Nederlands English

setup Google apps

Questions & Answers

Google Apps for your domain

Please see the official Google Apps help files for more information:

www.google.com/support/a/

Verifying your domain

Before you can use Google Apps for your domain with your existing domain you must verify ownership of the domain.  There are two methods to verify your domain with Google Apps for your domain:

  1. Upload HTML file
  2. Create CNAME record

Upload HTML file

This method is the prefered because it is easier to accomplish than the CNAME record method.

How to upload the HTML file:

To verify domain ownership by uploading an HTML file, follow these steps:

  1. Log into your Google Apps control panel at https://www.google.com/a/your_domain.com. Be sure to replace 'your_domain.com' with your actual domain name.
  2. Out of the two verification options, choose HTML upload. Google will generate a string of text that is unique to your account. Copy the string of text from your Google Apps control panel.
  3. Open your HTML editor (the application or service you usually use for editing web pages).  You can also use a regular text editor such as Notepad.
  4. Create a new blank HTML file and paste the string of text you just copied into your HTML file.  If you are using a regular text editor, just paste the code and save the file.
  5. Save the file as googlehostedservice.html.  If you are using a regular text editor such as Notepad, make sure to select "all files" for the file type, otherwise this will not work.
  6. Upload googlehostedservice.html to the root directory of your website. Remember to add the file to the root directory and not the sub-folder.  You will do this with your FTP client or through the Plesk control panel file manager.

How to make sure it worked:

  1. Open a new browser window.
  2. Go to your website address and include the new file name: http://your_domain_name.com/googlehostedservice.html. (Be sure to replace 'your_domain_name.com' with your actual domain name.)

You should be able to see the string of characters that you uploaded on your page displayed in your browser.

How to verify:

  1. Return to your Google Apps account control panel.
  2. Click Verify. This will prompt Google to check for this HTML file on your domain.

Create CNAME Record

This method is not recommended because it will take longer to process (up to 48 hours) and could lead to mistakes affecting your website hosting.

How to create the CNAME record:

For ownership verification, use the random string provided in the control panel to create a CNAME record that points to google.com. Your unique random string is provided in the verification instructions in the control panel. Remember: The control panel for your domain is available at https://www.google.com/a/your_domain.com. (Be sure to replace 'your_domain.com' with your actual domain name.)

Now to set up the CNAME record in your Plesk control panel:

  1. Log into your Plesk control panel: https://secureXX.apollohosting.com:8443/ (where XX is the number of the server your site is on, e.g. secure13.apollohosting.com).  You can also reach your control panel at http://yourdomain.com:8443/
  2. Click on the Home link on the left side of the control panel page 
  3. Click on your domain at the bottom of the page
  4. Click on the DNS Settings button on the 2nd row of buttons  
  5. Depending on your version of Plesk, do one of the following: Click the Add Record button and change the type to "CNAME" in the drop down menu, or on the DNS Settings page change the drop down from "A" to "CNAME" and click the Add button on the right side.  If you do not have either of these buttons please contact our technical support department for assistance.
  6. In the field labeled "Enter domain name" enter the unique code provided by google (e.g.  googlefffggghhh12345)
  7. In the field labeled "Enter canonical name" or "Value" enter ghs.google.com.

You must allow up to 48 hours for this DNS record to propagate across the internet and then you must use your Google Apps admin account to verify the domain.  You can leave this record or remove it after the verification is complete.

Creating shortcuts to Google Apps

You will need to create CNAME records for any shortcuts you wish to provide to the Google Apps pages.  For example, if you want people to access the Google Calendar from http://calendar.mydomain.com.

Follow the same steps above for creating a CNAME record, but use "calendar" or "mail" or "start" for the domain name portion and ghs.google.com again for the canonical name or value.

Important note about "mail.mydomain.com": This name is by default used for your mail server included with your hosting package.  You will need to remove the "A" record associated with mail.mydomain.com before you can create a CNAME for it.  This will cause your mail server on your Apollo Hosting package to no longer function properly.  You must then configure your mail for Google Mail.

Setting up Google mail on your domain

If you wish to use Google mail on your domain you will need to change your "MX" records, which are what tell the internet where to deliver your mail.

  1. Log into your Plesk control panel: https://secureXX.apollohosting.com:8443/ (where XX is the number of the server your site is on, e.g. secure13.apollohosting.com).  You can also reach your control panel at http://yourdomain.com:8443/
  2. Click on the Home link on the left side of the control panel page
  3. Click on your domain at the bottom of the page
  4. Click on the DNS Settings button on the 2nd row of buttons           
  5. Depending on your version of Plesk, do one of the following: Click the Add Record button and change the type to "MX" in the drop down menu, or on the DNS Settings page change the drop down from "A" to "MX" and click the Add button on the right side.  If you do not have either of these buttons please contact our technical support department for assistance.
  6. For the field labeled "Enter mail domain" simply leave it blank
  7. In the field labeled "Enter mail exchanger" or "Value" you will enter ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM. (not case sensitive)
  8. Change the Priority to "Very High (0)" or type 0.

You will need to repeat the above steps to create additional MX records for redundancy.  Use the following mail exchanger values and set the priority for each one:

  • ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM - Priority 5
  • ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM - Priority 5
  • ASPMX2.GOOGLEMAIL.COM - Priority 10
  • ASPMX3.GOOGLEMAIL.COM - Priority 10

Do not forget to delete the original MX record for "mail.mydomain.com" in your DNS settings or there will be a conflict.  If you currently use our MailBoxCop service your MX record will be for "spam.apollohosting.com" or "mailboxcop.com".  After 24 to 48 hours your DNS settings will propagate across the internet and you will be able to use the Google Apps services you configured for your domain.

 

Here an complete DNS overview of a domain that used only mail, calendar and start page

 
your  www. website stays at the digizaal server.

example for domain name   digizaal.nl

calendar.digizaal.nl. CNAME ghs.google.com.
digizaal.nl. NS ns5.xsnetworks.net.
digizaal.nl. NS ns2.xsnetworks.net.
digizaal.nl. MX (5) ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
digizaal.nl. MX (10) ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
digizaal.nl. MX (10) ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM.
digizaal.nl. MX (15) ASPMX2.GOOGLEMAIL.COM.
digizaal.nl. MX (15) ASPMX3.GOOGLEMAIL.COM.
digizaal.nl. MX (15) ASPMX4.GOOGLEMAIL.COM.
digizaal.nl. MX (15) ASPMX5.GOOGLEMAIL.COM.
docs.digizaal.nl. CNAME ghs.google.com.
ftp.digizaal.nl. CNAME digizaal.nl.
mail.digizaal.nl. CNAME ghs.google.com.
start.digizaal.nl. CNAME ghs.google.com.
www.digizaal.nl. CNAME digizaal.nl.