Type: This tells the internet what kind of information is being stored. For email, you will mostly deal with MX (Mail Exchanger) records to route your incoming mail, and TXT (Text) records to prove your outgoing emails are legitimate.
• The @ Symbol: When you see an @ symbol in the "Name" or "Host" field, it simply means your main domain name (for example, yourdomain.com). It is a shorthand way of saying "apply this rule to my root website address."
• The Record (or Value/Destination): This is the actual instruction or server address you are plugging in.
• Priority: You will only see this on MX records. It tells the internet which server to try first. If multiple servers have the same priority number, the internet will automatically balance the load between them.

Step 1: Pointing Your Incoming Mail (MX Records)

To receive emails, you need to tell the internet where to deliver them. Create four separate MX records in your DNS manager using the exact details below:

• Type: MX | Name/Host: @ | Priority: 10 | Value/Record: mx001.cloudus.xion.oxcs.net
• Type: MX | Name/Host: @ | Priority: 10 | Value/Record: mx002.cloudus.xion.oxcs.net
• Type: MX | Name/Host: @ | Priority: 10 | Value/Record: mx003.cloudus.xion.oxcs.net
• Type: MX | Name/Host: @ | Priority: 10 | Value/Record: mx004.cloudus.xion.oxcs.net

Step 2: Authenticating Your Outgoing Mail (SPF Record)

An SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record acts like a guest list, telling the world which servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. Without it, your emails might end up in your recipients' spam folders. Note: Unlike MX records, this must be added as a TXT record.

• Type: TXT
• Name/Host: @
• Value/Record: v=spf1 include:spf.cloudus.oxcs.net ~all

Step 3: Taking Security Further (DMARC Record)

To add an extra layer of protection against people spoofing your email address, we highly recommend setting up a DMARC record. This "quarantine" policy tells receiving mail servers that if an email claims to be from you but fails security checks, it should be sent directly to the recipient's spam folder.

• Type: TXT
• Name/Host: _dmarc (Note: do not use the @ symbol here, type exactly _dmarc)
• Value/Record: v=DMARC1; p=quarantine;

Managing Your Account & Getting Connected

• Creating Inboxes: To create, edit, and administer your email addresses and passwords, visit the Email User Management page inside your client area.
• Webmail Access: You can access your inbox from any browser via the OX App Suite Cloud portal.
• Mobile Access: To sync email to your phone, use the "Connect Your Device" Wizard located under your profile icon in the top right-hand corner of your App Suite Webmail interface. You can also download the official App Suite Mobile App for iOS or Android.
• Migrating Old Emails: Moving from another provider? OX App Suite includes a quick and easy self-service Migration Tool to help you move your historical data over smoothly.

We Are Here To Help

If you get stuck updating your DNS records or configuring your mail client, please reach out to our support team. Submit a ticket from your Eastern Shore Web Services client area, and we will make sure your email is up and running perfectly.