Overview

The issue at hand involves customers encountering an error message stating 'Unauthorized sending email address (SPF check failed)' when attempting to send faxes using the FaxMaker Online service. This error typically signifies that the email address from which the fax is being sent is either not registered with FaxMaker Online or the SPF (Sender Policy Framework) check has failed. However, even when using a registered email address, this issue can occur due to an unauthorized IP being used to send an email using the customer's email address. This is a result of the SPF used by FaxMaker Online to prevent spoofing and phishing attacks against the customer's email domain.

Solution

To resolve this issue, there are two potential solutions:

1. Publish SPF Records: Your IT team or email hosting platform should publish SPF records for your email domain. These records should include all the IP addresses that are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain or where outbound email is expected to come from. An example SPF record should look like this: ``v=spf1 ip4:34.243.61.237 ip6:2a05:d018:e3:8c00:bb71:dea8:8b83:851e include:thirdpartydomain.com -all``. Once you have updated and published your SPF records, verify their publication using the MxToolbox SPF record Lookup tool. After confirmation, you should be able to send faxes successfully.
2. Disable SPF Check: The second option is to disable the SPF check on your email domain from the FaxMaker Online end. However, this option will prevent you from sending international faxes (fax messages to numbers outside the U.S. and Canada) from your FaxMaker Online account. If you do not send faxes outside of the US, you can avail this option. If you choose to disable the SPF check, inform the FaxMaker Online Support Team so they can proceed with disabling the SPF check on your email domain.

Summary

The 'Unauthorized sending email address (SPF check failed)' error in FaxMaker Online can be resolved by either publishing SPF records for your email domain or disabling the SPF check on your email domain from the FaxMaker Online end. The appropriate solution depends on your specific needs and circumstances.

FAQ

1. What is an SPF record?
   SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a security measure used to prevent unauthorized persons from sending emails on behalf of your domain. An SPF record is a type of Domain Name Service (DNS) record that identifies which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain.
2. What happens if I disable the SPF check?
   If you disable the SPF check, you will not be able to send international faxes (fax messages to numbers outside the U.S. and Canada) from your FaxMaker Online account.
3. How can I verify the publication of my SPF records?
   You can verify the publication of your SPF records using the MxToolbox SPF record Lookup tool.