Cara Melakukan Update SPF dan DKIM di cPanel

Pengenalan Email Deliverability di cPanel

Email deliverability adalah kemampuan email Anda untuk sampai ke inbox penerima, bukan masuk ke folder spam atau ditolak. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) dan DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adalah dua komponen penting yang meningkatkan email deliverability dengan memverifikasi bahwa email yang dikirim dari domain Anda adalah legitimate.

Ingin tahu lebih dalam? Baca pembahasan lengkap tentang Fungsi SPF dan DKIM untuk Autentikasi Email.

cPanel menyediakan tool Email Deliverability yang mem makes setup dan update SPF dan DKIM records sangat mudah, bahkan untuk users yang tidak familiar dengan DNS configuration.

Mengapa Update SPF dan DKIM Important?

Tanpa SPF dan DKIM yang proper:

• 📧 Email Anda masuk spam folder
• ❌ Email ditolak oleh recipient servers
• ⚠️ Domain reputation rusak
• 🎣 Domain Anda bisa digunakan untuk phishing

Dengan SPF dan DKIM yang configured dengan baik:

• ✅ Email sampai ke inbox
• 🔒 Email terverifikasi sebagai authentic
• 📈 Higher email open rates
• 🛡️ Domain protected dari spoofing

Cara Update SPF dan DKIM di cPanel

Langkah 1: Login ke cPanel

1. Akses cPanel Anda melalui browser
   • URL format: https://yourdomain.com/cpanel atau https://yourdomain.com:2083
2. Masukkan username dan password cPanel
3. Klik "Log in"

Langkah 2: Navigasi ke Email Deliverability

Setelah login, ada beberapa cara untuk access Email Deliverability:

Method 1: Via Search

1. Di cPanel dashboard, gunakan search bar di pojok kanan atas
2. Ketik "email deliverability" atau "deliverability"
3. Klik hasil "Email Deliverability"

Method 2: Via Menu

1. Scroll ke bagian "EMAIL" section di cPanel
2. Cari dan klik icon "Email Deliverability"

Langkah 3: Pilih Domain untuk Update

Pada halaman Email Deliverability, Anda akan melihat:

Domain List dengan Status Indicators:

• ✅ Valid - SPF/DKIM sudah configured dengan benar
• ⚠️ Warning - Ada issue yang perlu attention
• ❌ Invalid atau Missing - Records tidak ada atau salah

Informasi yang ditampilkan:

• Domain name
• Status (Valid, Warning, atau Invalid)
• Issues Found (jika ada)
• Manage button

Pilih Domain:

• Locate domain yang ingin Anda update SPF/DKIM-nya
• Klik tombol "Manage" di sebelah domain tersebut

Langkah 4: Review Email Deliverability Status

Setelah klik Manage, Anda akan masuk ke detail page yang menampilkan:

A. SPF Record Status

SPF Section menampilkan:

• Current SPF record (jika sudah ada)
• Status: Valid ✅ atau Problems detected ⚠️
• Suggested fix (jika ada issues)

Common SPF Issues:

• No SPF record found - SPF belum di-setup
• SPF record invalid - Syntax error
• Too many DNS lookups - SPF record terlalu complex
• SPF doesn't include server IP - Server tidak di-authorize

B. DKIM Record Status

DKIM Section menampilkan:

• DKIM status: Enabled atau Disabled
• Selector name (biasanya default)
• Public key status
• DNS record status

Common DKIM Issues:

• DKIM not enabled - DKIM belum diaktifkan
• DNS record missing - Public key belum dipublish ke DNS
• DNS record mismatch - Public key di DNS tidak match

Langkah 5: Install/Update SPF Record

Pada SPF section, Anda akan melihat opsi untuk fix issues:

Scenario A: Domain Menggunakan Nameserver cPanel (Default)

Jika domain Anda menggunakan nameserver dari hosting provider (paling umum):

1. Review Suggested SPF Record

   • cPanel otomatis generates SPF record yang optimal
   • Record biasanya terlihat seperti:

     v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:SERVER_IP ~all

2. Klik "Install the suggested record" atau "Install Suggested SPF Record"

Screenshot Install Suggested Record

3. Confirm Installation

   • cPanel akan otomatis add SPF TXT record ke DNS
   • Proses usually instant

4. Verification

   • Status akan berubah menjadi ✅ Valid
   • Refresh page untuk melihat updated status

Scenario B: Domain Menggunakan Nameserver Pihak Ketiga

Jika domain Anda menggunakan custom nameservers (misalnya Cloudflare, Route53, dll):

1. Copy Suggested SPF Record

   • cPanel menampilkan suggested record value
   • Klik "Copy" atau manually select dan copy text

   Example SPF Record:

   v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:203.0.113.10 ~all

2. Login ke DNS Provider

   • Access DNS management di provider Anda (Cloudflare, Namecheap, dll)
   • Navigate ke DNS records page untuk domain

3. Add atau Update TXT Record

   Jika SPF record belum ada:

