Cloudflare configured properly for your site and your mail
We move your DNS onto Cloudflare, choose which records to proxy, and set SSL, caching and firewall rules that suit your website.
In plain English.
Cloudflare sits in front of your website and answers your DNS. Configured well, it speeds up page loads and filters out a lot of junk traffic. Configured badly, it causes redirect loops, breaks email, or hides the real error behind a Cloudflare error page. Most of the problems we fix come down to a handful of settings chosen on the first day.
The big one is the orange cloud. Proxied records send traffic through Cloudflare; DNS-only records do not. Your website should usually be proxied, but your mail server hostnames must not be, because Cloudflare does not proxy SMTP or IMAP. We set each record deliberately and explain why.
We then set SSL/TLS to Full (strict) with a valid certificate on your server, so traffic is encrypted all the way through. Flexible mode is the setting behind many WordPress redirect loops, and we avoid it. Cloudflare's paid plan fees, if you need one, are yours and paid directly to Cloudflare.
It suits you if.
- You already use Cloudflare but nobody has checked the settings
- Your site shows redirect loops or 52x errors since moving to Cloudflare
- Bots and form spam are hammering your website
- You want free DNS hosting with a clear, well-kept setup
- Your web developer left and the Cloudflare login went with them
What we do.
Account in your name
The Cloudflare account belongs to your business. We join it as a member with our own login, so access can be removed without handing over passwords.
Proxy decisions per record
Web records proxied, mail, FTP and SSH hostnames left DNS only, and every choice written down for the next person.
Full (strict) SSL
A Cloudflare origin certificate or a public certificate on your server, Always Use HTTPS on, and HSTS added only once everything is ready for it.
Firewall and bot rules
WAF custom rules, rate limiting on login and form endpoints, and country or ASN challenges where your traffic patterns justify them.
Cache rules that respect your site
Static files cached hard, admin areas, baskets and checkouts bypassed, so customers never see someone else's cart.
Scoped API tokens
Plugins and tools get API tokens limited to the zone and permission they need, never your global API key.
How it runs.
- 01
Free call
We hear what you want from Cloudflare and what is going wrong now, and confirm who controls the account and the registrar.
- 02
Review or onboard
For a new zone we import and verify every record before you change nameservers. For an existing one we audit every setting.
- 03
Configure
Proxy status, SSL mode, firewall rules and cache rules are set in turn, each tested against the live site before the next.
- 04
Look after it
We review the security events and rules on a schedule agreed with you, and adjust them when your site changes.
Questions people ask.
Is Cloudflare free?
The free plan covers DNS, the proxy, SSL and basic firewall rules, which is enough for many small business sites. Paid plans add features such as more WAF rules and image optimisation. Any plan fee is paid by you to Cloudflare. Our set-up and care are priced separately and agreed up front.
Why did my email stop after moving to Cloudflare?
Usually the mail hostname was proxied, or an MX, SPF or DKIM record was missed when the zone was imported. Cloudflare only proxies web traffic, so a proxied mail host stops receiving. We compare the zone with the old DNS and put the missing or proxied records right.
Will Cloudflare make my website faster?
Often, because static files are served from a nearby Cloudflare location and repeat visitors load less. It will not fix a slow server or a heavy theme by itself. We look at both and tell you which changes are worth making.
Can I keep my domain registered somewhere else?
Yes. Cloudflare only needs your registrar to point the nameservers at it. The registration can stay where it is, or move to a registrar you prefer. We change the nameservers once the zone in Cloudflare has been checked record by record.
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
Nottingham & Derby / UK-wideLet’s build
what’s next.
15 minutes with Garreth.
A real conversation about your business.