# Can email and a website for a single domain be hosted separately?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 18, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716 "2009-12-18T05:02:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716/1 "2009-12-18T05:02:24Z")

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I am about to design a website for somebody, and found a great CMS/host for the site, but they’re already using their domain for their email on a different host (in a different country).

Can I apply only the part of the domain I need to hosting the website, while letting their email host remain doing their thing, or does it always come in a package deal; i.e. cue major swapover hassle?

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716/2 "2009-12-18T05:19:17Z")

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Yes. Email is routed to the MX record for the domain. That record is independent of the main zone record and any subdomains you may define.

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716/3 "2009-12-18T06:20:48Z")

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Here are instructions on how and where to change MX records:

> **[Activate Gmail for Google Workspace - Google Workspace Admin Help](https://support.google.com/a/answer/140034?visit_id=638299797433455838-2095177483&rd=1)**
>
> Tell the internet where to deliver your company's email messagesThis article is for people who manage Google services or devices for a company, school, or group. If you're using a personal (@gmail.com

(these instructions are specific to switching to Google Apps for Mail, but it will give you a good idea of what to do. Use the same steps, except use the mail server address for your specific host)

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716/4 "2009-12-19T05:58:21Z")

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I don’t want to change the MX Records, they’re the part that ought to remain as the status quo. I want to apply the, thus far unused, website part, which I assume is HTTP or some such.

I trust **friedo’s** information, so I will continue as planned.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2009, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-email-and-a-website-for-a-single-domain-be-hosted-separately/521716/5 "2009-12-19T09:19:54Z")

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Yeah, what **friedo** says is right.

Depending on your setup, you need to change your records from the control panel of your domain registrar/host. Set the A record to your new website host.

For example, the DNS servers will point to your existing domain registrar or host:

[ns1.yourdomainhost.com](http://ns1.yourdomainhost.com)  
[ns2.yourdomainhost.com](http://ns2.yourdomainhost.com)  
[ns3.yourdomainhost.com](http://ns3.yourdomainhost.com)

The MX records will point to your existing host.

And your A records should be changed to point to your new website host.

e.g.

A Record entries:

DOMAIN | IP ADDRESS  
[yourdomain.com](http://yourdomain.com) | XX.XX.XX.XX  
[www.yourdomain.com](http://www.yourdomain.com) | XX.XX.XX.XX  
[subdomain.yourdomain.com](http://subdomain.yourdomain.com) | XX.XX.XX.XX

If you need step-by-step instructions, let us know.