Step 1: Create an Account www.cloudfare.com and Add Your Site
- Go to the Cloudflare Sign Up page and create a free account.
- Once logged in, click Add a site.
- Enter your website’s root domain (e.g.,
example.com) and click Continue. - Select the Free plan from the list of options and click Continue.
Step 2: Review DNS Records
- Cloudflare will automatically scan your existing DNS records.
- Review the imported records to ensure they match your current hosting setup.
- Proxied (Orange Cloud): Traffic for these records goes through Cloudflare (recommended for performance/security).
- DNS Only (Grey Cloud): Traffic goes directly to your server.
- Click Continue once verified.
Step 3: Update Your Nameservers
- Cloudflare will provide you with two unique nameservers (e.g.,
alice.ns.cloudflare.comandbob.ns.cloudflare.com). - Log in to your domain registrar account (e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Porkbun).
- Find the Nameservers or DNS Management section for your domain.
- Change the nameserver type to Custom DNS and replace the existing nameservers with the ones provided by Cloudflare.
- Save your changes at the registrar.
Step 4: Verify and Optimize
- Return to the Cloudflare dashboard and click Check nameservers.
- Wait for propagation: It can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours for global DNS changes to take effect. You can use a tool like whatsmydns.net to track the status.
