Network Solutions email to Google Workspace: how to move

Moving business email from Network Solutions to Google Workspace takes four stages. Create the Google Workspace accounts, copy the old mail across with Google’s data import tool, point your domain’s MX records at Google, then add SPF and DKIM so your mail is trusted. Your addresses stay the same, so customers keep writing to you as before. Done in that order, Google says no messages are lost, though a few may need to be resent during the switch.

We did this move for Parker & Associates, a commercial real estate brokerage whose email ran on Network Solutions. Below is the plan in the order we follow it.

What actually moves, and what does not?

Google’s migration tools copy email and folders from an IMAP account. IMAP is the standard way mail apps read a mailbox on a server, and Network Solutions supports it. Per Google’s migration documentation, a move from an IMAP server brings email and labels only. It does not bring:

• Calendars and meetings
• Contacts and address books
• Files, or anything else that is not email

Plan for those separately. Contacts usually export from the mail app or webmail as a CSV or vCard file and import into Google Contacts. Recurring meetings are often easiest to re-create in Google Calendar.

Before you start: a short checklist

Item	Why it matters
A list of every mailbox and alias on the domain	Each needs a matching Google Workspace user or alias, or its mail will bounce after the switch
The password for each Network Solutions mailbox	Google’s import tool signs in to each old mailbox to copy it
Access to the account where the domain’s DNS is managed	You will change MX records and add SPF and DKIM there
A quiet time to switch	Google recommends changing MX records when email volume is low, such as an evening or a weekend
Everyone’s phones and laptops	Staff need to sign in to Gmail on each device after the move

Step 1: Set up Google Workspace and create the users

Sign up for Google Workspace with your existing domain and verify that you own it. Then create a user for every person, plus any shared addresses such as info@ or office@. Google’s advice is to create the new accounts before you change your MX records. It also suggests a catch-all address, so mail sent to an address you missed lands somewhere instead of bouncing.

Pick the plan based on what staff need. Our Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace comparison covers the tiers and current prices.

Step 2: Copy the old mail with Google’s data import tool

Google’s data import tool pulls mail directly from Network Solutions into each new mailbox. In the Google Admin console, the path is Menu > Data > Data import & export > Data import, then choose Import for IMAP. You will need:

• The IMAP server name and port for your mailbox. Network Solutions uses port 993 with SSL for IMAP, per its email client settings page. The exact server name depends on your account, and Network Solutions shows it in its email settings portal when you enter your domain.
• Each person’s full email address and mailbox password, as the IMAP username and password.
• The Google Workspace address each mailbox should land in. For up to 20 users you can type these in. For more, Google takes a CSV file.

Optional settings let you choose a start date and exclude folders. When the first import finishes, a delta import picks up anything that arrived afterward.

One limit to plan around: Network Solutions allows 25 simultaneous IMAP connections per IP address. A small office will not reach that, but a larger import may run more slowly as a result.

Step 3: Switch the MX records to Google

MX records tell the rest of the internet which server receives mail for your domain. Once the mailboxes are ready and the first import is done, replace the Network Solutions MX records with Google’s. For accounts set up now, Google’s MX value is a single record, smtp.google.com. Some DNS hosts want a period at the end or a priority number in the same field, so follow your host’s format.

What to expect after the change:

• Google says new MX records can take up to 48 to 72 hours to take effect everywhere. Until then, some mail still arrives at Network Solutions.
• Run a final delta import a day or two after the switch to catch anything that landed in the old mailboxes.
• Keep the Network Solutions mailboxes active for a short overlap before cancelling, so nothing is stranded.

Step 4: Add SPF and DKIM so your mail is trusted

SPF and DKIM are DNS records that prove mail from your domain really came from you. Without them, messages are more likely to land in spam. Our guide to business email going to spam explains the background.

• SPF: if Google Workspace is the only service sending your mail, Google’s recommended record is v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. Remove the old Network Solutions SPF entry. If other services also send as your domain, such as a newsletter tool or a booking system, include them in the same record, because a domain should have only one SPF record.
• DKIM: in the Admin console, go to Menu > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authenticate email. Generate a key, add it to DNS as a TXT record, then click Start authentication. Google notes it can take up to 48 hours to begin working.
• DMARC: once SPF and DKIM pass, add a DMARC record so receiving servers know what to do with mail that fails. Google’s DMARC guide walks through a safe starting policy.

Step 5: Get everyone signed in

Staff sign in to Gmail on the web, then on their phones through the Gmail app or the phone’s built-in mail app. Remove the old Network Solutions account from each device so people do not keep checking a mailbox that no longer receives mail. This is also a good moment to turn on 2-step verification for every user. Our multi-factor authentication guide explains why.

Common mistakes

• Switching MX records before the users exist. Mail to those addresses bounces until the accounts are created.
• Forgetting aliases and shared addresses. The old info@ or billing@ quietly stops working.
• Leaving two SPF records in DNS. A domain should have one, so merge the entries.
• Cancelling Network Solutions email the same day. Leave an overlap for the final delta import.
• Missing the non-email items. Contacts and calendars need their own plan.

Common questions

How long does a Network Solutions to Google Workspace move take?

For a small office, setup and the first import can usually be done within a day or two, depending on how much old mail there is. The MX change itself is quick, but Google says it can take up to 72 hours to take effect everywhere. Plan on a week from start to cancelling the old service.

Will we lose any email during the switch?

Not if the steps are done in order. Mail sent during the switch goes to either the old or the new mailbox. A final delta import after the MX change copies anything that landed in the old mailbox. Google notes that a few messages might need to be resent, but none are lost.

Do we have to move our domain away from Network Solutions?

No. You can keep the domain registered at Network Solutions and change only the DNS records that control email: MX, SPF, and DKIM. Moving the domain is a separate decision, and it is not required for Google Workspace.

Can we keep using Outlook after moving to Google Workspace?

Yes. Google Workspace works with Outlook on Windows, and Gmail works in any browser and on phones. Many teams switch to the Gmail web interface once they see shared calendars and Drive working together, but it is not required.

How Coastal Growth Co. can help

We plan and run email moves like this one, from creating the Google Workspace users to the DNS changes and getting every phone signed in. See our Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 services or tell us about your setup, and we will agree the scope before any paid work.