Website & Email with Custom Domain
Buy a domain, point DNS records to Pixelbase, set up team mailboxes, and lock down email deliverability with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Register a domain (through Pixelbase or any registrar). Add A, CNAME, MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC records. Verify in Pixelbase. Provision team mailboxes. The whole thing takes 15 minutes of work plus DNS propagation time. If you want to build the actual site, see our Build a Website guide.
Step 1: Get a domain
Easiest path
Register through Pixelbase Domains — all records auto-configured for our nameservers, SSL provisioned automatically, no transfer dance.
Existing GoDaddy / Namecheap / Cloudflare
Keep your registrar. Either point nameservers at Pixelbase (simplest) or manage individual DNS records in your registrar's control panel.
Step 2: Add the DNS records
Pixelbase shows your exact values in the domain dashboard. The structure looks like this:
@Pixelbase IPwwwyourdomain.com@mx.pixelbase.app@v=spf1 include:pixelbase.app ~allpxb._domainkeyv=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=..._dmarcv=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.comWhy SPF, DKIM, and DMARC matter
Gmail and Microsoft tightened sender requirements in 2024 — without all three records properly aligned, your emails go straight to spam (or get rejected entirely).
- SPF tells receivers which servers are authorized to send mail for your domain. Without it, spammers can spoof your domain.
- DKIMcryptographically signs each outbound message so receivers can verify it wasn't tampered with.
- DMARC ties SPF + DKIM together and tells receivers what to do with messages that fail (reject, quarantine, or just report).
Step 3: Provision mailboxes
- Personal mailboxes for each team member:
you@yourdomain.com - Role aliasesthat don't consume a seat:
hello@,support@,billing@— forward to one or more real mailboxes - Shared inboxes for team collaboration on customer-facing addresses
- Catch-all
*@yourdomain.comif you want to capture typos — beware spam volume
Migrating DNS from another host
The cutover sequence to avoid downtime
- Lower TTL 24+ hours in advance to 300 seconds so changes propagate fast.
- Add the new records first alongside the old ones (where the record type allows it).
- Verify in Pixelbase before removing the old records.
- Cut over A and MX records on a low-traffic day (typically a weekend morning).
- Wait 48 hours before deleting old mailboxes in case any mail is in transit during propagation.
DNS propagation
Typically 5 minutes to 4 hours, occasionally up to 48 hours globally. Pixelbase verifies records every minute and notifies you the moment everything is live.
SSL certificate
Auto-provisioned and renewed via Let's Encrypt. HTTPS works automatically as soon as your A record points to Pixelbase. No manual cert management.
Common mistakes when migrating DNS
Forgetting to lower TTL before the change.
Old high TTLs (3600s+) mean visitors hit your old server for up to an hour after you update. Lower it 24+ hours in advance.
Deleting the old MX records before mail propagates.
Mail in flight can bounce. Keep both MX records active for 48 hours overlap if possible (priority matters — lower number = preferred).
Too-strict SPF that excludes your other senders.
If you use a separate transactional sender, marketing tool, or accountant's system, include all in one SPF record. Multiple SPF records on the same domain fail validation.
Skipping DMARC because it's "optional."
Major providers now require it for bulk senders. Even small senders see deliverability gains.
Using your registrar's "email forwarding" for important mail.
Registrar forwarders break SPF alignment and often get caught in spam. Use real Pixelbase mailboxes or proper aliases.
Tools for checking propagation
dig yourdomain.com+short — query specific record types from the command linednschecker.org— see propagation across global DNS resolversmxtoolbox.com— verify MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC + check blacklists- Pixelbase Domains dashboard — live validation of all required records
DNS isn't magic — it's cache
DNS resolvers cache records based on TTL. If you change a record, anyone who looked it up recently still sees the old value until their cache expires. There's no global "invalidate" button. Lower TTLs make changes faster — but plan ahead.
Domain + Email + SSL in one place.
Pixelbase Domains: register or transfer your domain, manage DNS, provision team mailboxes, and get SSL automatically. All records auto-validated. Email deliverability tuned out of the box.