How To Set Up Cloudflare | Ultimate Tutorial

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to set up Cloudflare for your website. Cloudflare is a powerful tool that enhances website security, performance, and reliability. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire setup process, ensuring your site is well-protected and optimized.

Step 1: Initial Cloudflare Setup

1. Create a Cloudflare Account

   • Go to the Cloudflare website and sign up for a free account.
   • Verify your email address to activate your account.

2. Add Your Website

   • Once logged in, click on “Add a Site.”
   • Enter your website’s URL and click “Begin Scan.”
   • Cloudflare will scan your current DNS records.

3. Review DNS Records

   • After the scan, review the DNS records Cloudflare has found.
   • Ensure all necessary records (A, CNAME, MX, etc.) are listed correctly.

4. Select a Cloudflare Plan

   • Choose a plan that fits your needs (Free, Pro, Business, etc.).
   • For most users, the free plan is sufficient to start.

Step 2: Picking a Good Web Server

• Ensure your web hosting provider is compatible with Cloudflare.
• Consider using a VPS (Virtual Private Server) for better performance and control.
• Popular VPS providers include Liquid Web and DigitalOcean.

Step 3: Configuring Cloudflare DNS

1. Set Up DNS Records

   • In the Cloudflare dashboard, navigate to the DNS settings.

   Add or update DNS records as needed

   • A Record: Points your domain to your server IP address.
   • CNAME Record: Points subdomains to the main domain.

2. Enable Proxy Status

   • For each record, ensure the proxy status is set to "Proxied" (orange cloud icon).
   • This will enable Cloudflare’s features for those records.

Step 4: Configuring SSL

1. Enable SSL/TLS

   • Go to the SSL/TLS settings in the Cloudflare dashboard.

   Choose the appropriate SSL mode

   • Flexible: Encrypts traffic between the browser and Cloudflare.
   • Full: Encrypts traffic between the browser and your server.
   • Full (Strict): Requires a valid SSL certificate on your server.

2. Update Your Server

   • If necessary, install an SSL certificate on your web server.
   • This is essential for the "Full" or "Full (Strict)" modes.

Step 5: Cloudflare Page Rules

1. Create Page Rules

   • Navigate to the Page Rules section in Cloudflare.
   • Click “Create Page Rule” to set specific behaviors for URLs on your site.

   Common rules include

   • Always use HTTPS
   • Cache level settings
   • Redirects

2. Order of Rules

   • Make sure to arrange page rules in the correct order, as Cloudflare processes them sequentially.

Step 6: Clearing Cache and Development Mode

1. Clear Cache

   • In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to the Caching settings.
   • Click on “Purge Everything” to clear the cache if needed.

2. Enable Development Mode

   • Turn on Development Mode for real-time changes to be visible without caching.
   • Remember that this mode will automatically turn off after 3 hours.

Step 7: Cloudflare Email Routing

1. Set Up Email Routing

   • Navigate to the Email Routing section in the Cloudflare dashboard.
   • Follow the prompts to configure email forwarding to your preferred address.

2. Verify Your Configuration

   • Test your email routing to ensure it’s functioning as expected.

Conclusion

You have successfully set up Cloudflare for your website! By following these steps, you have enhanced your site’s security, performance, and reliability. To ensure ongoing success, regularly monitor your Cloudflare settings and make adjustments as necessary. For further enhancements, consider exploring advanced features like Workers and Firewall rules. Happy surfing!