Network Solutions SPF, DKIM & DMARC Setup Guide

Key Takeaways

Check your email package. Network Solutions uses different SPF include statements depending on whether you use Cloud Mail, hosted email, or non-hosted email.
Cloud Mail handles DKIM automatically. If you use the native Network Solutions Cloud Mail platform, DKIM is already included and applied on the backend.
Merge your SPF carefully. If you already have an existing SPF record, you must add the Network Solutions include mechanism to it. Never create a second SPF TXT record for the same domain.
Begin with a simple DMARC monitoring policy (p=none) to receive aggregate reports and review your traffic before moving to a strict enforcement policy.
Use a third-party DMARC checker tool like PowerDMARC to verify your configurations are live and functioning correctly.

If you use Network Solutions to host your domain or manage your daily business email, configuring your domain authentication is an absolute necessity.

Setting up proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) ensures your domain is protected from spoofing. Without these records in place, your business emails run a high risk of landing in spam folders or being blocked entirely by major inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo.

Why Authenticate Your Domain for Network Solutions?

Network Solutions is a widely used domain registrar and email hosting provider. When you accurately configure the necessary security protocols for your custom domain, you will see immediate benefits:

Stronger Protection: Safeguards your brand against phishing and spoofing by precisely defining who is authorized to send emails on your behalf.
Increased Deliverability: Ensures strict mailbox providers trust your emails, keeping your daily business correspondence out of the junk folder.
Boosted Reputation: Enhances your sender score and establishes trust with global email networks.
Actionable Visibility: Grants transparent insights into who is sending emails using your domain identity.

Steps to Configure Network Solutions SPF and DKIM Records

To begin the setup process, you will need to log in to your Network Solutions Account Manager and navigate to your Advanced DNS settings.

Step 1: Access Advanced DNS Manager

Log in to your Network Solutions account.
Select Domains on the left side of the dashboard.
Choose the domain you want to authenticate and click the Settings button.
Scroll to the Advanced Tools section and click Manage next to Advanced DNS Records.

Step 2: Add or Update the SPF Record

An SPF record tells other email systems which servers are authorized to send email from your domain. Your exact SPF value depends on your specific Network Solutions email package.

If you do not have an existing SPF record, click +Add Record, select TXT from the dropdown menu, and enter @ in the Host field.

For the TXT Value, use the string that matches your service:

For Cloud Mail users: v=spf1 include:spf.registeredsite.com include:spf.cloudus.oxcs.net ~all
For non-hosted email users: v=spf1 include:spf.netsolmail.net ~all

If your DNS already has an SPF record for other services like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, do not create a second one. Simply add the correct Network Solutions include statement to your existing record right before the ~all tag.

If you’re managing several sending sources and getting close to the limit, our Hosted SPF solution is worth looking into, and you can check your current record with PowerDMARC’s SPF checker.

Step 3: Handle DKIM Configuration

DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails to prove they genuinely came from your company.

According to official documentation, Network Solutions automatically manages DKIM authentication for all Cloud Mail users directly on their platform. If you use Cloud Mail, no further action is required for DKIM.

If you use Network Solutions strictly for DNS hosting but manage your email through a third-party workspace provider like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you must generate your DKIM keys within that third-party admin console. Once generated, return to your Network Solutions Advanced DNS Manager to publish the provided CNAME or TXT records.

You can check the record itself with PowerDMARC’s DKIM checker.

Steps to Enable Network Solutions DMARC Record

With your SPF and DKIM protocols addressed, you need to publish a DMARC record to maintain visibility over your domain. DMARC helps protect your company’s reputation by defining how other servers should handle messages that fail security checks. Without reporting enabled, you will not know if your emails are failing authentication.

Use PowerDMARC’s free DMARC record generator to create a comprehensive record safely.

Go to PowerDMARC’s Free DMARC Record Generator tool.
For the Policy, select p=none (monitor-only mode). This ensures nothing gets blocked initially, allowing you time to review your email traffic before moving to enforcement.

If you need a quick explanation of the DMARC policies, here is how they work:

p=none (Monitor): Delivers all mail normally but generates reports showing who is sending email on your domain’s behalf.
p=quarantine (Soft Enforcement): Routes unauthorized emails straight to the recipient’s spam folder.
p=reject (Strict Enforcement): Blocks unauthorized emails entirely.

Important: Jumping straight to enforcement risks blocking your own legitimate business emails. Starting with p=none is essential to map out your mail flow and fix any authentication issues safely. However, staying at p=none for too long is not recommended as it leaves your domain vulnerable to phishing and impersonation threats. Move to an enforcement policy as soon as you are confident with your setup.

1. Add your dedicated IT or security email address to the Reporting field to receive your DMARC aggregate reports.

2. Log in to your Network Solutions Advanced DNS Manager and add a new TXT record:

Type: TXT
Host/Name: _dmarc
Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected];

3. Save the record.

Verify Your Setup

Step 1: Wait for Propagation

Any changes made within the Network Solutions DNS manager can take 24 to 48 hours to fully update and propagate across the internet.

Step 2: Run a Final Check with PowerDMARC

To guarantee that your DNS configuration is fully accurate and active across the globe, run an automated check:

Use PowerDMARC’s free DMARC Record Checker to verify that your record is published correctly.

What to expect in your domain health results:

DKIM: Pass / Aligned
DMARC: Policy detected
SPF: Pass

Final Words

Securing your business email infrastructure is critical for maintaining professional trust and protecting your clients from fraud. If you want to take your email security further, move securely from p=none to DMARC enforcement without disrupting operations. Configure BIMI to display your logo in the inbox, and monitor your automated reports seamlessly. The PowerDMARC team is here to help.
Get in touch with us or sign up for a demo with PowerDMARC to experience the power of safer email communications firsthand!

About
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Yunes Tarada

Domain & Email Security Expert at PowerDMARC

Yunes is an Operations Team Lead at PowerDMARC with expert knowledge in email authentication and security. Yunes is a Microsoft-certified Azure Administrator Associate with certifications in CompTIA A+ and many more.

Network Solutions DKIM, DMARC, and SPF Setup Guide