   • Klik "Add Record"
   • Type: TXT
   • Name: @ (atau leave blank untuk root domain)
   • Value: paste SPF record dari cPanel
   • TTL: Auto atau 3600
   • Save

   Jika SPF record sudah ada:

   • Locate existing SPF TXT record
   • Click "Edit"
   • Update value dengan suggested record dari cPanel
   • Save changes

4. Wait for DNS Propagation

   • Changes bisa memakan waktu 1-48 jam untuk fully propagate
   • Typically 15-30 minutes

Langkah 6: Enable dan Update DKIM

DKIM setup lebih involved karena requires key generation:

A. Enable DKIM (Jika Belum Enabled)

1. Pada DKIM section, jika disabled:

   • Klik "Enable" button
   • cPanel akan automatically:
     • Generate private/public key pair
     • Configure mail server untuk sign outgoing emails
     • Create DKIM DNS record

2. Get DKIM Public Key

   • Setelah enabled, cPanel displays DKIM record details
   • Record name format: default._domainkey.yourdomain.com
   • Record value: Public key (long string of characters)

B. Install DKIM DNS Record

Untuk Domain dengan cPanel Nameservers:

1. Jika cPanel manages DNS, klik "Install the suggested record"
2. DKIM TXT record automatically added
3. Verify status changes to Valid ✅

Untuk Domain dengan External Nameservers:

1. Copy DKIM Record Value

   • cPanel displays full DKIM DNS record
   • Copy the entire value (biasanya sangat panjang)

   Example:

   v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQKBgQC...

2. Login ke DNS Provider

3. Add TXT Record untuk DKIM

   • Type: TXT
   • Name: default._domainkey (atau subdomain yang specified cPanel)
   • Value: paste DKIM public key
   • TTL: Auto atau 3600
   • Save

   Note: Some DNS providers split long TXT records into multiple strings. Make sure to paste correctly without breaking the formatting.

4. Wait for Propagation

Langkah 7: Verify Changes

Setelah install atau update records:

Check di cPanel:

1. Return ke Email Deliverability page
2. Klik tombol "Recheck" atau "Repair"
3. Wait for cPanel to revalidate
4. Verify semua indicators show ✅ Valid

External Verification Tools:

Check SPF:

# Via command line
dig yourdomain.com TXT | grep spf

# Or use online tool
https://mxtoolbox.com/spf.aspx

Check DKIM:

# Via command line
dig default._domainkey.yourdomain.com TXT

# Or use online tool
https://mxtoolbox.com/dkim.aspx

Send Test Email:

1. Send email dari domain Anda ke:

   • Gmail account (check via "Show original")
   • check-auth@verifier.port25.com (automated check)
   • mail-tester.com (comprehensive test)

2. Check Email Headers:

   • Look for:

     SPF: PASS
     DKIM: PASS

Understanding the Email Deliverability Interface

SPF Record Components Explained

When cPanel suggests an SPF record, it typically includes:

Basic Components:

v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:SERVER_IP ~all

• v=spf1: SPF version (always start dengan ini)
• +a: Authorize servers listed in domain's A record
• +mx: Authorize servers listed in domain's MX records
• +ip4:XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX: Authorize specific IP address
• ~all: SoftFail for unlisted servers (recommended)

Advanced Mechanisms:

• include:_spf.google.com: Include Google's SPF (jika pakai Gmail)
• include:spf.protection.outlook.com: Include Office 365's SPF
• include:sendgrid.net: Include SendGrid (jika pakai email service)

DKIM Configuration Details

Selector:

• Default selector: default
• Can use custom selectors for multiple keys
• Format: selector._domainkey.domain.com

Key Size:

• Typically 1024-bit atau 2048-bit RSA
• 2048-bit lebih secure tapi longer DNS record

Signing Options:

• cPanel biasanya sign all outgoing email automatically
• Headers yang di-sign: From, To, Subject, Date, dll

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem 1: "SPF Record Already Exists"

Error Message: "Warning: An SPF record already exists"

Cause: Domain sudah punya SPF record (maybe created manually)

Solution:

1. Review existing SPF

   • Check apakah existing record sudah correct
   • Verify includes server IP

2. Merge atau Replace:

   • If existing is correct: No action needed
   • If incorrect: Delete old, install suggested
   • If partial: Merge old dengan suggested record

3. Update DNS:

   • Only ONE SPF record allowed per domain
   • If multiple exist, akan cause failures

Problem 2: "DKIM DNS Record Not Found"

Cause: DNS belum propagate atau record not added correctly

Solution:

1. Wait for Propagation:

   • DNS changes dapat 1-48 jam
   • Most complete dalam 4-6 jam

2. Verify DNS Record:

   dig default._domainkey.yourdomain.com TXT

   • Should return DKIM public key
   • If nothing, record not added atau typo

3. Check Record Format:

   • Ensure default._domainkey subdomain correct
   • Verify no extra spaces dalam value
   • Some providers require quotes around value

Problem 3: "Too Many DNS Lookups (SPF)"

Error: "SPF PermError: Too many DNS lookups"

Cause: SPF record has more than 10 DNS lookups

Solution:

