DMARC on Network Solutions

Network Solutions is one of the oldest domain registrars, and many businesses have domains there that have been registered for years. Adding a DMARC record on Network Solutions is straightforward, but the interface is not as modern as some newer registrars, so it helps to know exactly where to go and what to enter.

This guide walks you through every step in the Network Solutions DNS manager, from logging in to verifying your DMARC record is live. If you have not built your DMARC record yet, start with our how to create a DMARC record guide, then come back here.

Before You Start

You need two things before touching your Network Solutions DNS settings:

Your DMARC record string. This is the text value you will paste into the TXT record. A good starting record for monitoring looks like:

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

Replace the email address with one you control. Starting with p=none lets you collect reports about who is sending email as your domain without affecting delivery. Once you have confirmed all legitimate sources pass authentication, you can tighten the policy. See our DMARC policy levels guide for details on each option.

Access to your Network Solutions account. You need to be the account holder or have the login credentials for the account that manages your domain. If someone else set up the domain years ago, you may need to recover the account first.

If your domain is registered at Network Solutions but your nameservers point to another DNS provider (like Cloudflare or your hosting company), you need to add the DMARC record at that other provider. Records added in Network Solutions only work when Network Solutions nameservers are active for your domain.

Step-by-Step: Adding DMARC in Network Solutions

Log in to your Network Solutions account

Go to networksolutions.com and sign in. Navigate to your account dashboard. If you have multiple domains, you will see a list of them.

Go to your domain's DNS management

Find the domain you want to add DMARC to. Click on it or click Manage next to it. Then look for DNS or Advanced DNS or Manage Advanced DNS Settings. Network Solutions has reorganized their interface over the years, so the exact label may vary. You are looking for the section where you can view and edit DNS records.

Navigate to TXT records

In the DNS management area, look for the TXT (Text) records section. You may see a list of existing TXT records (like SPF records). This is where you will add your DMARC record.

Add a new TXT record

Click Edit TXT Records or Add TXT Record or the equivalent button. Network Solutions will show you a form for adding a new record. If you see a table of existing records with an empty row at the bottom, that is where you add the new entry.

Enter _dmarc as the host

In the Host field, enter _dmarc. Network Solutions typically appends your domain automatically, so the full record will resolve at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. Only enter _dmarc with the underscore. Do not type the full domain name. If Network Solutions shows a dropdown or suffix with your domain, make sure _dmarc is in the prefix field.

Paste your DMARC record as the value

In the TXT Value or Text field, paste your complete DMARC record string. For example: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com;. Do not add quotation marks around the value — Network Solutions handles any necessary formatting.

Set the TTL

If Network Solutions gives you a TTL option, the default (usually 7200 seconds or "2 hours") is fine. You can leave it at whatever the default is. A lower TTL means changes propagate faster, which is useful during initial setup.

Save the record

Click Save Changes or Continue or Add Record. Network Solutions will save the TXT record. You may see a confirmation message or the record will simply appear in your records list.

SPF and DKIM Prerequisites

DMARC depends on SPF and DKIM to function. Before your DMARC record can do anything useful, make sure these are configured. For a clear explanation of how these three protocols relate, see SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC.

SPF Setup

Check your existing TXT records in Network Solutions for an SPF record (it starts with v=spf1). If you use an email provider like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a hosted email service, your SPF record needs to include that provider's servers. For example, Google Workspace requires include:_spf.google.com.

If you have multiple email sending services, all of them need to be in a single SPF record. You can build one at spfcreator.com.

DKIM Setup

DKIM records need to be added for each service that sends email as your domain. Your email provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho, etc.) will give you DKIM DNS records to publish. Add these in the Network Solutions DNS manager as TXT or CNAME records, depending on what your provider specifies. Generate DKIM records at dkimcreator.com.

Verifying Your DMARC Record

After saving the record in Network Solutions, wait ten to thirty minutes before checking. Network Solutions DNS propagation can be slower than some newer registrars. Check your record at dmarcrecordchecker.com and verify:

The record starts with v=DMARC1
Your chosen policy is present (p=none, p=quarantine, or p=reject)
The rua reporting address is correct if you included one
There is only one DMARC record (no duplicates)

If the record does not appear after 30 minutes, check the troubleshooting section below.

DNS Propagation Timing with Network Solutions

Network Solutions DNS propagation tends to be slower than providers like Cloudflare or Namecheap. While changes sometimes appear within minutes, it is not uncommon for new TXT records to take one to two hours to propagate globally. In rare cases, it can take up to 24 hours.

What to do while waiting:

Do not add the record again if it does not appear immediately. Duplicate records will cause DMARC validation to fail.
Use dmarcrecordchecker.com to check periodically. It queries authoritative nameservers and will show the record as soon as it is available.
If the record still does not appear after a few hours, revisit your DNS settings and make sure the record was saved correctly.

Check your domain's email authentication

Verify your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are all correctly configured.

Run a Free Check

Troubleshooting Network Solutions DNS Issues

The Record Does Not Appear in Lookups

Common causes:

Nameserver mismatch. Verify your domain's nameservers point to Network Solutions. If they were changed to another provider at some point, DNS records in Network Solutions will not resolve.
Typo in the host field. It must be exactly _dmarc with the underscore. Even a small error puts the record at the wrong subdomain.
Record was not saved. Network Solutions sometimes requires you to click through multiple confirmation screens. Make sure you completed the full save process.
Propagation delay. Give it up to two hours before troubleshooting further.

The Interface Is Confusing

Network Solutions has been through several redesigns, and not all accounts have been migrated to the latest version. If you cannot find the DNS management section:

Look for Domain Names in the main navigation, then Manage next to your domain
Try Advanced DNS or Edit DNS in the domain details
If you see an option for Move DNS or Change Where Domain Points, your nameservers may be configured to point elsewhere
Contact Network Solutions support if you cannot locate the DNS editor

Duplicate Records

If you or a previous administrator already created a DMARC record, adding another one will cause validation failures. Before adding a new record, scroll through your existing TXT records and look for any entry with _dmarc as the host. If one exists, either edit it with your new value or delete it before creating the new record.

Editing an Existing Record

When you want to update your DMARC policy (for example, moving from p=none to p=quarantine), find the existing _dmarc TXT record in the DNS manager and click Edit. Update the value and save. The change will propagate according to the TTL of the existing record.

Moving to Enforcement

After two to three weeks at p=none, review your DMARC reports to confirm all legitimate email sources pass authentication. Then follow this progression:

Start with p=quarantine; pct=25; to quarantine a small percentage of failing messages. Monitor for a week. If everything looks good, increase to pct=100, then move to p=reject for full protection. If you run your own mail server behind a Network Solutions domain, our DMARC for self-hosted email guide walks through the additional authentication steps.

For the full enforcement path, see our DMARC policy levels guide.

Set up the full authentication stack

DMARC works alongside SPF and DKIM. Use spfcreator.com for SPF records and dkimcreator.com for DKIM keys. All three protocols together provide complete email authentication for your domain.

Monitor Your DMARC Record

You've created your DMARC record — now make sure it keeps working. The Email Deliverability Suite watches your SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX records daily and alerts you when something breaks.

Never miss a DMARC issue

Monitor your SPF, DKIM, DMARC and MX records daily. Get alerts when something breaks.

Start Monitoring

How to Add a DMARC Record on Network Solutions