Configuring CNAME *and* MX Records?

[ogg...@gmail.com]

I registered my domain with Namecheap. Switching my app to GAE, I
moved by nameservers to the default Namecheap ones. Then I set up a
CNAME record so that the host name '@' refers to 'ghs.google.com'.
This worked great. Then, I wanted my email to work, so I went to set
up my MX records. I followed Google's instructions, and despite
waiting well over 48 hours, email did not work.

I emailed Namecheap support and they told me that it is impossible to
have a CNAME record for '@' and to have MX records for '@'. This is
unacceptable.

They said the ONLY thing to do was create a framed redirect from '@'
to the 'www' hostname, and then set up the CNAME on 'www' and MX
records on '@'. I do NOT want to access my site at http://www.example.com
and certainly do not want a framed redirect (what is this, 1999?).

Is there anyway to do this? Surely others have wanted to set up a GAE
app and Google email on the same domain...

If it is a problem with namecheap, I would transfer instantly to
godaddy or whomever this works properly with.

Thanks a lot!

[ade]

I've got the exact same problem too. I would appreciate if anyone can
give any solution for this.

[Ross Karchner]

I'd love for someone to correct me if I'm wrong, but CNAME's and A records are the only things relevant to GAE, right?

If you're messing with MX records, then (assuming what your trying to do is use gmail on "Google Apps for my domain"), this is probably what you want:

http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=69003&topic=14584

But it's off-topic on this mailing list, further questions about email setup belong in this discussion group: http://groups.google.com/group/apps-discuss

[ogg...@gmail.com]

On Sep 5, 9:31 am, "Ross M Karchner" <rosskarch...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'd love for someone to correct me if I'm wrong, but CNAME's and A records
> are the only things relevant to GAE, right?

Well, let me go ahead then (and hopefully you will love this): you ARE
wrong. Google App Engine is about the deployment of your application,
including on your domain, if you so choose. An integral part of my
application is to be able to receive emailed feedback from my users.
Thus I have a problem with APP ENGINE when the requirements for DNS
setup for APP ENGINE conflict with that of another Google product
(Google's mail service for your domain). If, for example, CNAME
records did NOT conflict with MX records, then this wouldn't be a
Google problem.

> If you're messing with MX records, then (assuming what your trying to do is
> use gmail on "Google Apps for my domain"), this is probably what you want:
>
> http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=69003&topic=14584

You're right, I am trying to use Google Apps for my domain. The
unfortunate part is that you only read the title, saw the MX records,
and hit REPLY instead of actually reading the message. I have been to
that page countless times and, in fact, I not only have it bookmarked,
but I have also emailed it to my DNS host's page. I am well aware of
its existence, have followed the steps, and the problem is with a
conflict between the MX record setup defined there and the CNAME setup
required by Google App Engine (*ahem* so it is relevant).

> But it's off-topic on this mailing list, further questions about email setup
> belong in this discussion group:http://groups.google.com/group/apps-discuss

See above.

> On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 2:25 AM, ade <a.wirayu...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I've got the exact same problem too. I would appreciate if anyone can
> > give any solution for this.
>

[Ross Karchner]

On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 5:25 PM, ogg...@gmail.com <ogg...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sep 5, 9:31 am, "Ross M Karchner" <rosskarch...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'd love for someone to correct me if I'm wrong, but CNAME's and A records
> are the only things relevant to GAE, right?

Well, let me go ahead then (and hopefully you will love this): you ARE
wrong. Google App Engine is about the deployment of your application,
including on your domain, if you so choose. An integral part of my
application is to be able to receive emailed feedback from my users.
Thus I have a problem with APP ENGINE when the requirements for DNS
setup for APP ENGINE conflict with that of another Google product
(Google's mail service for your domain). If, for example, CNAME
records did NOT conflict with MX records, then this wouldn't be a
Google problem.

I see what you're getting at-- but it's not so much any sort of conflict, and more poor documentation on Google's part.

example.com ("@") can never be a CNAME, but it's not really relevant anymore since GAE no longer apparently supports 'naked domains':

http://code.google.com/appengine/kb/commontasks.html#naked_domain

"""Due to recent changes, App Engine no longer supports mapping your app to a naked domain. If your domain registrar supports URL redirects, you can redirect from http://yourdomain.com to e.g http://www.yourdomain.com or http://appid.yourdomain.com.

For instructions on how to configure a redirect for your Google Apps domain, please see the Google Apps FAQ on URL forwarding (redirection)."""

so, the best you can do is CNAME www.example.com to ghs.google.com , and hope namecheap offers some sort redirection so that just 'example.com' works.

Then you should have no problem adding the MX records described in the support article.

[ogg...@gmail.com]

> I see what you're getting at-- but it's not so much any sort of conflict,
> and more poor documentation on Google's part.

Actually, after reading your message, I have yet another correction
here: it was not so much a lack of documentation as my inability to
find it. That FAQ entry directly answers my question. In fact, I
thought the majority of websites handled domains without the www, but
running some quick tests (yahoo, google, msn) shows me now that almost
all sites actually do redirect to the url with the www. It must be
because I am so used to typing it without the www!

But anyway, that does fix it. I appreciate the help, Ross.

[MyKellySue]

I feel your pain!