Mail migration for hosted domain name

[#1]

Hi I have been with Plusnet for many years. I have recently had the email that at some point my mail will be transferred to Greenly.  This has prompted me to look elsewhere and I have signed up to protonmail.  I am aware that they will not be able to host the .co.uk domain that is currently hosted by Plusnet and that I shall need to choose a separate hosting registrant which can be done once I have the email migrated.

The problem I am having is that I cannot find where to add the TXT record on the plusnet DNS configuration page with the hostname field (@) and the value/data/points to field (protonmail-verification=xxx)

I'm not sure this is something I can do myself but when I called Plusnet today I was stunned to hear that according to the support member and after a 5-10 minute pause whilst he discussed it with his manager, domain settings is something that they are unable to provide support for any more.

Please can you advise me.  Thanks

[#2]

Are you referring to your own.co.uk hosted domain?

If yes, you don’t add records to it, you ask Plusnet to change the ISPTAG to that of your new registrar who then just takes over the domain management.

Plusnet name servers do not facilitate the creation of TXT records.  You can create A and MX records to point the hosting elsewhere.

Why do you think they cannot host the domain?

[#3]

Hi Townman.  Protonmail does not host domains - I've checked with them.  I know it makes my life more complicated to separate the domain name hosting from day to day email serving.  I wanted to first achieve the email migration to their (protonmail) servers and subsequently change the host for my own.co.uk domain away from Plusnet as this is likely to cause the least disruption to me and the other email users associated with this domain.

Please can you advise me - The message from Protonmail includes the following:-
 
Please access your custom domain provider DNS settings panel and enter the same values from your Proton Mail DNS records tabs (Settings → All settings → Domain names → Actions → Review). You should carefully copy all the values from the Proton Mail DNS records tabs and paste them into your custom domain provider panel.
 
The first step is to verify the domain. Proton Mail uses this record to verify your ownership of the domain. This can be done by entering the following value in your DNS Settings:

TYPE: TXT
HOST NAME: @
VALUE / DATA / POINTS TO: protonmail-verification= <<redacted by me>>

 
It appears that there are other MX records not tied to the Proton Mail MX records. You should delete those records to avoid any conflicts with the Proton Mail MX records.
 
The MX records that you need to set up for your custom domain in your DNS settings are the following:

TYPE   HOSTNAME   VALUE / DATA / POINTS TO   PRIORITY 
MX       @        mail.protonmail.ch            10 
MX       @        mailsec.protonmail.ch         20 

If the MX records are not properly set up, you will not receive messages to your custom-domain addresses on your Proton Mail account.
 
Once you have set this up, we strongly recommend adding the anti-spoofing records for your domain as well. Please delete the current ones and enter the following SPF record:

TYPE: TXT
HOST NAME: @
VALUE / DATA / POINTS TO: v=spf1 include:_spf.protonmail.ch ~all

You should not create multiple SPF records.
 

There are further instruction for the CNAME records that I have not included here

[#4]

Doing a quick skim read of proton mail you are not going to get this working as you seek to do.

1. Proton mail is not a domain registrar / DNS provider 
2. Plusnet does not facilitate adding TXT records to the DNS

Why proton mail rather than a hosting company who can do the job (properly?) in a single service, such as Mythic Beasts?

I suggest that either you find an all in one provider, or look at Proton’s pages on getting a domain name.  Look at their recommendations and then TRANSFER the domain name to them … after which you can do the configuration demanded by proton.

[#5]

Thanks Townsman.

Mythic beasts it is going to be.  I've configured everything at the MB end and can send mail from these mailboxes.  Do I need to do anything at the Plusnet DNS level to ensure the incoming mail goes to the MB server rather than Plusnet?  Is it just a waiting game for about 48 hours?  Once I am happy that the outgoing and incoming mail is via the MB server, I will commence the domain name registration transfer to MB.  Thanks again for your advice.

