How to troubleshoot SPF “permerror” or “temperror”?
Permerror (permanent error):
- Syntax error in SPF record
- Exceeded 10 DNS lookup limit
- Multiple SPF records at same name
- Circular references
- Fix by correcting record syntax or reducing lookups.
Temperror (temporary error):
- DNS lookup timed out
- DNS server unavailable
- Network issues during lookup
- Usually resolves itself. If persistent, check DNS server reliability.
Diagnosis:
- Use SPF validator to identify specific error
- Count lookups manually through include chain
- Check for duplicate SPF records
Permanent errors require fixing the documents. Temporary errors usually clear when systems recover.
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