Google Apps and DomainsAtCost Registrar
Probably only a select few will encounter this problem as it would only affect those setting up DomainsAtCost as a Domain registrar and DNS manager, in combination with Google Apps. However, there are many posts stating folk are unable to configure Google Apps with this registrar as Google cannot verify the domain ownership due to it not recognizing the necessary DNS Txt record. Perhaps the few having problems ‘resolving’ this issue may find it helpful.
Before Google will activate your new Google Apps account it understandably needs to verify domain ownership. There are several ways to do so relating to your web site but if you do not have a website for your domain, you are limited to adding a DNS record with whomever manages DNS for your Domain. In the past Google requested you create a Host [A} record, but a year ago they switched to using Txt records. The Google instructions are simple and straight forward, you just enter a lengthy 68 character text string in the “Text” box and then either leave the “Host” box empty or enter an @ symbol. (see: http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=183895 )
However if you are with DomainsAtCost and using their Advanced DNS Management the @ symbol is the catch. Their site instead requires you manually enter the domain name yourdomain.abc in the Host field. Doing so will very quickly update DNS and allow Google apps to verify your domain ownership. The DomainsAtCost site will accept the @ but it will not be resolvable by internet based DNS servers. i.e. it doesn’t work. You can test if your Txt record has propagated to public DNS servers by entering txt:yourdomain.abc in the MX lookup box at http://www.mxtoolbox.com/
Once domain ownership has been verified by Google you can continue the set up by adding your MX records to your DomainsAtCost DNS configuration. It is interesting though that in the DomainsAtCost Host field for the MX record, which does require the domain name, if you insert the @ character when you save it it will automatically convert to the domain name. This does not happen in the Txt record Host field.
LAN-Tech Network Management 