98 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
98 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Custom Domain and Emails"
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date: "2024-10-07"
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tags:
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- DNS
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categories:
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- DIY
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---
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# What is this?
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Let's say you wanted to buy a domain like `edfig.dev`. You can host a personal blog at this address. Once you buy the domain not only can you host content but you with a bit more tinkering you can send and receive emails with the domain.
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You can email `eddie@edfig.dev` or `admin@edfig.dev` and that email will make its way to my inbox. You can set up rules to handle specific addresses too.
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You'll need to create accounts for the following:
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- Mailgun.com
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- porkbun.com
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# Setting it up
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---
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## 1. The Domain
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---
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You can buy a domain from any regitrar, I recommend [PorkBun](https://porkbun.com/) or [Cloudflare](https://www.cloudflare.com/products/registrar/). I'll be using Porkbun for this discussion.
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Pricing will depend on the name and what TLD (the `@something.com` part). I occasionly run into issues with sites not recognizing `eddie@fig.systems` as a valid email address because it's a lesser known domain.
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Once you have it you can enter DNS records to to where you host stuff or start using it for email.
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---
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## 2. The Email
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---
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Email is one of those things you shouldn't host yourself, it's very annoying. But luckily there's services out there that take care of most of the hassle. [MailGun](https://www.mailgun.com/) and [SendGrid](https://sendgrid.com/en-us) are two such services. I'll be using Mailgun here.
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With Malgun I can:
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- Receive emails at custom email addresses with my domain
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- Route those emails based on rules
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- - e.g. Emails sent to `no-rreply@edfig.dev` are completely dropped
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- Send emails AS those email addresses through gmail
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- - Receive an email at `admin@edfig.dev` at my regular gmail account and reply as `admin@fig.systems`
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- Use their API to programmaticaly send emails
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- Use their SMTP servers to send as custom email addresses
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- - My self hosted services send notification emails as `no-reply@fig.systems` or as `service_name@fig.systems`
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---
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## 3. Setting up DNS
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---
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1. Buy a domain at porkbun.
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Pick your favorite. I'll be using `figgy.foo` for this, there was a good deal on it.
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2. Log into Mailgun
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- Go to Send -> Sending -> Domains
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- Click on "Add New Domain"
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- Add `figgy.foo`, leave the rest blank, click Add Domain
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3. Add DNS records to porkbun.
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You'll be provided with records for sending, receiving, and tracking.
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In Porkbun Domain Management select `DNS` when you hover over your new domain.
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Copy the entries over. Make sure the Types match and that you leave off the `figgy.foo` portion in the `host` field in porkbun. Anything you add in the host field will automatically append your domain to the end of it. If the field is just `figgy.foo` then the host field blank.
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Copy all the Value fields from Mailgun to the Answer field in Porkbun and then click on Verify at the top right. You should see the status change to Active.
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This is what your records in porkbun should look like.
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---
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## 4. Setting up Mailgun
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---
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### Routing emails.
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1. Go to Send -> Receiving and Create a Route.
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2. Expression Type -> Match Recepient
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- Enter `admin@figgy.foo`
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3. Enable Forward and fill in your personal address. For me that'd be my normal gmail address.
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4. Set priority to 50 so you have space to add future routes before or after this route.
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5. Add a simple description like "send to gmail" and Create the Route.
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At the free teir you can only have 5 routes total. I only use the following:
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1. Match `no-reply@figgy.foo`, Store and Notify and Stop processing.
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2. Match `family@figgy.foo`, forward that email to multiple family members.
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- Useful for events and family plans.
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3. Match `Kindle@figgy.foo`, forward to my custom [Amazon provided](https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle/email) kindle email address for sending epubs/pdfs.
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- much friendlier address than what they make for you.
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4. A catch all final route that just forwards to my personal address.
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Number 4 is where most of the magic and utility of setting all this up happens. I can give out unlimited custom email address and I'll know who sent them by the address. That is if I give out `businessName@fig.systems` I can later use that in gmail to filter, block, or search for anything related to that business. I can even see who sold my info if I start getting spam from that address.
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