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Managing Email Forwarding for Multiple Domains

Table of Contents

Email forwarding in DNSimple is configured on a per-domain basis. Each domain can have its own email forwarding configuration, and email forwarding is billed separately for each domain where it is enabled.

[!NOTE]
Email forwarding is billed monthly on a per-domain basis. If you enable email forwarding on multiple domains, you will be charged for each domain. See Email Forwarding Limits and Quotas for more information.

Setting up email forwarding for multiple domains

Individual domain setup

To set up email forwarding for multiple domains:

  1. Navigate to each domain:
    • Use the account switcher to select the appropriate account
    • Click on each domain name from your list
  2. Enable email forwarding:
    • Click the tab for each domain
    • Create your first email forward to enable the service
    • Repeat for each domain where you want email forwarding
  3. Configure email forwards:
    • Create the specific email forwards you need for each domain
    • Each domain can have its own set of email forwarding rules

Bulk setup considerations

DNSimple does not currently offer bulk email forwarding setup through the web interface. You can:

  • Use the API: The DNSimple API supports programmatic management of email forwards, which can help with bulk operations
  • Plan your configuration: Create a list of domains and their email forwarding needs before starting setup
  • Use templates: If multiple domains need similar forwarding rules, use a consistent naming convention

[!NOTE]
For API-based management, see the developer documentation.

Managing email forwarding across domains

Centralized management approach

If you want to forward emails from multiple domains to a single destination:

  1. Set up email forwarding on each domain:
    • Enable email forwarding for each domain
    • Create email forwards pointing to your central email address
  2. Use consistent naming:
    • Use the same local part (e.g., hello, contact, info) across domains
    • This makes it easier to manage and remember
  3. Example configuration:
    • hello@domain1.com to yourname@gmail.com
    • hello@domain2.com to yourname@gmail.com
    • hello@domain3.com to yourname@gmail.com

Domain-specific management approach

If each domain needs different email forwarding rules:

  1. Plan domain-specific rules:
    • Determine which email addresses each domain needs
    • Create domain-specific forwarding rules
  2. Organize by purpose:
    • Use email addresses that reflect each domain’s purpose
    • For example: sales@businessdomain.com, support@supportdomain.com
  3. Document your configuration:
    • Keep a record of which domains have which email forwards
    • This helps with troubleshooting and future management

Best practices for multiple domains

Consistent configuration

Use similar email addresses:

  • Use consistent local parts (e.g., contact, hello, info) across domains when appropriate
  • This makes it easier to remember and manage

Standardize destinations:

  • If forwarding to the same destination, use consistent forwarding rules
  • This simplifies management and reduces errors

Organization and documentation

Keep records:

  • Document which domains have email forwarding enabled
  • Note which email addresses are configured for each domain
  • Track any domain-specific requirements or exceptions

Use labels or notes:

  • DNSimple allows you to label domains, which can help with organization
  • Use labels to group domains with similar email forwarding needs

Monitoring and maintenance

Regular reviews:

  • Periodically review email forwarding configuration across all domains
  • Remove unused email forwards to stay within limits
  • Update forwarding rules as needs change

Monitor usage:

  • Keep track of email forwarding usage across domains
  • Ensure you are not approaching plan limits
  • Upgrade your plan if needed

Common scenarios

Scenario 1: Multiple domains, single destination

You have multiple domains and want all emails to go to one email address:

Setup:

  1. Enable email forwarding on each domain
  2. Create catch-all email forwards on each domain
  3. Point all catch-all forwards to your single destination email

Benefits:

  • Simple to manage
  • All emails in one inbox
  • Easy to set up and maintain

Considerations:

  • You will need to identify which domain an email came from by checking the “To” field
  • Each domain is billed separately for email forwarding

Scenario 2: Domain-specific forwarding

Each domain needs to forward to different destinations:

Setup:

  1. Enable email forwarding on each domain
  2. Create domain-specific email forwards
  3. Configure different destinations for each domain

Benefits:

  • Clear separation of emails by domain
  • Can forward to different team members or departments
  • More organized email management

Considerations:

  • More complex to manage
  • Requires more planning and organization

Scenario 3: Mixed approach

Some domains forward to a central address, others have domain-specific rules:

Setup:

  1. Enable email forwarding on all domains
  2. Configure catch-all forwards for domains that should all go to one place
  3. Configure specific forwards for domains that need different handling

Benefits:

  • Flexible configuration
  • Balances simplicity with organization
  • Adapts to different domain needs

Using the dashboard for multiple domains

The DNSimple dashboard can help you manage email forwarding across domains:

  1. Quick access:
    • Use the dashboard to see all your domains
    • Click directly on domains to access their tabs
  2. Add email forwards:
    • Use the button on the dashboard to create email forwards
    • Select the domain from the dropdown when creating from the dashboard
  3. Monitor status:
    • Check the dashboard for any notifications or alerts related to email forwarding

Troubleshooting multiple domain issues

Email forwarding not working for a specific domain

Problem: Email forwarding works for some domains but not others.

Solutions:

  1. Verify email forwarding is enabled: Check that email forwarding is enabled for the specific domain
  2. Check MX records: Verify MX records exist for the domain using dig +short domain.com MX
  3. Verify email forwards: Ensure email forwards are configured correctly for that domain
  4. Check DNS propagation: Allow time for DNS changes to propagate
  5. Test individually: Send test emails to each domain to identify which ones have issues

Managing limits across domains

Problem: You are approaching email forwarding limits across multiple domains.

Solutions:

  1. Review usage: Check how many email forwards you have on each domain
  2. Remove unused forwards: Delete email forwards you no longer need
  3. Consolidate where possible: Use catch-all forwards when appropriate
  4. Upgrade plan: Consider upgrading if you consistently need more limits

Billing questions

Problem: Questions about billing for multiple domains.

Solutions:

  1. Per-domain billing: Email forwarding is billed per domain
  2. Check your invoice: Review your DNSimple invoice to see charges for each domain
  3. Contact support: If you have billing questions, contact support for clarification

Have more questions?

If you have additional questions or need any assistance with managing email forwarding for multiple domains, just contact support, and we’ll be happy to help.