Config Archives · Thesis Hosting

SPF Records for Google Apps Email

If you’re using Google Apps for email–and it’s a solid choice with lots of storage space, spam management tools and integration with other free services–after creating the appropriate DNS records to route your email, you’ll want to add an SPF Record. This ensures better email delivery and prevents vile spammers from forging their spam as having come from you!

Some domain registrars give you adequate tools to add an SPF record directly, but if not, it’s simple enough to add it directly in WHM. ((Thanks to this helpful article on Tech Talk Point.))

You’re using the “Edit Zone” command; select the zone for the domain in question, and add a new text record.

Google Apps Mail SPF

Use domain.com. (keeping period at the end intact) as the entry, and the code below for the text part of the record (keeping quotes intact).

"v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"

See? That didn’t hurt much.

Parking a Domain on top of An Addon Domain (cPanel)

Parking a domain on top of an addon domain in cPanel can be a quick, easy way to change the domain on a site without mussing with files or database connections and the like. If you’re using a database-driven site, however, be sure to make the relevant changes to the database. ((Thanks to Hostgator Support for this helpful info.))

Login to cPanel and click Addon Domains–and not parked domains.
In the field to the right of “New Domain Name,” type the domain name you wish to park on top of your addon domain
Click outside the text box and your other settings will populate.
Under “Document Root:” remove everything except “public_html”
Look down to your current addon domain and its “Document Root” – normally a folder named after the original domain.
Take the “Document Root” and insert it in the field to the right of “Document Root:” at the top.
Insert any password in the password field. (You won’t need to remember this password, so just use the Generate Password button.)
Click Add Domain

Addon Vs. Parked Domains in cPanel

Where is the info for Addon Domains stored in Apached? Parked domains? cPanel Docs gives us an answer:

	Addon Domains	Parked Domains
Main domain appears in the address bar	Yes	No
Apache directive used	VirtualHost	ServerAlias
Separate logs	Yes	No
Separate stats	Yes	No
Treated as a subdomain (other than URL)	Yes	No
Ideal for multiple domains sharing the same address	No	Yes

Deleting an addon domain won’t delete the files or databases associated with that domain. A parked domain, of course, won’t have files or databases associated with it.

Default New Account Address of Server IP/~username Not Working?

If you cannot access your sites via http://ipaddress/~username (usually used as a temporary address pending domain propagation for new hosting clients), check that the Apache module mod_userdir, if enabled, has an exception configured for the default virtual host.

End transmission.

cPanel /WHM Server Default Parking Page

To set up a default parking page for cPanel/WHM server, you need to place your default files in the proper place.

Check /usr/local/apache/htdocs for when a domain resolves to your server but does not actually exist in the Apache configuration file. If you just need a park page set up you can place it in that directory and name it index.php, index.html, etc.

As always, your configuration may vary.

WHM SSL Certificiates

You can install regular SSL certificates to replace the self-signed copies that come with WHM (and therefore eliminate error warnings the customers receive using Webmail, cPanel, etc.).

In WHM to install your cert for WHM/cPanel services, you will need to use the link “Manage Service SSL Certificates” under Service configuration in your WHM. This will allow you to install certificates to different services such as mail and WHM.

These SSL Certificates won’t require a unique IP address because they are stored in a different area that the other security certificates.