Using Google Workspace (formerly “G Suite” and “Google Apps”) with a custom domain name

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Google Workspace (formerly known as “G Suite” and “Google Apps”) lets you use Gmail (and other Google services) for your custom domain name, rather than having email handled by Tiger Technologies.

You can use Google Workspace for your domain's email if you have a website and domain name registered with us, or just a domain name. These instructions assume your domain name already is using our nameservers. If not, you will first need to update the nameservers.

Make sure that you have signed up with Google Workspace and that your domain name is using our nameservers. Then follow these instructions to configure your Tiger Technologies account. (We can make these changes for you if you prefer.)

Note: Google occasionally sends people setup instructions that are different than the standard instructions we mention below. If so, you should follow those instructions instead of our instructions.

On this page:

Copying existing Google Workspace DNS entries

If you’re transferring a domain name to us that already uses Google Workspace for mail, we’ll usually automatically import the existing DNS records so you don’t have to add them manually. You probably only need to follow the steps below if you’re adding new Google Workspace service.

Verification of domain name ownership

Google may first need to verify that you are the proper owner of your domain name. If so, these are the usual steps you should follow (but Google occasionally tells people to do this differently; if so, use the instructions Google tells you instead):

  1. Login to the Google Workspace control panel.
  2. Click Verify domain ownership at the top of the Google Workspace control panel, and select the CNAME method.
  3. Locate the random string that is unique to your account which is provided in the verification instructions in the Google Workspace control panel. (The string usually looks something like googlefffggghhh12345.) You will need to use this value in step 9 below. Write it down or copy it to the clipboard.
  4. Login to your Tiger Technologies “My Account” control panel (having trouble?) and click Return to Main Menu if you aren't already there.
  5. If your account is a Web hosting account, click Domain Name Options.
  6. Click Edit DNS Zone.
  7. Click Add New Entry.
  8. Choose CNAME record and click Continue.
  9. Enter the unique value provided by Google (see step 3 above) into the “hostname” field, then click Continue.
  10. Enter google.com as the CNAME target. Leave the TTL set to the default. If desired, you can enter a comment in the Optional Note field. Then click Save to save the values.

You should see a message that your changes were saved. Wait at least two minutes, then go back to the Google Workspace control panel and click Verify.

Using Google Workspace for email

Google Workspace lets you use the Gmail web pages to directly send and receive mail for your custom domain name like example.com.

If you want to use Google Workspace, follow the steps below. Make sure you have created all desired users within Google Workspace before you follow the directions below and start directing incoming email to Google.

Note: Due to technical restrictions, if you choose to have Google Workspace handle your email instead of us, you will not be able to use our Mailman mailing list system.

These instructions are for Google's recommended settings. Google occasionally tells people to use different settings; if so, use the ones Google tells you.

  1. Login to your Tiger Technologies “My Account” control panel (having trouble?) and click Return to Main Menu if you aren't already there.
  2. If your account is a Web hosting account, click Domain Name Options.
  3. Click Edit DNS Zone.
  4. Click Add New Entry.
  5. Choose MX record and click Continue.
  6. Make sure MX record for example.com is selected, and click Continue.
  7. Enter SMTP.GOOGLE.COM into the “MX hostname” field. Set the “MX priority” to 1. Leave the “TTL” set to 15 minutes. If desired, you can enter a comment in the “Optional Note” field. Then click Save.

E-mail for your domain name should now start getting delivered to Google, although it may take up to 30 minutes until everyone on the Internet is using these new values.

Creating an SPF record

If you are using Google Workspace for your domain's email, Google recommends that you create an SPF record. Creating an SPF record is optional, but can help to deter some spammers from sending email that claims to come from your domain.

If you are using Google for your email and want to create an SPF record, follow these steps.

These instructions are for Google's recommended settings. Google occasionally tells people to use different settings; if so, use the ones Google tells you.

  1. Login to your Tiger Technologies “My Account” control panel (having trouble?).
  2. If your account is a Web hosting account, click Domain Name Options.
  3. Click Edit DNS Zone.
  4. Click Add New Entry.
  5. Choose TXT record and click Continue.
  6. Make sure TXT record for example.com is selected, and click Continue.
  7. Enter v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:tigertech.net ~all into the “TXT data” field. Leave the “TTL” set as the default. If desired, you can enter a comment in the “Optional Note” field. Then click Save to save the values.

Creating a DKIM record

Google also recommends that you create a DKIM record if you use their email service.

These instructions are for Google's recommended settings. Google occasionally tells people to use different settings; if so, use the ones Google tells you.

  1. Login to your Tiger Technologies “My Account” control panel (having trouble?).
  2. If your account is a Web hosting account, click Domain Name Options.
  3. Click Edit DNS Zone.
  4. Click Add New Entry.
  5. Choose TXT record and click Continue.
  6. Make sure TXT record for a sub-level of example.com is selected, type google._domainkey in the box, and click Continue.
  7. Enter the value Google gave you into the “TXT data” field (it should start with “v=DKIM1”). Leave the “TTL” set as the default. If desired, you can enter a comment in the “Optional Note” field. Then click Save to save the values.

Creating a DMARC record

Google also recommends that you create a DMARC record if you use their email service.

These instructions are for Google's recommended settings. Google occasionally tells people to use different settings; if so, use the ones Google tells you.

  1. Login to your Tiger Technologies “My Account” control panel (having trouble?).
  2. If your account is a Web hosting account, click Domain Name Options.
  3. Click Edit DNS Zone.
  4. Click Add New Entry.
  5. Choose TXT record and click Continue.
  6. Make sure TXT record for a sub-level of example.com is selected, type _dmarc in the box, and click Continue.
  7. Enter the value Google gave you into the “TXT data” field (it should start with “v=DMARC1”). Leave the “TTL” set as the default. If desired, you can enter a comment in the “Optional Note” field. Then click Save to save the values.

Verifying your email DNS records

After you have created the MX and SPF records as described above, you can run a tool provided by Google called "CheckMX" to verify that you have entered the correct values.

To verify your domain's MX and SPF records:

  1. Go to https://toolbox.googleapps.com/apps/checkmx/
  2. Enter example.com in the domain name text box, and click Run checks!.

The tool will take about a minute and then display a report showing any problems that it found with your domain's DNS setup.

You may need to wait 15 minutes after changing your DNS records until the CheckMX tool sees the new values.

Creating a custom Web address

You can create custom Web addresses (hostnames) to use with Google Workspace services that make it quicker and easier to login. To do this:

  1. Login to your Tiger Technologies “My Account” control panel (having trouble?).
  2. If your account is a Web hosting account, click Domain Name Options.
  3. Click Edit DNS Zone.
  4. Click Add New Entry.
  5. Choose CNAME record and click Continue.
  6. Enter a hostname that you want to use (e.g., you might want to use mail.example.com for the Google Workspace mail service).
  7. For the CNAME target, enter: ghs.google.com
  8. Leave the “TTL” set to 30 minutes. If desired, you can enter a comment in the “Optional Note” field. Then click Save to save the values.

Then follow these instructions to configure Google Workspace to work with the custom domain name that you chose (you've already completed the part about creating a CNAME record).

Can I point just one address at the Google Workspace mail servers and leave other addresses with Tiger Technologies?

The way that Google Workspace works requires that you point all email for the domain name at their servers, and that they manage all the addresses involved with it. So it’s all or nothing: It’s not possible to use it for just a single address at a domain name with the other addresses remaining with us.

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