Other than my new Linode I have a managed dedicated server (cpanel) which I am trying to use it as a mail server.

I have tried different MX record combinations with Linode DNS Manager and setup a test account on my (cpanel) dedicated server.

Linode domain: linotest.com (the actual domain resolves and is active on my Linode)

This is an example of my setup:
Linode DNS manager MX settings:

dedi.catedserver.com 0
ns1.dedidomain.com 10
ns2.dedidomain.com 10
mail.linotest.com 10

For Cpanel dedi setup I created an account for linotest.com and a test mail address plus forwarding.... However, so far my 'test' email is only showing up in the Cpanel dedi webmail (squirrel)... Email will not forward or download on any mail client.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thank you,
Roger

It looks like you're putting nameservers (ns1.dedidomain.com ns2.dedidomain.com) into the Linode DNS. What for?

If mail.linotest.com is the only mail server you're setting up, it should be the only MX entry.

Without experience with multiple hosts on one domain, it looks to me like you would need to set an A record for mail.linotest.com pointing to the cpanel IP, then set the MX record for mail.linotest.com to use that subdomain. Don't take my word for it, though, since I don't have any experience with that except to say that one name server should need to point to another.

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Kris the Piki Geeker

Thanks Piki,

Got me on the right track...

Setup A record as suggested.

And for MX record I used:
dedi.catedserver.com 0
mail.linotest.com 10

Works!

Roger

Are you sure you want mail.linotest.com as a backup mail exchanger for your domain? It will, generally speaking, receive any mail when dedi.catedserver.com cannot be reached. Nowadays, this is somewhat redundant, but if dedi.catedserver.com is unreliable, this can be handy.

You must make sure that mail.linotest.com is not set to locally deliver linotest.com, and that it is set to accept linotest.com mail for relaying. Forgetting the former will cause mail to disappear into a black hole randomly; forgetting the latter will cause it to hard-bounce when it would otherwise just be delayed slightly.

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/* TODO: need to add signature to posts */

I could not get it to be consistent and so decided to install Postfix/Dovecot on my Linode... working

Fascinating learning curve,

Thank you both,
Roger