How does Mandrill work?

Question

I just set up a Rails app to use Mandrill for sending notification emails (in development environment). When I signed up for Mandrill, it used my gmail for a username and under the 'sending domain' it has gmail listed. Based on this (and not very comprehensive docs), I assumed that Mandrill would be sending the email through my gmail account.

In my Rails mailer Notifier.rb, I set the default mail address to a fake (i.e. non-existent) name

default from: "fakenotrealemail@gmail.com"

and when I received test emails from my Rails app using mandrill the emails were sent from 'fakenotrealemail@gmail.com'. Obviously that email address didn't send the emails because it doesn't exist. I'm not sure if Rails will always do that, or what Mandrill's role is.

1. Anyways, if Mandrill's not using my real gmail address (that I signed up with) to send emails, then why is 'gmail' listed as a 'sending domain.'
2. Once I get the custom domain name for my app (once the app's launched) and sign up for Google business apps to get email with custom domain, is there anything I have to do to get Mandrill to use that? or is it just as simple as using that as the 'default' name in the Notifier.rb class of the Rails app?

Answer 1

Mandrill automatically adds any domain names that are used for outgoing mail to the Domain list that you are seeing. This is normal.

I should make it clear that Mandrill is NOT using any Gmail server to send you message. The message is being delivered through the Mandrill system alone.

Once you get your custom domain you should begin using that as the "from" address for your emails. This domain will then show up in the domain list.

I highly recommend that you setup the proper DKIM and SPF records in your custom domain DNS records. Mandrill has very clear instructions on how to do this. Just click on the "View DKIM settings" and "View error details" in the domain list.

I recommend you check out the following page for additional information: http://help.mandrill.com/entries/21681347-How-do-I-set-up-sending-domains-

Answer 2

Mandrill always takes the domain we specify as the custom domain so if you pass gmail.com in your sending domain name then mandrill treats it as your custom domain. It will NOT send mails through your gmail account rather it will send mails according to whatever you provide as your sending domain in your case it is gmail.com.