Question can you somehow view emails, like on webmail somehow, for a domain that removes the DNS?

[larryk]

Server operating system version

CentOS Linux 7.9.2009 (Core)

Plesk version and microupdate number

Plesk Obsidian Version 18.0.50 Update #2, last updated on Feb 27, 2023 02:02 AM

Hi,

Is there any way possible to "view" email, without having any DNS or MX records for a given domain?
we are getting rid of an existing website, but I want to keep a view only email access for the client. Is that possible some way?

they dont' need to send or receive email on this domain, but for a few months to be able to view the old email?

just wondering if any way possible to do that

thanks

 

[larryk]

just wondering if anyone has done that

basically like static emails files that have no live DNS/MX/etc and yet still be able to "See" the email body.

 

[Peter Debik]

You can access your mailbox through webmail on any other domain that is routed to the same server. Example: If your mailbox is info@domainA.com you can also open webmail.domainB.com and login to info@domainA.com, as long as domainB.com is also hosted on the same server. This works for all subscription domains, but not for the host name.

 

[larryk]

You can access your mailbox through webmail on any other domain that is routed to the same server. Example: If your mailbox is info@domainA.com you can also open webmail.domainB.com and login to info@domainA.com, as long as domainB.com is also hosted on the same server. This works for all subscription domains, but not for the host name.

THANKS... didn't know that

question: for the DNS of domainA.com, I would delete the A record and MX record... basically, deleting all DNS records.
I'll leave domainA.com on my plesk server, as is.
With the above said,
1) I could access info@domainA.com via webmail.domainB.com and login to info@domainA.com
2) I'm guessing I also need to leave email enabled on domainA.com ? correct... I can't deactivate email?
3) I don't know, just asking... if ALL DNS records are deleted for domainA, domainA can't even get spam, correct? In reality, being able to view the domainA.com emails can only be done to "look" at them. Which is my goal.

thanks!

 

[scsa20]

Yes they can login using info@domainA.com from webmail.domainB.com by simply using their login for info@domainA.com.

Yes you need to leave email enabled on domainA.com, otherwise all emails will be deleted. You can disable the ability to receive incoming mail though. This will allow them to still send email, though.

Deleting the A record will just stop the IP address lookup which the MX record would rely on as well since you will more likely have an A record for mail.domainA.com and your MX record will be pointing to mail.domainA.com anyways. If you don't want any DNS resolution at all, you could simply turn off DNS for that domain, that will have the same effect. Of course if someone has their name server configured through something like, say, Cloudflare, as long as their records are set then they'll still be able to reach it.

 

[mow]

Putting the relevant name(s) like webmail.domainA.com into the client's /etc/hosts or %WINDIR%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts works too.