Step 1: have a domain
If you already have a website you already have a domain; email can be added to it without touching the site. If not, register one with any registrar (.co.zm domains are registered through ZICTA-accredited registrars; international domains through any registrar). You will need to be able to edit the domain's DNS records or its nameservers.
Step 2: create the workspace
Sign up with the domain and an administrator address. ontechmail immediately creates:
- the organisation workspace and admin login;
- a catch-all mailbox that receives mail to any address on the domain that has no mailbox of its own;
- a DKIM key pair for the domain, used to sign everything you send.
Step 3: publish the DNS records
The dashboard lists each record with a copy button and step-by-step instructions for common registrars. There are two ways to publish them:
Keep DNS at your registrar
Add the four records in the registrar's DNS panel. Suits domains that already have a website elsewhere.
Host DNS on ontechmail
Point the domain at ns1.ontech.co.zm and ns2.ontech.co.zm. The email records are seeded automatically and you manage the rest in the DNS panel.
| Record | Purpose | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| MX | Tells senders which server receives mail for the domain. This is the record that switches email on. | MX records |
| SPF (TXT) | Lists the servers allowed to send mail for the domain. | SPF |
| DKIM (TXT) | Publishes the public key that verifies ontechmail's signature on your mail. | DKIM |
| DMARC (TXT) | Tells receivers what to do with mail that fails the checks, and where to send reports. | DMARC |
Order matters if you are migrating. Publish SPF, DKIM and DMARC first, create and test the mailboxes, and change the MX record last. Until the MX record changes, your current provider keeps receiving mail.
Step 4: verification
ontechmail re-checks the domain's DNS on a schedule. The moment the MX record resolves to ontechmail the domain is marked verified and inbound delivery starts; there is no button to press. DNS changes usually propagate within minutes, occasionally a few hours, depending on the old records' TTL.
Step 5: mailboxes and clients
Create a mailbox per person or role. Then connect however you like:
- Webmail at mail.ontech.co.zm, no setup.
- OMail app on Android or iPhone; scan the QR code in webmail to sign in.
- Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird via IMAP on port 993 and SMTP on 465 or 587. Autoconfig and autodiscover are published, so most clients need only the address and password.
- Applications via the REST API or SMTP submission with a mailbox's credentials; see developers.
Common problems
- Mail still goes to the old host. The old MX record is cached; wait for its TTL to expire, or lower the TTL a day before switching.
- Two SPF records. A domain may have only one. Merge the ontechmail include into the existing record instead of adding a second.
- DKIM record rejected by the registrar. Some panels split long TXT values; paste the value exactly as shown, and check with the dashboard's re-check.
- Sent mail lands in spam. Usually a missing or misaligned SPF or DMARC record; the DMARC guide explains alignment.
Frequently asked questions
What is a custom domain email address?
A custom domain email address uses a domain you own after the @ sign, for example sales@yourcompany.co.zm, instead of a shared provider domain. You control who gets addresses on it and can move it between hosts without changing the address.
How long does it take to set up email on my domain?
Creating the workspace takes a minute. The DNS records you publish at your registrar typically propagate within minutes to a few hours; ontechmail re-checks automatically and switches the domain on as soon as the MX record points at it.
Can I have unlimited addresses on my domain?
Plans set the number of mailboxes. A catch-all mailbox accepts mail to any address on the domain that has no mailbox of its own, which covers aliases such as info@ or billing@ without creating a mailbox for each.
Will my old mail be affected?
No. Nothing changes at your current provider until you switch the MX record. Ontech also offers an IMAP import to copy existing mail across when you migrate.