Sending from DreamHost

Heads up! If you don't know anything about sending from a custom domain or why it's important, this guide explains everything.. Read that first, then come back here to learn how to send a newsletter email from Dreamhost.

Here's how to configure Buttondown and Dreamhost:

1. From Buttondown, click Settings. The email address associated with your newsletter must match your custom sending domain. For example, if your sending domain is buttondown.xyz, your email has to be name@buttondown.xyz. name@gmail.com or name@yahoo.com won’t work. Change your email address if you need to.

1. Next, navigate to Custom domains and enter your domain name as the "Sending domain."
2. Click Save changes to generate updated DNS records.
3. In another tab, navigate to your DreamHost Control Panel. From the menu on the left, choose Domains > Manage Domains.
4. Find the domain name you are setting up with Buttondown and click DNS.

Next, add the TXT record(s).

Follow the steps below for each record that has “TXT” in the “TYPE” column:

1. Click Add Record.
2. Click the TXT box.
3. For the “Host” in DreamHost, enter everything before “.buttondown.xyz” from the Buttondown “KEY”. You can see this indicated by the pink arrow on the left in screenshot below.
4. Enter the NEEDED from Buttondown where DreamHost asks for “TXT Value”. You can see this indicated by the green arrow on the right in screenshot below.
5. Click Add Record.

Next, add the CNAME records.

Follow the steps below for each record that has “CNAME” in the “TYPE” column:

1. Click Add Record.
2. Click the CNAME box.
3. For the “Host” in DreamHost, enter everything before “.buttondown.xyz” from the Buttondown “KEY”. You can see this indicated by the pink arrow on the left in screenshot below.
4. Enter the “NEEDED” from Buttondown where DreamHost asks for “Points to”. You can see this indicated by the green arrow on the right in screenshot below.
5. Click Add Record.

1. Wait. DreamHost can take up to 24 hours to process your update.
2. After your DNS records have propagated, click Check records in Buttondown. If they return green checkmarks, you’re good to go!

Here are some tips for troubleshooting common issues with Dreamhost.

Some registrars want the entire “KEY”, but DreamHost only wants the part before “.buttondown.xyz”. If the “Host”/”Name” field for any of your DNS records in DreamHost ends with “.buttondown.xyz”, remove that part.

We know that setting up DNS records is a pain! If it's been 24 hours and you're still not seeing the records get validated in the way you expect, email us and we'd be happy to take a look!