How do you change the DNS records without changing the email server?

Question

I have a hosting account with one company, and a domain registered with DROA. Typically, to point a domain to my website, I would enter my DNS info into the Name Server section of DROA...
(See http://www.djgallagher.com/_dns_registrar.jpg for an image of the NAME SERVER portion of the DROA account page)

However, I noticed my friend has their email already setup somewhere else (see http://www.djgallagher.com/_hostsemailforwarding.jpg for an image of their domain's advanced settings).

So, I don't want to enter my name server and bring down their email. Where and how do I enter the Name Server info without bringing down there emails?

Answer 1

Mail delivery in DNS is controlled by the MX record. Good article here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MX_record



A domain can have its Web files on on server and mail collected by a completely different server. One of my Domains has all of its mail taken care of with the free Google Apps mail. Settings:



SUBDOMAIN-TYPE-VALUE-TTL

. MX 10 aspmx.l.google.com 14400

. MX 20 alt1.aspmx.l.google.com 14400

. MX 30 alt2.aspmx.l.google.com 14400

. MX 40 aspmx2.googlemail.com 14400

. MX 50 aspmx3.googlemail.com 14400

. MX 60 aspmx4.googlemail.com 14400

. MX 70 aspmx5.googlemail.com 14400

Answer 2

If you're going to change the nameservers on a domain, you have to make sure that the nameservers you change to serve the correct records for that domain. So go to wherever you set up the nameservers themselves (not where you choose what nameservers the domain uses!) and make sure the correct MX records are there.

Answer 3

C:\>nslookup -type=mx djgallagher.com

Server: ???

Address: ???



Non-authoritative answer:

djgallagher.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mail1.gearhost.com



C:\>nslookup -type=a mail1.gearhost.com

Server: ???

Address: ???



Non-authoritative answer:

Name: mail1.gearhost.com

Address: 69.24.64.25



1)

Hostname: @

Record Type: MX (Mail)

Address: mail1.gearhost.com

MX Pref: 10



2)

Hostname: mail1

Record Type: A (Address)

Address: 69.24.64.25

MX Pref: