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Setup Hover DNS for Bento

Add Bento's required DNS records in Hover to authenticate your domain for email sending. Hover changes typically propagate within 1-2 hours, so plan for a short wait before verification.

Adding DNS records is required for any customer sending over 5,000 emails on any given day. This is a new requirement from Gmail and Yahoo introduced in February 2024.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

  • Access to your Hover account
  • Your domain registered with Hover
  • Administrator permissions to modify DNS records

Required DNS Records

You'll need to add 6 DNS records to your domain to begin sending emails with Bento:

Required DNS Records

example              CNAME  example.test.sendgrid.net
bbb._domainkey       CNAME  bbb.domainkey.example.test.sendgrid.net
bbb2._domainkey      CNAME  bbb2.domainkey.example.test.sendgrid.net
bento                CNAME  ga.bentoemail.com
bento3180._domainkey TXT    k=rsa; p=example...
_dmarc               TXT    v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; adkim=s
You can find your specific DNS records in Bento under System > DNS. The values above are examples - use the actual values provided in your Bento account.
1
Access Hover DNS Settings
  1. Log into your Hover account at hover.com
  2. Navigate to Domains from the main menu
  3. Click on your domain name to open its settings
  4. Click on the DNS tab
  5. You'll see the DNS records management interface
DNS Menu Location
2
Add CNAME Records

You'll need to add 4 CNAME records. Here's how to add the first one:

  1. Click Add New under DNS records
  2. Select CNAME as the record type
  3. In the Name field, enter: example
  4. In the Target field, enter: example.test.sendgrid.net
  5. Leave TTL at default (typically 1 hour)
  6. Click Save

Repeat this process for the remaining CNAME records for example:

  • bbb._domainkey → bbb.domainkey.example.test.sendgrid.net
  • bbb2._domainkey → bbb2.domainkey.example.test.sendgrid.net
  • bento → ga.bentoemail.com
The example domain is for demonstration purposes only. Please use your own domain records from Bento System > DNS in the menu.
Adding CNAME Records
3
Add TXT Records

Next, add 2 TXT records. Start with the DKIM record:

  1. Click Add New
  2. Select TXT as the record type
  3. In the Name field, enter: bentoEXAMPLE._domainkey
  4. In the Content field, enter the full DKIM key (starts with k=rsa; p=...)
  5. Leave TTL as default
  6. Click Save

Then add the DMARC record:

  1. Click Add New again
  2. Select TXT as the record type
  3. In the Name field, enter: _dmarc
  4. In the Content field, enter: v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; adkim=s
  5. Leave TTL as default
  6. Click Save
Hover does not automatically quote TXT values. Be sure to copy the full string exactly as provided by Bento.
Pro-tip: You can copy the exact DNS record values from your Bento account by clicking on each record. This helps avoid typos that could prevent verification.
Adding TEXT Records
4
Verify Your DNS Records

After adding all 6 DNS records, you need to verify them in Bento:

  1. Return to Bento and navigate to System > DNS
  2. Wait 5-10 minutes for DNS propagation (can take up to 48 hours)
  3. Click the Check button next to each DNS record
  4. Properly configured records will show a green checkmark and blue text
  5. If any records fail verification, double-check the values and TTL settings
DNS propagation can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 48 hours. Hover DNS changes typically propagate within 1-2 hours.
DO NOT EDIT EXISTING RECORDS FOR YOUR DOMAIN. You should only be ADDING new records, never editing existing ones.
Records Verified in Bento Settings -> DNS
5
Final Record Overview

Once complete, your Hover DNS records should be as follows:

All 6 records should be visible with:

  • 4 CNAME records with proper Host Name and Target Name
  • 2 TXT records with proper Host Name and Text Value
  • All records showing default TTL values
  • Status indicating successful creation

Hover Notes

  • Field Names: Hover uses "Host Name" and "Target Name" or "Text Value" depending on record type
  • TTL Defaults: Typically 1 hour (3600 seconds)
  • Propagation: Changes usually propagate within 1-2 hours
  • TXT Record Quoting: Hover does not automatically quote TXT values

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

  • Records not verifying: Double-check that all values match exactly what's shown in your Bento account
  • TXT record formatting: Verify that long DKIM keys are complete and properly formatted
  • DNS propagation: Wait up to 48 hours for global DNS propagation
  • TTL settings: Use default TTL values unless you have specific requirements

Next Steps

Once all DNS records are verified in Bento:

  1. Your domain is now authenticated for email sending
  2. You can start sending emails with improved deliverability
  3. Monitor your email performance in the Bento dashboard

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the Bento Discord!