[#6]

@PeterC3PO 

Do I need to do anything at the Plusnet DNS level to ensure the incoming mail goes to the MB server rather than Plusnet?

Yes, you need to create MX records in your Plusnet DNS to direct the mail to MB.

Look at this here https://www.plus.net/help/archive/broadband/managing-dns-records/ regarding managing the Plusnet DNS. 

The Mythic Beasts info is here https://www.mythic-beasts.com/support/domains/transfer-no-downtime, look at the no-downtime transfer process para 6. You just need to copy the MX records ( in fact that's all you will be able to change in the Plusnet DNS ).

Once you've got incoming mail sorted, then I suggest you transfer the domain reg ASAP. The problem with the Plusnet DNS is you cant create TXT records and therefore cant set SPF or DKIM. Once you've transferred the registration , you can set the domain to use the MB nameservers and thus enable SPF & DKIM

[#7]

Excellent.  Thanks MisterW.  I have configured the MX records within the Plusnet account.  How soon should I start to see the mail arriving in the MB inboxes?  

Once I'm happy with this, do I need to raise a ticket with Plusnet to transfer the domain name hosting?

P

[#8]

@PeterC3PO 

How soon should I start to see the mail arriving in the MB inboxes?  

TBH I can't remember what the TTL is for the Plusnet nameservers, actually I've just checked my native account.plus.com domain and it looks like its 300 i.e 5 minutes. So your mail should start arriving within 5 minutes.

You can easily check the MX records at https://mxtoolbox.com/

Once I'm happy with this, do I need to raise a ticket with Plusnet to transfer the domain name hosting?Once I'm happy with this, do I need to raise a ticket with Plusnet to transfer the domain name hosting?

You can't raise a ticket anymore! You can try calling customer services but the chance of getting an agent who understands domain transfers is minimal. The best way is to start a new thread requesting a domain transfer, staff should then pick it up and raise a ticket for the details.

[#9]

Thanks MisterW

The MX lookup is still showing mx.avasin.plus.net (pref 10, TTL 5 mins) rather than the mx1.mythic-beasts.com. that I have set with a priority of 6 in the advanced settings of the Plusnet DNS configurator. Any thoughts? 

The MX lookup tool for the DNS lookup states:- Reported by ns2.plusnet.co.uk on 10/19/2025 at 7:48:40 AM (UTC -5)

The only other thing that can be configured in their portal is under email settings with the options of POP3/SMTP to a static IP/Other (I wish to specify DNS records for mail to this domain) - currently checked as this last option

P

[#10]

@PeterC3PO 

The only other thing that can be configured in their portal is under email settings with the options of POP3/SMTP to a static IP/Other (I wish to specify DNS records for mail to this domain) - currently checked as this last option

It's a long time since I had a hosted domain (I moved mine to MB a couple of years ago!) so I can't be sure if that option is present for both the native (account.plus.com) and hosted domain. If it can be set for just the hosted domain then I'm guessing it should be. 

Im guessing that without it checked, then any additional MX records wont override the avasin MXs

Maybe @Townman can confirm?

edit: found the archive page here https://www.plus.net/help/archive/broadband/domain-management/

Yes, the 'other' box needs checking in the email settings to allow the added MX records to be used

[#11]

Here's a copy of the DNS config with my domain redacted

[#12]

You've got the wrong 'other' set, you need the one for 'email settings' not the one for 'domain hosting'

The domain hosting one is for website hosting, so unless you have a website for your domain hosted elsewhere you can leave that set to default (assuming your Plusnet account has legacy webspace?)

edit: I see you've already got A records defined so leave the domain hosting settings as 'other' as well

[#13]

That was stupid!

I've checked the Other box for email and kept the domain hosting settings Other box checked as suggested.

I'm now getting mail undeliverable errors both from externally sent emails and from the plusnet webmail portal 

[#14]

Do your MX records now look correct in mxtoolbox ?

Have you got mailboxes and email addresses configured on the domain in your MB account ?

[#15]

No - here is the latest lookup