Create DNS records at Rackspace for Office 365

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Check the Domains FAQ if you don't find what you're looking for.

If you manage the DNS records for your domain through Rackspace, follow the steps in this article to verify your domain and set up DNS records for email, Skype for Business Online, and so on.

Rackspace Cloud is not a domain registrar, but if you have a domain registered with another provider and your domain's nameservers have been updated to direct DNS queries to Rackspace, you can use Rackspace Cloud to manage your DNS records as described in this article.

These are the main records to add.

After you add these records at Rackspace, your domain will be set up to work with Office 365 services.

To learn about webhosting and DNS for websites with Office 365, see Use a public website with Office 365.

Note

Typically it takes about 15 minutes for DNS changes to take effect. However, it can occasionally take longer for a change you've made to update across the Internet's DNS system. If you're having trouble with mail flow or other issues after adding DNS records, see Troubleshoot issues after changing your domain name or DNS records.

Add a TXT record for verification

Before you use your domain with Office 365, we have to make sure that you own it. Your ability to log in to your account at your domain registrar and create the DNS record proves to Office 365 that you own the domain.

Note

This record is used only to verify that you own your domain; it doesn't affect anything else. You can delete it later, if you like.

  1. To get started, go to your domains page in Rackspace by using this link. You'll be prompted to log in.

    Rackspace_login

  2. Select Networking, and then select Networking.

    Rackspace_NetworkingCloudDNS

  3. On the Cloud DNS page, choose your domain name.

    Rackspace_selectDomainName

  4. Choose Add Record. Next to Record Type, choose TXT. In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the following values.

    Record Type Hostname Text Time to Live (TTL)
    TXT
    		(leave blank)
    		MS=msXXXXXXXX
    Note: This is an example. Use your specific Destination or Points to Address value here, from the table in Office 365. How do I find this?    		 60 Minutes

    Rackspace_TXTforVerificationValues

  5. Select Add Record.

  6. Wait a few minutes before you continue, so that the record you just created can update across the Internet.

Now that you've added the record at your domain registrar's site, you'll go back to Office 365 and request Office 365 to look for the record.

When Office 365 finds the correct TXT record, your domain is verified.

  1. Choose Setup > Domains.

  2. On the Domains page, choose the domain that you are verifying.

    Domain name selected in Office 365 Admin Center

  3. On the Setup page, choose Start setup.

    Start setup

  4. On the Verify domain page, choose Verify.

    Verify

Add an MX record so email for your domain will come to Office 365

  1. To get started, go to your domains page in Rackspace by using this link. You'll be prompted to log in.

    Rackspace_login

  2. Select Networking, and then select Cloud DNS.

    Rackspace_NetworkingCloudDNS

  3. On the Cloud DNS page, choose your domain name.

    Rackspace_selectDomainName

  4. Choose Add Record. Next to Record Type, choose MX. In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the following values.

    Record Type Hostname Mailserver Domain Priority Time to Live (TTL)
    MX
    		(leave blank)
    		<domain-key> .mail.protection.outlook.com
    Note: Get your <domain-key> from your Office 365 portal account. How do I find this?    		 10
    For more information about priority, see What is MX priority?
    		60 Minutes

    Rackspace_MXrecordValues

  5. Select Add Record to save the record.

  6. If there are any other MX records, delete them. Next to the MX record, select the gear icon, and then select Delete Record. Select Delete Record again to confirm.

    Rackspace_MXrecordDelete

Add the CNAME records that are required for Office 365

  1. To get started, go to your domains page in Rackspace by using this link. You'll be prompted to log in.

    Rackspace_login

  2. Select Networking, and then select Cloud DNS.

    Rackspace_NetworkingCloudDNS

  3. On the Cloud DNS page, choose your domain name.

    Rackspace_selectDomainName

  4. Choose Add Record. Next to Record Type, choose CNAME. In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the following values.

    Record Type Hostname Target (Domain) Time to Live (TTL)
    CNAME
    		autodiscover
    		autodiscover.outlook.com
    		60 Minutes
    CNAME
    		sip
    		sipdir.online.lync.com
    		60 Minutes
    CNAME
    		lyncdiscover
    		webdir.online.lync.com
    		60 Minutes
    CNAME
    		msoid
    		clientconfig.microsoftonline-p.net
    		60 Minutes
    CNAME
    		enterpriseregistration
    		enterpriseregistration.windows.net
    		60 Minutes
    CNAME
    		enterpriseenrollment
    		enterpriseenrollment-s.manage.microsoft.com
    		60 Minutes

    Rackspace_CNAMErecordValues

  5. Select Add Record to save the record.

  6. Repeat the previous steps to create the other five CNAME records. For each record, type of copy and paste the values from the next row of the table above into the boxes for that record.

Add a TXT record for SPF to help prevent email spam

Important

You cannot have more than one TXT record for SPF for a domain. If your domain has more than one SPF record, you'll get email errors, as well as delivery and spam classification issues. If you already have an SPF record for your domain, don't create a new one for Office 365. Instead, add the required Office 365 values to the current record so that you have a single SPF record that includes both sets of values.

  1. To get started, go to your domains page in Rackspace by using this link. You'll be prompted to log in.

    Rackspace_login

  2. Select Networking, and then select Cloud DNS.

    Rackspace_NetworkingCloudDNS

  3. On the Cloud DNS page, choose your domain name.

    Rackspace_selectDomainName

  4. Choose Add Record. Next to Record Type, choose TXT. In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the following values.

    Record Type Hostname Text Time to Live (TTL)
    TXT
    		(leave blank)
    		v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all
    NOte: We recommend copying and pasting this entry, so that all of the spacing stays correct.    		 60 Minutes

    Rackspace_TXTforSPFValues

  5. Select Add Record to save the record.

Add the two SRV records that are required for Office 365

  1. To get started, go to your domains page in Rackspace by using this link. You'll be prompted to log in.

    Rackspace_login

  2. Select Networking, and then select Cloud DNS.

    Rackspace_NetworkingCloudDNS

  3. On the Cloud DNS page, choose your domain name.

    Rackspace_selectDomainName

  4. Choose Add Record. Next to Record Type, choose SRV. In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the following values.

    Record Type Service Protocol Hostname Target Domain Port Priority Weight Time to Live (TTL)
    SRV (Service)
    		sip
    		tls
    		(leave blank)
    		sipdir.online.lync.com
    		443
    		100
    		1
    		60 Minutes
    SRV (Service)
    		sipfederationtls
    		tcp
    		(leave blank)
    		sipfed.online.lync.com
    		5061
    		100
    		1
    		60 Minutes

    Rackspace_SRVrecordValues

  5. Select Add Record to save the record.

  6. Repeat the previous steps to create the other SRV record. Type or copy and paste the values from the second row of the table above into the boxes for the second record.

Note

Typically it takes about 15 minutes for DNS changes to take effect. However, it can occasionally take longer for a change you've made to update across the Internet's DNS system. If you're having trouble with mail flow or other issues after adding DNS records, see Troubleshoot issues after changing your domain name or DNS records.