Web Infra

How to Route Google Workspace Email to a Subdomain on Squarespace

When a website lives on Netlify and email lives in Google Workspace, root-domain email is usually straightforward. Subdomain email is where DNS gets sharp.

If the site is labs.nohup.dev, the mail records must target labs.nohup.dev too. The common failure is using @ for the MX host. That points mail at the root domain, not the subdomain, and the setup looks valid while mail stays broken.

This lab report starts with the minimal path. Open the detailed notes when you want the why behind each step.

Minimal Version

Use this when you already know the tools and only need the exact records.

  1. In Google Workspace Admin, add labs.nohup.dev as a secondary domain or domain alias.
  2. In Squarespace DNS, point the site subdomain to Netlify:
Type: A
Host: labs
Data: 75.2.60.5
  1. In Squarespace DNS, route email for the subdomain to Google Workspace:
Type: MX
Host: labs
Priority: 1
Data: smtp.google.com
  1. In Google Admin, click Activate Gmail.
  2. Verify propagation:
dig MX labs.nohup.dev

Expected shape:

labs.nohup.dev.  MX  1 smtp.google.com.

The key rule: for labs.nohup.dev, the MX host is labs, not @.

Data Flow

Interactive diagramZoom and click a node to inspect sub-logic.
flowchart LR
  Browser["Browser request"]
  Mail["Incoming email"]
  Squarespace["Squarespace DNS"]
  Netlify["Netlify site\n75.2.60.5"]
  Google["Google Workspace\nsmtp.google.com"]

  Browser -->|"A record: Host labs"| Squarespace
  Squarespace --> Netlify
  Mail -->|"MX lookup: labs.nohup.dev"| Squarespace
  Squarespace -->|"MX Host labs"| Google
Detailed Explanation

Lab Setup

Goal:

  • Host the technical blog on Netlify at labs.nohup.dev.
  • Route email for the same subdomain through Google Workspace.
  • Keep the root domain DNS untouched unless it is intentionally part of the setup.

Tools:

  • Squarespace domain DNS
  • Netlify site hosting
  • Google Workspace Admin Console
  • A subdomain such as labs.nohup.dev

Step 1: Add The Subdomain In Google Workspace

Open the Google Admin Console and add labs.nohup.dev as either a secondary domain or a domain alias.

Use secondary domain when the subdomain should have its own users or a separate identity boundary.

Use domain alias when the subdomain should behave as another address for existing users.

The path in Google Admin is typically:

Admin Console -> Account -> Domains -> Manage domains -> Add a domain

Enter:

labs.nohup.dev

Google may ask for domain verification. Follow the verification prompt and add the provided TXT record in Squarespace DNS if needed. Do not activate Gmail yet. The DNS records need to exist first.

Step 2: Connect The Site To Netlify

In Squarespace, open the DNS settings for the root domain. Add an A record that points the labs host to Netlify.

Example DNS record:

Type: A
Host: labs
Data: 75.2.60.5

This record makes labs.nohup.dev resolve to the Netlify site. In Netlify, the matching custom domain should be configured as:

labs.nohup.dev

If Netlify gives you a different IP or recommends another DNS pattern for your account, use Netlify's current value. The important part for this setup is the host: labs.

Step 3: Add The MX Record Secret

This is the part that usually breaks subdomain email.

For a root domain, many DNS guides use @ as the host. For labs.nohup.dev, the host must be labs, not @.

Add this MX record in Squarespace:

Type: MX
Host: labs
Priority: 1
Data: smtp.google.com

Read it as:

mail for labs.nohup.dev -> Google Workspace

If the host is set to @, the record applies to the root domain instead:

mail for nohup.dev -> Google Workspace

That is a different target. The UI may look valid, but email for labs.nohup.dev will not be routed correctly.

Step 4: Activate Gmail

Return to the Google Admin panel for labs.nohup.dev.

Click Activate Gmail.

Google checks the MX record. If the record is visible, Gmail activation should complete. If Google cannot see it yet, wait for DNS propagation and try again.

Useful checks:

dig MX labs.nohup.dev

Expected shape:

labs.nohup.dev.  MX  1 smtp.google.com.

You can also check with:

nslookup -type=mx labs.nohup.dev

DNS propagation is usually quick, but it can take longer depending on cache, registrar behavior, and previous records.

Final DNS Shape

The minimal working setup looks like this:

Type: A
Host: labs
Data: 75.2.60.5

Type: MX
Host: labs
Priority: 1
Data: smtp.google.com

The key is consistency. The website and the mail route both attach to the same DNS host: labs.

Takeaways

Small DNS mistakes can feel mysterious because every dashboard says something slightly different. The rule here is simple: if the address ends in labs.nohup.dev, the DNS host should be labs.