How to Set Up Cloudflare

Step 1: Create a Cloudflare Account

1. Visit Cloudflare's website.
2. Click on Sign Up in the top right corner.
3. Enter your email address and create a secure password.
4. Click Create Account to finish registration.

Step 2: Add Your Website to Cloudflare

1. After logging into your Cloudflare account, you’ll be prompted to Add a Site.
2. Enter your website's domain (e.g., example.com) and click Add Site.
3. Cloudflare will scan your domain’s DNS records. This may take a few seconds.

Step 3: Review DNS Records

1. Cloudflare will display a list of DNS records (e.g., A records, CNAME records) associated with your domain.
2. Ensure all DNS records are correct and reflect your hosting provider's details. You may need to manually add or modify records if something is missing.
3. Once everything is correct, click Continue.

Step 4: Choose a Cloudflare Plan

1. Cloudflare offers different plans, from free to premium options with advanced features.
2. Select the Free Plan if you are just looking for basic performance and security improvements. You can upgrade later if needed.
3. Click Confirm Plan to proceed.

Step 5: Change Your Domain’s Nameservers

1. Cloudflare will provide two new nameservers for your domain (e.g., ns1.cloudflare.com and ns2.cloudflare.com).

2. Log in to your domain registrar (the service where you registered your domain) and update the Nameservers to the ones provided by Cloudflare.

   • Example: If your domain is registered with GoDaddy, Log in to your GoDaddy account, go to the "DNS Management" section, and update the nameservers to Cloudflare's.

3. Save the changes. The DNS change may take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to propagate fully.

Step 6: Cloudflare Configuration

1. Once the nameservers are updated, Cloudflare will automatically start protecting and accelerating your website.
2. You can log in to your Cloudflare dashboard at any time to adjust settings, such as enabling SSL/TLS for secure connections, setting up Page Rules, or adjusting security settings like DDoS protection.

Step 7: Verify Website is Active on Cloudflare

1. To confirm that Cloudflare is working, visit your website. You should see a performance improvement and security features enabled.
2. Use the Cloudflare Analytics dashboard to monitor traffic and performance metrics for your site.

Optional Settings (Advanced Configuration)
If needed, you can configure additional features such as:

• SSL/TLS Encryption: Enabling SSL for secure HTTPS traffic.
• Firewall Rules: Customizing security rules to block or challenge suspicious visitors.
• Caching and Page Rules: Adjusting caching settings to optimize site performance.
• Rate Limiting: Protecting your site from abusive traffic patterns.

Support and Resources
Cloudflare provides detailed support documentation and a community forum for troubleshooting. You can access these from your Cloudflare dashboard or visit the Cloudflare Help Center.