Windows Live federated identity how-to
Recently I was finally able to figure out how to get my e-mail address to act as a Windows Live (a.k.a. MSN) screen name. It wasn't too difficult to pull off once I figured out how to get an SRV record to work.
So you have a hosted domain but your web host provider has absolutely no capability to allow for editable SRV records. You've asked; you've begged; you've pleaded; the response is always the same. NO.
Solution: Use another DNS provider. By doing this you can keep your same web host provider and that that SRV in there that will turn your domain mail into Windows Live Hotmail addresses than can also chat with the Windows Live Messenger.
I use EditDNS. If you have Google Apps, these guys have an automatic setting that will set up federation for that service, but for Windows Live they don't so you have to do it manually.
Fortunately, setting up SRV for Windows Live Domains is far easier than Google Apps.
Here's what it looks like:
From top to bottom:
- The CNAME points mail.menga.net to go.domains.live.com.
- The A record is so menga.net points to my existing web host provider's IP.
- The MX is so e-mail is routed thru Hotmail's server.
- The three NS servers are EditDNS' so the names translate correctly.
- The TXT is for SPF.
- The second A record is so www.menga.net acts the same as menga.net.
- The SRV record at the bottom (provided by Microsoft in the Windows Live Domains admin panel) enables chat capability.
Concerning the AXFR transfer status, I entered in my web host providers name server IPs.
Afterwards you login to your registrar and change your existing name servers to ns1.us.editdns.net, ns2.us.editdns.net and ns3.us.editdns.net.
There's no other setup at this point. In about 12 to 48 hours after the new nameservers take effect you'll be able to chat using your domain e-mail.
