How to Setup Cloudflare? How to Disable or Enable Cloudflare Proxy?

Have you ever thought about how you could instantly boost the speed and security of your website with just a few clicks? The answer to this is Cloudflare. Cloudflare can help your website run faster and protect you from cyberattacks, whether you are a novice or an expert. It also lessens the load on your server. The problem is that many website owners don’t know how to turn Cloudflare’s proxy settings on or off.

Steps to Set Up Cloudflare

Step 1: Register for a Cloudflare account

• Visit Cloudflare’s website. 
• Then, register and create an account using an email address and password. 

Step 2: Add Your Site

• After logging in, click “Add a site” and provide the domain name. 
• Then hit Continue, and Cloudflare will scan your DNS records.

Step 3: Select a Plan

• Choose what Cloudflare plan works for you (Free, Pro, Business, or Enterprise). Most websites will work fine on the Free Plan. 

Step 4: Update Your Nameservers

• Cloudflare will give you new nameservers. Now head to your domain registrar (e.g., MilesWeb) and replace the current nameservers with the ones Cloudflare has supplied.
• Update the settings and then wait for the new nameservers to propagate across the globe (this can take a few hours).

 Step 5: Edit Cloudflare Settings

• When you’re done, go to the Cloudflare dashboard and click on the SSL/TLS settings Tab and then select your SSL mode (Flexible, Full, or Full (Strict)).
• Enable Automatic HTTPS Rewrites for better security.
• Optimize performance by enabling features like Auto Minify and Brotli Compression.

Step 6: Enable Cloudflare Proxy (Optional)

• In the DNS section, find your domain records.
• Click on the orange cloud icon next to the record to enable Cloudflare proxy.
• The orange cloud means the proxy is enabled, and a gray cloud means it’s disabled.

Step 7: Test Your Website

• Clear your browser cache and visit your website.
• Use Cloudflare’s Speed & Security tools to analyze performance.

Pause Cloudflare

You can pause Cloudflare globally to troubleshoot the website. This will send traffic directly to the origin web server instead of Cloudflare’s reverse proxy. Paused domains also cannot use Cloudflare services like Rules, WAF, and SSL/TLS certificates.

• Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard ↗ and select your account and domain.
• Within Overview, choose Advanced Actions > Pause Cloudflare on Site.

Disable Proxy on DNS Records

• Instead of pausing Cloudflare globally, you disable the proxy on individual records: 
• Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard ↗ and select your account and domain.
• Go to DNS > Records. Choose the record and select Edit.
• Toggle Proxy Status to Off.

Enable Development Mode

The Development mode bypasses Cloudflare’s cache and does not purge cached files. Purge your Cloudflare cache instantly by using the purge cache command.

• Log in to your Cloudflare account. 
• Select the domain. 
• Select Caching.
• Toggle development mode to on.