1. Reduce Includes:

   • Each include: counts as lookup
   • Replace includes dengan direct IPs jika possible

2. Flatten SPF:

   • Use SPF flattening tool
   • Convert includes to actual IP ranges

3. Use SPF Macros (advanced):

   • Reduce lookup count dengan macros

Problem 4: "Email Still Going to Spam"

After configuring SPF/DKIM correctly:

Other Factors Affecting Deliverability:

1. Content Quality:

   • Avoid spam trigger words
   • Don't use ALL CAPS
   • Balance text/image ratio
   • Include unsubscribe link

2. Sending Reputation:

   • Don't send too many emails at once
   • Avoid sudden volume spikes
   • Keep bounce rate low (<5%)
   • Monitor blacklists

3. Implement DMARC:

   • Adds policy layer pada top of SPF/DKIM
   • Tells receivers what to do dengan failed emails

4. Warm Up Domain:

   • New domains start dengan low reputation
   • Gradually increase send volume
   • Engage dengan recipients (replies, clicks)

5. List Hygiene:

   • Remove invalid addresses
   • Double opt-in untuk subscriptions
   • Quick unsubscribe process

Adding DMARC for Complete Protection

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) complements SPF dan DKIM:

Why Add DMARC?

• Policy Enforcement: Tell receivers what to do with failed emails
• Reporting: Get reports tentang email authentication
• Protection: Prevent unauthorized use of domain

Basic DMARC Setup

Add DMARC TXT Record:

1. Record Name: _dmarc.yourdomain.com
2. Record Value:

   v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com

Explanation:

• v=DMARC1: DMARC version
• p=none: Policy (none/quarantine/reject)
• rua=mailto:...: Email untuk aggregate reports

Gradual Rollout:

1. Start dengan p=none (monitor only)
2. After 30 days, analyze reports
3. Move to p=quarantine (spam folder)
4. Eventually p=reject (full protection)

Best Practices

1. Regular Monitoring

• Check Email Deliverability dashboard monthly
• Review for new warnings atau issues
• Monitor email bounce rates

2. Keep Records Updated

• Update SPF saat add new email services
• Regenerate DKIM keys annually
• Review DMARC reports

3. Test After Changes

• Sempre send test emails after updating
• Use email testing tools
• Check headers untuk verification

4. Backup Configuration

• Document current SPF/DKIM settings
• Keep copy of DNS records
• Note selector names dan keys used

5. Multiple Domains

• Configure each domain separately
• Don't assume all domains have same needs
• Some might use different email services

6. Monitor Blacklists

• Regularly check: mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx
• Quick delist if blacklisted
• Identify dan fix root cause

Email Deliverability Checklist

Before sending important emails, verify:

• ☑️ SPF Record: Valid dan includes all sending IPs
• ☑️ DKIM: Enabled dan DNS record published
• ☑️ DMARC: Policy set (at least p=none)
• ☑️ Reverse DNS: PTR record configured
• ☑️ Not Blacklisted: Check major blacklists
• ☑️ Valid SSL: For webmail dan mail server
• ☑️ Test Email: Sent dan verified pass authentication

Tools untuk Email Authentication Management

Built-in cPanel Tools:

• Email Deliverability - SPF/DKIM management
• Email Routing - Configure MX records
• Track Delivery - Monitor email issues

External Tools:

• MXToolbox: All-in-one email testing
• Mail-tester.com: Spam score checker
• DMARC Analyzer (dmarcian.com): DMARC reporting
• Google Postmaster Tools: Gmail-specific insights

Command Line:

# Check all email DNS records
dig yourdomain.com ANY

# Specific SPF check
nslookup -type=TXT yourdomain.com

# Specific DKIM check
nslookup -type=TXT default._domainkey.yourdomain.com

Kesimpulan

Mengupdate SPF dan DKIM di cPanel adalah langkah penting untuk ensure email deliverability yang optimal. Dengan mengikuti panduan lengkap di atas, Anda dapat:

• ✅ Setup dan update SPF records dengan mudah
• ✅ Enable dan configure DKIM authentication
• ✅ Handle both cPanel-managed dan external DNS
• ✅ Troubleshoot common issues yang mungkin timbul
• ✅ Verify configuration working correctly
• ✅ Maintain email reputation jangka panjang

Key Takeaways:

1. Use Email Deliverability Tool: cPanel makes it easy dengan automated suggestions
2. Follow Two Paths: cPanel DNS (automatic) vs External DNS (manual)
3. Verify Everything: Always test after making changes
4. Monitor Regularly: Email authentication requires ongoing maintenance
5. Add DMARC: Complete the trilogy untuk maximum protection

Proper email authentication bukan one-time task, tapi ongoing process. Regular monitoring dan updates memastikan emails Anda continue to reach intended recipients dan domain Anda protected dari abuse.

Jika Anda mengalami kesulitan atau membutuhkan bantuan dalam setup atau troubleshooting SPF dan DKIM di cPanel, tim support NusantaraHost siap membantu Anda 24/7.