1. cPanel & WHM Documentation
  2. cPanel
  3. Email
  4. Email Routing
mx email cpanelui

Email Routing

Valid for versions 82 through the latest version

Version:

82

Last modified: August 8, 2024

Looking for this interface?
Note:

Your hosting provider can enable or disable this interface in WHM's Feature Manager interface (WHM >> Home >> Packages >> Feature Manager).

Overview

This interface allows you to configure how the system routes a domain’s incoming mail. For example, you can use this interface to configure the server as a backup mail exchanger, which will hold a domain’s mail until the primary mail exchanger is available.

Configure Email Routing

Warning:

Misconfigured Email Routing settings can disrupt your ability to receive mail. If you are unsure which option to choose, contact your system administrator or hosting provider.

To configure how your server routes mail for a domain, perform the following steps:

  1. Navigate to cPanel’s Email Routing interface (cPanel » Home » Email » Email Routing).

  2. Select the desired domain from the menu. If only one domain exists on your cPanel account, the system selects it automatically.

  3. Select one of the following options under Configure Email Routing:

    Option Description
    Automatically Detect Configuration The system uses the following criteria to configure the email routing settings:
    • Local Mail Exchanger — The lowest numbered mail exchanger points to an Internet Protocol (IP) address on this server.
    • Backup Mail Exchanger — The lowest numbered mail exchanger points to an IP address not on this server.
    • Remote Mail Exchanger — No mail exchangers point to an IP address on this server.
    Important:
    • This setting only detects the local zone file entries and does not perform an actual DNS lookup. This setting is set upon configuration and does not automatically update. If changes are required, an administrator will need to manually adjust the MX Records in WHM's DNS Zone Manager interface (WHM >> Home >> DNS Functions >> DNS Zone Manager) .
    • If the configured Mail Exchange (MX) records do not resolve, automatic detection will not occur.
    Local Mail Exchanger The server always accepts mail for this domain. The system will deliver mail to the local mailbox.
    Note:
    Choose this option if your server uses smart hosts or another gateway service to filter mail. Also, choose this option if your hosting provider deleted the domain’s DNS zone.
    Backup Mail Exchanger The server functions as a backup mail exchanger. The system will hold mail for this domain until a lower number mail exchanger becomes available.
    Note:
    You must configure the primary MX record to point to the appropriate exchanger. To edit MX records, use cPanel’s Zone Editor interface (cPanel » Home » Domains » Zone Editor).
    Remote Mail Exchanger The server will not accept mail for this domain. The system sends all mail for this domain to the lowest numbered mail exchanger.
    Note:
    You must configure the primary MX record to point to the appropriate exchanger. To edit MX records, use cPanel’s Zone Editor interface (cPanel » Home » Domains » Zone Editor).

  4. Click Change.

Additional Documentation