CNAME and hiding mumara real domain/ip.

vector_di

Member
Nov 18, 2019
57
3
8
Hello to all.

I noticed that my hoster is blocking the server on which the mumara.
As they got to the abuse mumara server. Although I do not do dispatch directly from mumara server.
For this I use a third-party servers to set smtp, and I use a CNAME record:

slick.smtpserver.com CNAME mumaradomain.com

Ie abuser gets mumaradomain.com and wrote abuse. But how can I protect my server and domain mumara?
If I use an SSL certificate, and "orange clouds" from cloudflare, it would work a CNAME?
Do I need to install SSL for smtpserver.com well? It also helps if primary domain in mumara?
Prompt how better to do? I understand that abuse - it is bad, but not all subscribers will remain loyal.
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
CNAME is a domain masking but always exposes your mumara server IP as if you ping slick.smtpserver.com, it will resolve to the mumaradomain.com IP address. To avoid it, Mumara gives you another type of redirection i.e. htaccess redirection that takes the recipient to your tracking domain server and then redirects to the Mumara server. This way you can save your mumara domain and the mumara server IP address from being exposed.
 

vector_di

Member
Nov 18, 2019
57
3
8
Ok, I understand this, but if I use htaccess redirection, I see that If man click to unsubscribe link, then page open with real mumara domain.
CNAME open page with tracking domain.
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
Yes, it takes you to the tracking domain first where htaccess is hosted and then takes you to Mumara domain. But it hides the mumara server IP if you ping to tracking domain in htaccess case. So here are two more solutions if you want to hide Mumara domain on htaccess redirection

1- You can change your primary domain in Mumara Settings so instead of Mumara actual domain, everything gets shifted to the primary domain
2- Make any CNAME record that points to the Mumara domain and edit your htaccess file to replace the Mumara domain with the custom CNAME domain. So when a person clicks on the hyperlink, it goes to the tracking domain -> reads htaccess -> redirects to the CNAME domain -> makes the operation in Mumara using the CNAME domain.
 

vector_di

Member
Nov 18, 2019
57
3
8
I don't understand how can I use htaccess and CNAME simultaneously with mumara settings.
But I also think that it is possible to use an orange cloud of cloudflare and then ip mumara will be hidden.
Also primary domain is good idea. I will test it>
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
You can use cloudflare too but make sure you should know how to play with their firewalls to make sure nothing is blocked.

And it's an easy trick what I said


1- Make a CNAME record e.g. prefix2.sendingdomain.com and point it to mumaradomain.com
2- Make a subdomain e.g. prefix1.sendingdomain.com and host on any server other than the server where mumaradomain.com is hosted
3- Add the tracking domain prefix1.sendingdomain.com in Mumara Sending Domains and download the htaccess file that Mumara generates
4- Open htaccess file and replace the mumaradomain.com with prefix2.sendingdomain.com and host on prefix1.sendingdomain.com

So now people will see prefix1.sendingdomain.com in tracking links that is actually not hosted on mumaradomain.com server (so IP is hidden). When they click on the domain, it will take them to prefix1.sendingdomain.com server and then prefix1.sendingdomain.com will redirect them to prefix2.sendingdomain.com that is actually pointing to mumaradomain.com using CNAME redirection.

So this way both your IP and domain keep safe.
 

vector_di

Member
Nov 18, 2019
57
3
8
Thanks for answer,

But can you explain how to create a primary domain? What should I do to create a primary domain, I have to add it in the config apache? But how exactly? Can you say it in more detail? Now I see it as a given that you wrote above:

I set mumara domain 001.com
Then I use the domain 002.com - is a primary domain,
003.com - is the domain for the CNAME.

As the light of these data technically do the right thing?
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
It varies from case to case. Paste here your apache config that has virtual host of your domain name pointing to Mumara
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
you are adding smarttechsys.in.net as an addon domain. However, you had to add the full tracking domain as an addon domain i.e. click2.smarttechsys.in.net. It's however cPanel default behavior is that it additionally asks for a subdomain. So you can simply do this

1. Remove the previously added addon domain
2. Add click2.smarttechsys.in.net in addon domain and add click2.smarttechsys.in.net in subdomain field

Once you are done, make sure you don't check in the same browser as it must be in the browser's cache. Better check on another browser or try putting a route at the end e.g. click2.smarttechsys.in.net/login.
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
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Nice to know it worked for you!
 

outmano22

Beginner
Nov 14, 2020
4
0
1
Hello,

I am trying to use this method but i don't know how?!
I have 3 domains on namecheap now, and i want to hide my primary domain on my emails content, to avoid the suspend of my mumara host server if there's a spamcop on my emails list.
can you help?!
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
You need to get a hosting account on another server/company that is lenient to the complaints if raised (only if you know that you are not sending solicited emails). Host your tracking domains there and upload the .htaccess file there that you download from Mumara "Sending Domain" page. So this way, the IP behind the tracking domain will point to the server where your tracking domains are hosted. If you use CNAME method, the tracking domains will point directly to the Mumara server IP.
 

outmano22

Beginner
Nov 14, 2020
4
0
1
Hello,

Thanks for you reply.
I got a host server and i hosted the tracking domain, its working for tracking.
But when i type my tracking domain in browser, it's redirect for my master Mumara host server!!
So my master host server still not safe!

anyhelp?
 
Last edited:

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
Yes, it will open your Mumara. but it's .htaccess based redirection. If you ping your tracking domain, it will not disclose your Mumara server IP address. So in short, it's another safety layer on it.
 

outmano22

Beginner
Nov 14, 2020
4
0
1
Thank you!

So if i used my own smtp servers like sendinblue, sendgrid, amazon ses, gmail...
My Master Mumara Host will be safe, the IP on the received line on header of sent emails would be hidden?
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
Yes Mumara IP will not be pingable in the email headers.
 

wasif

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 9, 2019
576
112
43
BTW, just to add another feature news to this thread. We have added another option that should be launched in the next updates, and it's called "PHP Redirect". You should be able to see it on the sending domain page, once it's launched. It will give you a PHP file that should be hosted on the tracking domain server/hosting. It will postback the tracking parameters to the Mumara server and redirect the recipient to the destination URL. It has been tested for all events i.e. opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and confirmation.
 
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