Adding an MX (mail exchange) record for your domain is essential if you will be using a subdomain. If your DNS (domain name server) is on-site, your systems administrator will be able to help you. If your domain is hosted off-site, you will need to contact their systems administrator to make the changes for you.

The simple steps that follow apply specifically to UNIX servers. All DNS servers use basically the same logic, although your specific files may be in different locations. To make the following changes, you should be logged in as 'root'.

The control files for your domain will probably live in the /var/namedb/ directory (on UNIX machines). Edit the file which bears your domain's name ('yourdomain.com.db'). You will need to add the line which your account representative supplied in your list creation email , something like:

lists.yourdomain.com. IN MX 5 listserver.sparklist.com.

Make the addition, save and exit the file.

Next, you need to change your server's serial number and kick your DNS.

The serial number has the format YYYYMMDD## (year, month, day, and number of times restarted). For example, with the serial number 2006031501:

2006		year
03		month
15		today's date
01		number of times updated today

Edit the date, set the counter to one, and save the file.

Finally, you need to restart your DNS. Type the following at a command line:

ndc reload

You're done!

Read more Common Support Questions.