How to use live.com for domains
What is live.com for domains?
If you remember the old times where google.com had a free version of Google Apps for domains, then you would probably understand faster if I say this is a similar free version of that, only this is managed by Microsoft mail server, live.com to be exact. Live.com and Google apps for domains are two of the best mail service provider on the internet, of course there are a few more services out there, but that’s not the point here. In this tutorial I’m going to write a bit about how to use live.com for domains and setup your mail service directly with live.com.
Getting signup for live.com
This is the first step and is really easy, first you need to signup for their service and add your own domain name there.
https://domains.live.com/Signup/SignupDomain.aspx
I’m going to use test-example.com on the course of this whole tutorial.
Next you need to sign into your live.com account or create a new account right now. This account will be used as a domain administrator. In my case I choose to sign in as I already have an account.
LATER UPDATE! You need to choose “Set up Outlook.com for my domain” to enable the mail service, it can be enabled at a later time too.
Right after this you need to enter a security captcha code to prevent spam abuse and you will be sent to a page with a few DNS settings. You can find bellow an example of DNS settings that you need to use, keep in mind yours are different:
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################# Domain Ownership: (required) ################# DNS record type: TXT Host: test-example.com Value: v=msv1 t=b3f4e4dc97b44dbc03045ba478652a DNS record type: MX Host: test-example.com Value: b3f4e4dc97b44dbc03045ba478652a.msv1.invalid Priority: Higher value than existing records, or Low priority. # The MX records for live.com for domains DNS record type: MX Host: ajutorpe.net MX server: dc015a7ccfa6f640a15e81df5d4688.pamx1.hotmail.com TTL: 3600 or 1 hour Priority: 10 (or High priority) ################## Server trust (recommended) #### This is a recommended record for preventing other servers from seeing your emails as spam DNS record type: TXT Host: ajutorpe.net Value: v=spf1 include:hotmail.com ~all TTL: 3600 or 1 hour (if requested) ############ Messenger configuration (recommended) ################# ##### This meant only for the messenger settings DNS record type: SRV Service: _sipfederationtls._tcp.test-example.com Protocol: _tcp Domain Name: test-example.com Priority: 10 (or High priority) Weight: 2 Port: 5061 Target: federation.messenger.msn.com |
After you’ve set this records, hit the refresh button above these records and it should update you:
Creating email accounts on live.com for domains
After you’re done setting the DNS records and proving ownership over your domain, you can start creating email accounts. Go to:
- Members accounts
Here click the Add button and complete the account details. Use a test password, as you will have to change it anyway when you login!
You will then see your own email there that you just created, in my case it will be contact@test-example.com
After you’re done creating your emails, you can either create new emails accounts or start using them. To use your new email, you need to login here to your new email account:
and on the top menu click on the Mail link. It will take you to a login form and using your new email (my case contact@test-example.com) and test password you set you can login there
You will be asked to enter some simple / default information about yourself (I know it will be boring, but bare with me). as well as changing the current test password you set before!
The end result will be:
That’s it for now and see you in our next article!