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CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)NetworkingMedium

A technician needs to configure a DNS record so that email sent to a company's domain is correctly routed to the organization's mail server. Which type of DNS record should be configured?

  1. APTR record
  2. BCNAME record
  3. CMX record
  4. DA record
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C. MX record

An MX (Mail Exchange) record specifies the mail server responsible for accepting email on behalf of a domain, including priority values when multiple mail servers exist.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. A PTR record is used for reverse DNS lookups, mapping IP addresses to hostnames.
  • B. A CNAME record creates an alias pointing one hostname to another hostname.
  • D. An A record maps a hostname to an IPv4 address but doesn't specify mail routing.

MX Record

An MX (Mail Exchange) record in DNS specifies which mail server should receive email for a given domain, along with a priority value for multiple servers.

  • Lower priority number = higher preference for mail delivery
  • Points to a hostname, which must resolve via an A record
  • Multiple MX records allow for backup mail servers

Memory trick: MX = 'Mail eXpress' — routes your email home.

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