How to Setup Your Domain for Microsoft Office 365 & Microsoft Exchange Online

How can I configure my domain with Microsoft Office 365 or Microsoft Exchange Online?

In this article we’ll explain how you can connect your DomainsFoundry domain to your Microsoft Office 365 for Business or Microsoft Exchange Online plan. We’ll show you how to verify your domain and configure the DNS settings so you can start sending and receiving email as well as using the Office apps online.

Before you start you’ll need:

1. To Register a domain
2. To purchase an Office 365 Business Premium plan or Exchange Online plan from the Microsoft store

Step 1: Add your domain to Office 365

Use the steps below to add your DomainsFoundry domain to Office 365 and verify your ownership by adding a TXT record.

  1. Log in to the Office 365 admin center.
  2. Click Setup > Domains
  3. On the Domains page, click Add domain
  4. Enter your DomainsFoundry domain name, eg mydomainname.com, and click Next
  5. Copy the TXT value provided. It will appear similar to MS=ms12345678
  6. Log in to your DomainsFoundry Dashboard
  7. Click Domains > Select your domain name
  8. Click Domain Tools > DNS Management
  9. Click the arrow next to Add Record and select Add TXT Record
  10. Enter the following:
    Name: mydomain.com. Replace this with your domain name
    Record: MS=ms12345678 This is an example. Use the TXT value Microsoft provided you
  11. Click Add Record
  12. Now you have added your TXT record via your DomainsFoundry Dashboard go back to the Office 365 Admin Center and click Verify
  13. Microsoft will verify your domain. When it completes, click Next. Please note it may take up to 15 minutes for your new TXT record to publish around the web, so if Office 365 does not verify immediately wait and retry later.

We can’t provide support for third party services. steps are also available on Microsoft Office Support.

Step 2: Update DNS Settings

There are two options:

  • Option 1: Set up my online services for me – Use this option if you do not have a website or do not plan on adding a website later.
  • Option 2: I’ll manage my own DNS records – Use this option if you have a website or plan on adding a site.

Option 1 – Set up my online services for me by changing Nameservers steps:

  1. Log in to your DomainsFoundry Dashboard
  2. Click Domains > Select your domain name
  3. Click Edit Nameservers
  4. Select Use custom nameservers
  5. Enter the following name servers:
    • ns1.bdm.microsoftonline.com
    • ns2.bdm.microsoftonline.com
    • ns3.bdm.microsoftonline.com
    • ns4.bdm.microsoftonline.com
  6. Click Save Changes

Your domain’s name servers are updated immediately, however it may take up to 48 hours for the change to publish around the web.

Option 2 – I’ll manage my own DNS records steps:

  1. Log in to your DomainsFoundry Dashboard
  2. Click Domains > Select your domain name
  3. Click Domain Tools > DNS Management
  4. Select filter: MX
  5. Click Edit next to the existing record
  6. Change the following:
    Priority: 0
    Destination: Enter the MX record Microsoft have provided. It will be similar to example-com.mail.protection.outlook.com
  7. Click Save Record
  8. Select filter: CNAME
  9. Click the arrow next to Add Record and select Add CNAME Record
  10. Enter the following:
    Name: autodiscover.example.com. – replace example.com with your domain
    Record: autodiscover.outlook.com.
  11. Click Save Record
  12. Repeat steps 9-11 to add the following CNAME records:
    • Name: sip.example.com. – Record: sipdir.online.lync.com
    • Name: lyncdiscover.example.com. – Record: webdir.online.lync.com
    • Name: msoid.example.com. – Record: clientconfig.microsoftonline-p.net
    • Name: enterpriseregistration.example.com. – Record: enterpriseregistration.windows.net
    • Name: enterpriseenrollment.example.com. – Record: enterpriseenrollment.manage.microsoft.com
  13. Select filter: TXT
  14. Click the arrow next to Add Record and select Add TXT Record
  15. Enter the following:
    Name: example.com. – replace example.com with your domain
    Record: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all
  16. Click Save Record
  17. Select filter: SRV
  18. Click the arrow next to Add Record and select Add SRV Record
  19. Enter the following:
    Name: _sip._tls.example.com. – replace example.com with your domain
    Priority: 100
    Weight: 1
    Port: 443
    Target: sipdir.online.lync.com
  20. Click Save Record
  21. Click the arrow next to Add Record and select Add SRV Record
  22. Enter the following:
    Name: _sipfederationtls._tcp.example.com. – replace example.com with your domain
    Priority: 100
    Weight: 1
    Port: 5061
    Target: sipfed.online.lync.com
  23. Click Save Record
  24. Return to the Microsoft Office 365 Admin Center and click Verify. Click Finish.