The setup process.
BEFORE STARTING
Record your current DNS records. Export the zone from cPanel, or note every record.
Cloudflare imports what it can find, and it misses things. Having your own list is what lets you check.
THE STEPS
- Create a Cloudflare account and add your domain.
- Cloudflare scans your existing DNS and imports what it finds.
- Review every imported record against your own list.
- Add anything missing, particularly mail records.
- Set the correct proxy state on each record.
- Cloudflare provides two nameservers.
- Change the nameservers at your registrar.
- Wait for the change to take effect.
THE REVIEW STEP IS THE ONE THAT MATTERS
Missing records break things silently. A missing MX record means mail stops the moment nameservers change, and nothing announces it.
Check: A records, MX, TXT for SPF and DKIM and any verification, CNAMEs, and anything else.
AFTER SWITCHING
Set the SSL mode correctly, which is covered separately and is the most common source of trouble.
Test the site and test mail.
