Using Google Apps with Custom DNS

This tutorial will help you to create a new Google Apps account for your domain and configure Custom DNS to complete the verification process.

Step 1: Sign Up for Google Apps

The first step to using Google Apps is to sign up for the service. Visit the Google Apps homepage and click the Compare editions and Sign Up button on the right-hand side of the page. You will be given two options: the Premier Edition, which is a paid service, and Standard Edition, which is free but ad-supported. (This tutorial will focus on the Standard Edition.)

Once you have chosen the desired edition, you will be asked to enter your domain name:

Add Domain Name

Select the option Administrator: I own or control this domain and enter the second-level domain name (without www, such as mydomain.com).

The next page asks for general information about your organization. Fill out the form and check the appropriate boxes, including "I understand that if I cannot alter DNS records for my domain, I may impact my organization's ability to use Google Apps." (Since you are using Custom DNS, you have access to "alter DNS records for your domain.") The next page asks you to create the first administrative account and password, sign up for newsletters, and agree to the Terms and Conditions.

Once your account has been created, you will need to verify your domain ownership. Click the Verify Domain Ownership link on the Dashboard page, which is located under the navigation bar as shown here:

Google Apps Dashboard

On the verification page, you will be given two options to verify your ownership: by uploading an HTML file to your webserver, or by creating a CNAME record in your domain's DNS. Choose Change your CNAME Record from the drop-down list; you will be given a CNAME record, such as googleffffffffx123x123.yourdomain.com, as shown here:

Verification Method

To start the verification process, you will need to add this record to your Custom DNS zone. Leave the Google Apps verification page open and go to a new browser window or tab for Step 2.

Step 2: Configure Custom DNS

Sign into your DynDNS.com account and visit the Zone Level Services page. Click the Custom DNS Service link for your domain.

If you are using the Standard interface:

Click the Add Alias (CNAME) button. Enter the special Google CNAME into the Hostname field (e.g. googleffffffffx123x123), and google.com into the Alias To field. See the example below:

Add CNAME

Click Create Record to add the record to your zone, then proceed to Step 3.

If you are using the Expert interface:

Under Add DNS Record, enter:

Click Create Record to add the CNAME to your Custom DNS zone, then proceed to Step 3.

Step 3: Begin Verification

Once you have added the record to your zone, wait a couple minutes to ensure the record is added to your zone on all of our nameservers, then return to your Google Apps page in the other browser window. Click Verify. Google will now start checking your domain to see if the record has been created in your zone:

Done

Once it verifies the CNAME's existence, you will be able to start using Google Apps with your domain.