You can put Cloudflare's free CDN, DDoS protection and edge SSL in front of a website hosted with Domain India. The setup has three parts: add the domain to a Cloudflare account and check the imported DNS records, point the domain's nameservers at Cloudflare, then set SSL/TLS to Full (strict). This page is the short checklist; the two full guides are linked below.
Add your domain to a free Cloudflare account, and compare every imported DNS record with your hosting DNS zone before you switch, especially MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Change the domain's nameservers to the two Cloudflare gives you, on the domain's Nameservers tab in the client area. Keep mail, webmail, FTP and control-panel hostnames on DNS only (grey cloud), and set SSL/TLS to Full (strict), never Flexible.
Step-by-step connection: Enabling Cloudflare and connecting DNS. Caching rules, security settings, Origin Certificates and the common mistakes in depth: Cloudflare for Indian websites.
1. Add the domain to Cloudflare
- Create an accountat cloudflare.com and add your domain without
www, for exampleyourbusiness.in. - Choose the Free plan.It covers most small business websites.
- Check the imported records.Cloudflare scans your DNS but can miss records. Open the DNS zone in your hosting control panel and compare line by line. The usual gaps are
_dmarc, the DKIM record (default._domainkeyon cPanel,x._domainkeyon DirectAdmin) and TXT verification records. - Note the two nameserversCloudflare assigns to your account. Copy them exactly from the Cloudflare dashboard.
2. Change the nameservers
For a domain registered with Domain India, sign in to the client area, open Domains → My domains, select the domain, open the Nameservers tab, click Edit, enter the two Cloudflare nameservers and click Save. Write down the old nameservers first so you can switch back. The full steps are in How do I change my nameservers.
The change usually spreads within a few hours and can take up to 24-48 hours. Cloudflare emails you when the domain is active. If the domain is registered with another company, change the nameservers in that company's panel.
3. Proxy the website, not the mail
Each Cloudflare DNS record is either Proxied (orange cloud) or DNS only (grey cloud).
| Record | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| @ and www | Proxied | Website traffic goes through Cloudflare's CDN and protection |
| mail, webmail | DNS only | Cloudflare's proxy handles web traffic only; mail apps can't connect through it |
| The hostname your MX record points to | DNS only | Otherwise incoming email stops |
| FTP, SSH and control-panel hostnames | DNS only | These are not web traffic, and panel uploads can exceed the proxy's limits |
| MX and TXT records | Not proxied | Proxying never applies to them |
"My email stopped after I enabled Cloudflare" almost always means a mail hostname is orange-clouded or an MX, SPF or DKIM record was not copied. Set mail records to DNS only and copy every mail record from your hosting zone.
4. SSL/TLS: always Full (strict)
In Cloudflare, open SSL/TLS and set the encryption mode to Full (strict). Cloudflare then connects to your hosting over HTTPS and checks the certificate there.
Your hosting already has a free certificate you can use: AutoSSL (Let's Encrypt) on cPanel, and Let's Encrypt in DirectAdmin and Plesk. Check that it covers both the domain and www. Alternatively, install a free Cloudflare Origin Certificate on your hosting; the full guide explains the trade-off.
- Flexible sends traffic from Cloudflare to your server unencrypted and, with a site that redirects to HTTPS, causes the "too many redirects" loop. Don't use it.
- Full without strict accepts any certificate. Use it only as a short temporary step.
Then turn on Always Use HTTPS and Automatic HTTPS Rewrites under Edge Certificates.
5. After the switch
- Edit DNS in Cloudflare. Once the nameservers point to Cloudflare, changes in your hosting panel's DNS zone have no effect. A new subdomain also needs an A record in Cloudflare with your server's IP address, shown on your hosting service page in the client area.
- Performance settings. Cloudflare retired Auto Minify in 2024, so older guides that tell you to switch it on are out of date. Minify CSS and JavaScript with a caching plugin or your build tool instead.
- Visitor IP addresses. Behind the proxy, your server sees Cloudflare's addresses; the visitor's address is sent in the
CF-Connecting-IPheader. Many applications and security plugins have a Cloudflare setting that reads it. - Undo. To stop using Cloudflare, put the original nameservers back on the Nameservers tab.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Cloudflare with Domain India hosting?
Yes. Add the domain to a Cloudflare account, copy your DNS records, then change the domain's nameservers to the two Cloudflare assigns. Your website files, databases and email stay on your Domain India hosting.
Which Cloudflare SSL mode should I use?
Full (strict). Your Domain India hosting includes a free certificate that satisfies it. Flexible causes redirect loops and leaves the connection to your server unencrypted.
Why did my email stop working after enabling Cloudflare?
Usually a mail hostname is proxied (orange cloud) or the MX, SPF or DKIM records were not copied. Set mail records to DNS only and make sure every mail record from your hosting DNS zone exists in Cloudflare.
Where do I edit DNS after moving to Cloudflare?
In the Cloudflare dashboard. Once the domain uses Cloudflare's nameservers, edits in your hosting control panel's DNS zone no longer take effect.
How long does it take for Cloudflare to become active?
A nameserver change usually spreads within a few hours and can take up to 24-48 hours. Cloudflare emails you when the domain is active.
Ready to connect Cloudflare? Follow Enabling Cloudflare and connecting DNS, open your domains in the client area, or open a support ticket if you are unsure which records to keep.
Register your domain with Domain India and connect it to Cloudflare in a few minutes.
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