How to Route Email to Your Server Independently

By default, many cPanel accounts route your email to the same location as your domain name and are dependent on its DNS. Advanced users may wish to point their domain to alternative DNS for a number of reasons, including but not limited to: Using SiteLock's TrueShield/TrueSpeed services, external web builders, or other advanced DNS configuration.

Doing so can disrupt mail service if you are hosting your email on your local cPanel. This can be resolved by creating a subdomain pointed to a different IP from your domain name for use as an MX record.

To point your MX record to your cPanel independently:

1. Log into cPanel.
2. Locate your cPanel IP address in the left sidebar and copy it:
   
   
3. Click the Advanced DNS Zone Editor icon.
4. If you have multiple domains installed, select the applicable domain from the dropdown menu.
5. Edit or create a mail. subdomain:
   • If a record already exists for the mail. subdomain:
     
     
     1. Click Edit next to the mail. subdomain record.
     2. Select A from the Type dropdown box.
     3. Enter the cPanel IP address from step 2 in the Address field.
     4. Click Edit Record.
   • If a record does not already exist, in the Add a Record section:
     1. Enter mail in the Name field.
     2. Enter 14400 in the TTL field.
     3. Select A from the Type dropdown field.
     4. Enter the cPanel IP address from step 2 in the Address field.
     5. Click Add Record.
6. Return to the cPanel home page.
7. Click the MX Entry icon.
   
   
8. If you have multiple domains installed, select the applicable domain from the dropdown menu.
9. Under MX Records, click Edit next to your existing record.
10. Edit the Destination field to your mail. subdomain.
    
    
    Example: If your domain is example.com, enter mail.example.com
11. Click the Edit button.
12. Under Email Routing, select Local Mail Exchanger, then click Change.

Your email should now route directly to your cPanel independent of the DNS for your website.