Why Email Links May Not Work

When you send emails through Enrollio, links are automatically rewritten to track clicks and opens. This is normal — it helps you see which parents are engaging with your messages.

These tracking links use a subdomain you set up with Mailgun (like email.mg.yourdomain.com). If the DNS records aren't configured correctly, links may fail to open.

What the Error Looks Like

If parents (or you) click a link and see:

  • "This site can't be reached"
  • "email.mg.yourdomain.com refused to connect"

...then your CNAME record needs attention.

Step 1: Identify Your Tracking Subdomain

First, figure out which subdomain you're using with Mailgun. Common examples:

  • If you set up mg.yourschool.com, your tracking domain is email.mg.yourschool.com
  • If you set up replies.yourschool.com, your tracking domain is email.replies.yourschool.com
  • If you set up mail.yourschool.com, your tracking domain is email.mail.yourschool.com

The pattern is always: email.[your-mailgun-subdomain]

Step 2: Check Your DNS Records

Use one of these tools to verify your CNAME record is set up correctly:

Enter your tracking domain (e.g., email.mg.yourschool.com) and look up the CNAME record.

[SCREENSHOT: Show MX Toolbox lookup interface with example domain entered]

If DNS Records Are Not Found

Log into your domain provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and navigate to DNS settings. Check that you have a CNAME record for your tracking subdomain that points to mailgun.org.

[SCREENSHOT: Example DNS settings panel showing correct CNAME record format]

If Records Exist But Links Still Don't Work

The CNAME might be pointing to the wrong place, or HTTPS tracking may not be enabled.

Step 3: Enable HTTPS Tracking in Mailgun

  1. Log into your Mailgun account
  2. Click Sending in the left sidebar
  3. Select Domain Settings
  4. Find your domain and click Edit next to Tracking Protocol
  5. Enable HTTPS tracking
  6. Save your changes

After enabling HTTPS tracking, send a test email from Enrollio and click a link to verify it works.

[SCREENSHOT: Mailgun Domain Settings page showing HTTPS tracking toggle]

Common DNS Setup Mistakes

Issue: CNAME Includes Root Domain

Some domain providers (especially GoDaddy and Namecheap) will auto-append your root domain. Your CNAME record should look like this:

  • Hostname: email.mg (not email.mg.yourschool.com)
  • Points to: mailgun.org

If you entered email.mg.yourschool.com as the hostname, remove .yourschool.com — your provider adds that automatically.

Hostname Examples Based on Your Setup

Mailgun Subdomain Hostname in DNS
mg.yourschool.com email.mg
replies.yourschool.com email.replies
mail.yourschool.com email.mail

Still Not Working?

If you've verified DNS records and enabled HTTPS tracking but links still won't open:

  1. Contact your domain provider's support team. Show them you need a CNAME record for email.[subdomain] pointing to mailgun.org
  2. If your domain provider confirms everything is correct, contact Enrollio support for additional help
Pro Tip: DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate. If you just added or updated records, wait a bit and try again.

Testing Your Fix

Once you've made DNS changes:

  1. Wait at least 15-30 minutes for DNS propagation
  2. Send yourself a test email from Enrollio
  3. Click a link in the email
  4. Verify it opens correctly

If the link works, your tracking is now properly configured and parents will be able to click links in your emails without issues.