Understanding MX Records - I need help

[water-works]

First. I'm totally new here.
Second. I'm fairly new to web-mastering.
Third. Found this great link here:
http://www.besthostingforums.com/13-...x-records.html

I am the lucky recipient of the job of moving our webhosting from one company to another and I'm trying to figure out some things in regards to our email. I'm hoping someone can explain some things.

I think I get the a-record thing but a bit confused on MX records. Nobody knows how our email is set up since the IT guy left. Also, nobody knows where our domain was registered. I did an MX records lookup online and it shows the following:



What does TTL (7200) stand for?
Why does it say the first server at frontbridge.com is invalid?

I realize the lower preference number means that mail will try to be routed to that server first, but if it's invalid, then do we even need it listed? I looked frontbridge.com and it says here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microso...osted_Services that it's a MS Exchange Hosted Service thing. Does that mean our email server is in-house vs. where-ever our current webhosting is at? Can someone help explain this to me?

A WHOIS on our domain turns up this:

NS99.WORLDNIC.COM 205.178.190.50
NS100.WORLDNIC.COM 206.188.198.50

So that means our current domains are registered at Network Solutions, which means we must have a login at Network Solutions? Sorry if these questions sound dumb.

What is the best DNS and MX tool out there for looking this stuff up? Some of them seem more detailed than others. Thanks in advance for any advice or direction pointing you can provide.

water-works Reviewed by water-works on 20th Aug 2012. Understanding MX Records - I need help First. I'm totally new here. Second. I'm fairly new to web-mastering. Third. Found this great link here: http://www.besthostingforums.com/13-tutorials-guides/129213-understanding-mx-records.html I am the lucky recipient of the job of moving our webhosting from one company to another and I'm trying to figure out some things in regards to our email. I'm hoping someone can explain some things. I think I get the a-record thing but a bit confused on MX records. Nobody knows how our email Rating: 5

[Lock Down]

This is the link you wanted for the MX for webhosting..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MX_record

Yes you will have one at network solutions BUT you will have a hell of a time to get that information from them unless you can prove that the account was opened by someone still on staff and that they have been paying using the company check, credit card, personal check or debit card.

So I hope you are on good terms with the old IT guy. Set up a second name on the network account to access all the dns changes that may be needed.

I just went through this with a company and the it guy tried to blackmail them $7000 to get their name and info back. Luckily all bills were paid with the company credit card and the company was licensed and had their own addresses and letterhead.

Since you didn't say the name of the company I will assume it is the ili one. And that means mail was on the server. Looks like someone might have tried frontbridge at one time.

I don't know what you mean by tools other than the ones built in the panels for your server but I use 2 simple dns record checkers.

intodns.com and network-tools.com provide me with enough to see where I messd up. :LOL:

[topcoder]

What does TTL (7200) stand for?

Time to Live in seconds, so 2 hours.

What is the best DNS and MX tool out there for looking this stuff up?

I use Unlock The Inbox it's a resource site dedicated to setting up and configuring email.

Also, nobody knows where our domain was registered.

Your domain is registered at coporatedomains.com, which you can see here in the whois lookup