Hover DNS for Business Email: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC

Hover sells email alongside domains, and that is the one thing to know before editing DNS there: while a Hover mailbox or a Hover forward exists on the domain, Hover manages the MX records itself and puts them back if you delete them. Cancel the mail product first, then the DNS tab behaves like any other editor. This guide walks through that order, the four records, and the check at the end.

Quick answer

Hover, Your Domains, click the domain. On the Email tab remove any forwards or mailboxes. Then on the DNS tab, delete the Hover MX records and add an MX with Hostname @, Target mail.oqumail.com, Priority 10, plus three TXT records at @, the DKIM selector and _dmarc. Click Verify in OquMail.

The four records

• MX: host blank or @, value mail.oqumail.com, priority 10
• SPF: TXT at the root, value v=spf1 MX (Mail Exchanger — where incoming email is delivered) a:mail.oqumail.com ~all
• DKIM: TXT at the selector name shown in your OquMail dashboard, ending in ._domainkey, with the key value from the dashboard
• DMARC: TXT at _dmarc, value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com (use your own address)

Step by step

1. Log in at hover.com, open Your Domains and click the domain.
2. Open the Email tab. If forwards or mailboxes are listed, remove the forwards and cancel the mailboxes (copy anything you need first). Hover then stops managing the MX records.
3. Open the DNS tab. Find the MX records pointing at Hover hosts and delete each one.
4. Click Add a Record. Type MX, Hostname @, Target mail.oqumail.com, Priority 10. Save.
5. Add a Record, Type TXT, Hostname @, Content v=spf1 MX (Mail Exchanger — where incoming email is delivered) a:mail.oqumail.com ~all. If a TXT starting v=spf1 exists, edit it rather than adding another.
6. Add a Record, Type TXT, Hostname the DKIM selector exactly as the OquMail dashboard shows it (ending in ._domainkey, without the domain), Content the key value.
7. Add a Record, Type TXT, Hostname _dmarc, Content v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com, using an address you read.
8. Back in the OquMail dashboard, click Verify.

Hover quirks

• MX records reappear after deletion: a forward or mailbox still exists on the Email tab. Remove it and delete the MX records again.
• Hostname @ is the root. Typing the full domain creates a doubled name.
• Hover accepts long TXT values and adds no quotes.
• Hover's Connect feature sets up DNS for a few well-known services; it does not cover custom mail providers, so use the manual records.
• If the domain uses external nameservers (Cloudflare, a web host), the DNS tab shows that and the records go at that provider instead.

Confirm it works

Click Verify in the OquMail dashboard; the live check names any record still missing or mistyped. Then run the domain through the free MX lookup, SPF checker and DMARC checker, and send a message from webmail to a Gmail address, checking Show original for spf=pass and DKIM (a digital signature that proves your email was not tampered with)=pass. Changes usually take effect within minutes, occasionally up to 48 hours.

Common questions

Will cancelling Hover mail delete my old messages?

Yes, once the mailbox is cancelled. Export them first with a desktop app over IMAP, then cancel; the backup guide shows how.

Can I keep one Hover forward?

No. Forwards need Hover's MX records, and a domain uses one set. Create the address as a group in OquMail; it delivers to up to 50 people, free.

How long until the Hover MX stops answering?

Resolvers keep the old record for its TTL, typically 15 minutes to an hour at Hover. Mail sent in that window may still reach the cancelled Hover mailbox and bounce; send a test afterwards.

Want to see how your own domain is set up? Use the free SPF checker, DMARC checker and MX lookup: they run in your browser and store nothing.