How to Change DNS Settings at Combell: Set Up DMARC, SPF & DKIM

January 6, 2025 · DMARC Analyzer Pro

Step-by-step guide to configuring DMARC, SPF, and DKIM DNS records at Combell, Belgium's largest domain registrar. Protect your domain from email spoofing and improve deliverability.

Introduction

Combell is Belgium's largest domain registrar and web hosting provider, managing over 70% of all .be domains. If your domain is registered or hosted with Combell, properly configuring your DNS records for email authentication is essential to prevent email spoofing, improve deliverability, and protect your brand reputation.

In this guide, we will walk you through the complete process of adding DMARC, SPF, and DKIM records to your domain via Combell's control panel. Whether you are a business owner or IT administrator, these steps will help you secure your email infrastructure in under 15 minutes.

Why You Need DMARC, SPF, and DKIM

Email spoofing is one of the most common cyber threats facing businesses today. Without proper email authentication, attackers can send emails that appear to come from your domain, damaging your reputation and potentially defrauding your customers. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), together with SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), creates a layered defense against these attacks.

Not sure what records you need? Use the free DMARC Record Builder at https://dmarcanalyzer.pro/tools/dmarc-builder to generate the correct records for your domain before you begin.

Step 1: Log In to Your Combell Control Panel

Navigate to https://my.combell.com and sign in with your Combell account credentials. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, complete the verification step. After logging in, you will see your Combell dashboard with an overview of your products and services.

Step 2: Navigate to DNS Management

From the dashboard, click on "Domain names" in the left sidebar menu. You will see a list of all domains registered under your account. Click on the domain you want to configure. On the domain detail page, look for the "DNS" or "DNS zone" tab at the top of the page. Click on it to open the DNS zone editor.

Combell's DNS zone editor shows all existing DNS records for your domain, including A records, CNAME records, MX records, and any existing TXT records.

Step 3: Add Your SPF Record

SPF tells receiving mail servers which IP addresses and servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. To add an SPF record: Click the "Add record" button. Select "TXT" as the record type. In the "Host" or "Name" field, enter @ (or leave it blank, depending on Combell's interface -- both represent the root domain). In the "Value" or "Content" field, enter your SPF record.

A basic SPF record looks like this: v=spf1 include:spf.combell.com ~all. If you use additional email services (such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a marketing platform), you will need to include their SPF domains as well. For example: v=spf1 include:spf.combell.com include:_spf.google.com ~all. Click "Save" or "Add" to create the record.

Tip: You can only have ONE SPF record per domain. If you already have an SPF record, edit the existing one rather than creating a second one. Use the SPF Record Checker at https://dmarcanalyzer.pro/tools/spf-checker to validate your record.

Step 4: Add Your DKIM Record

DKIM adds a digital signature to your outgoing emails, allowing receiving servers to verify that the message was not tampered with in transit. Your email provider typically generates the DKIM key pair. Check with your email provider for the exact DKIM record value.

To add a DKIM record at Combell: Click "Add record" and select "TXT" as the type. In the "Host" field, enter your DKIM selector followed by ._domainkey (for example: default._domainkey or google._domainkey). In the "Value" field, paste the DKIM public key provided by your email service. The value will start with v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p= followed by a long string of characters. Click "Save" to create the record.

If you use Combell's own email hosting, DKIM may already be configured automatically. Check your existing DNS records for any entries containing _domainkey.

Step 5: Add Your DMARC Record

DMARC ties SPF and DKIM together and tells receiving servers what to do when an email fails authentication. To add a DMARC record: Click "Add record" and select "TXT" as the type. In the "Host" field, enter _dmarc (this creates the record at _dmarc.yourdomain.be). In the "Value" field, enter your DMARC policy.

For a monitoring-only start, use: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.be; ruf=mailto:dmarc-forensics@yourdomain.be; adkim=r; aspf=r. This tells receiving servers to send aggregate reports to your specified email address without rejecting any emails. Once you are confident your legitimate email is properly authenticated, you can change p=none to p=quarantine and eventually p=reject.

Do not know what DMARC policy to use? The DMARC Record Builder at https://dmarcanalyzer.pro/tools/dmarc-builder will generate the optimal record based on your needs.

Step 6: Verify Your Records

DNS changes at Combell typically propagate within 15 minutes to 1 hour, though full global propagation can take up to 24 hours. After waiting a few minutes, verify your records using the free DNS Checker tool at https://dmarcanalyzer.pro/tools/dns-checker. Enter your domain name and the tool will check all three records (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) and report any issues.

Monitor Your DMARC Reports with DMARC Analyzer Pro

Setting up DNS records is just the first step. To truly protect your domain, you need to monitor your DMARC reports continuously. DMARC Analyzer Pro (https://dmarcanalyzer.pro) automatically collects, parses, and visualizes your DMARC aggregate reports, giving you clear insight into who is sending email on behalf of your domain.

With DMARC Analyzer Pro, you get a real-time dashboard showing authentication pass/fail rates, identification of unauthorized senders, AI-powered analysis and recommendations, step-by-step guidance to move from p=none to p=reject, alerts when new unauthorized sources are detected, and full compliance reporting. Sign up for a free trial at https://dmarcanalyzer.pro/register and start monitoring your domain within minutes.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Multiple SPF records: If you see an SPF PermError, you likely have two SPF TXT records. Merge them into one. Combell's DNS editor allows you to edit existing records -- find the existing SPF record and add the new include statement to it.

DKIM record too long: Some DKIM keys exceed the 255-character limit for a single TXT string. Combell supports splitting long TXT records automatically, but if you encounter issues, try breaking the value into two quoted strings.

DMARC record not found: Make sure the host field is exactly _dmarc (not _dmarc.yourdomain.be -- Combell appends the domain automatically). Wait at least 30 minutes before testing, as DNS caching may show stale results.

Conclusion

Configuring DMARC, SPF, and DKIM at Combell is straightforward using their DNS zone editor. By following this guide, you have taken a major step toward protecting your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks. Remember to monitor your DMARC reports regularly using DMARC Analyzer Pro at https://dmarcanalyzer.pro to track progress and strengthen your email security posture over time.