How to: Google Apps domain verification and email configuration
If you are using Google Apps, you will need to verify your domain with Google before you can use any of the Google Apps services. The automatic verification process does not work with Hover so here is how you would verify manually.
You can verify a couple of different ways: using a TXT record or using a CNAME record.
You also need to add Google's MX records, and edit the "mail" CNAME record.
Note: Changes to your DNS records can take up to 24 hours to propagate throughout the Internet.
1. On initial setup of your G Suite account it will ask you for your domain and launch you into the Setup Wizard. If you are not in the Setup Wizard, this link will help you find it: Find the G Suite Setup Wizard
2. You can select Hover.com form the list of domain registrars/providers - it will provide you a link on their end with the same instructions we are providing you here. Or you can select Other, either way will work. Select Begin Verification when you are ready to proceed.
3. The Setup Wizard will now provide a TXT record for you. This is what we will use to complete the ownership verification. Copy the entire string that is highlighted and begins with google-site-verification=
5. Highlight and copy the Google string of text. You can paste this into a notepad or word document, or leave it copied to your clipboard until you need it in the next few steps.
Sign into your Hover account and add the TXT record
6. Sign into your account at https://hover.com/signin
7. Select the domain you are using with Google Apps from the list of domains, or if you only have one domain, you will already be on the next step.
ns1.hover.com
ns2.hover.com
Edits to the DNS in your Hover account will not apply to your domain if you are not using our DNS servers. If you are using another company's nameservers, such as your website hosting provider, then you must go to the hosting provider to enter your Google Apps DNS Records.
Alternatively, if you are not using the existing nameservers for anything (perhaps these are just your old domain provider's servers, if you transferred to Hover recently), you can use the Edit option to update these to Hover. Nameserver changes can take up to 24-48 hours to fully propagate.
9. Click on DNS, and select Add A Record.
Enter the TXT values as follows:
- Choose the Record Type TXT
- In the Hostname field enter @
- In the Value field, enter that long string of text copied from your Google Admin Console (copied from step 5).
- Click Add Record.
10. Go back to your Google Admin Console and click Verify.
NOTE: you may need to wait 15 mins before clicking Verify will recognize the TXT record.
This completes the Domain Verification process.
1. Click Start Setup, and then Verify Domain.
2. The automatic login to Hover does not work, so select No. This will take you through the manual verification process.
3. Select Other from the drop down menu and then click Begin Verification.
4. Although it says Add a TXT record, click that option. It will take you to the following page that provides other options.
5. Down below, under "Having Trouble?", select the alternate method Add a CNAME record.
6. You are provided with two strings of text: Host and Target. Copy these into a notepad or word document to be used in the next few steps.
Sign into your Hover account and add the CNAME record
7. Sign into your account at https://hover.com/signin
8. Select the domain you are using with Google Apps from the list of domains, or if you only have one domain, you will already be on the next step.
ns1.hover.com
ns2.hover.com
Edits to the DNS in your Hover account will not apply to your domain if you are not using our DNS servers. If you are using another company's nameservers, such as your website hosting provider, then you must go to the hosting provider to enter your Google Apps DNS Records.
Alternatively, if you are not using the existing nameservers for anything (perhaps these are just your old domain provider's servers, if you transferred to Hover recently), you can use the Edit option to update these to Hover. Nameserver changes can take up to 24-48 hours to fully propagate.
- Choose the Record Type CNAME
- In the Hostname field, enter the Host value from Step 6
- In the Target Host field, enter the Target value from Step 6.
- Click Add Record.
11. Go back to the Google Admin Console and click Verify.
This completes the Domain Verification process.
Adding the Goggle Apps mail records (MX) and CNAME record
To use Google Apps for your email, you need to add a CNAME record and five MX records.
The CNAME record allows you to go to mail.yourdomain.com to access your email, and the MX records are what tell the internet where to deliver your email.
Setting the CNAME record
- There should be an existing CNAME record for "mail" that points to "mail.hover.com.cust.hostedemail.com". You can edit this and change it to the new Google Apps CNAME record.
- Hover your cursor over the DNS record and click on Edit DNS
- Enter ghs.googlehosted.com
- Click Save or press Enter
MX Records
There will be an MX record already @ 10 mx.hover.com.cust.hostedemail.com. This can be deleted.
Here are the 5 Google Apps MX records that must be added. You can copy and paste.
The hostname to the left of the record type (MX) is always @.
Hostname - Priority - Value/Hostname
@ - 1 - ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
@ - 5 - ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
@ - 5 - ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
@ - 10 - ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
@ - 10 - ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
For example:
When you are done, the records will look something like the image below.
Additional information
You can find additional information by clicking on one of these links:
- Click here to review instructions from Google for setting up a custom web address in your Google Apps account.
- For information on different domain verification options, click here.
- Click here for a CNAME verification tutorial from Google.
- Click here for a TXT verification tutorial from Google.
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