CloudFlare CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a next-generation content delivery network that provides security, performs site optimization on the fly, and also speeds up your site. As of 2020, the CloudFlare infrastructure has data centers in 200 cities in more than 95 countries.
How does the CloudFlare service work?
CloudFlare is based on the reverse proxy principle. When you connect to CloudFlare, all your website traffic is passed through CloudFlare's global network.
The static content of your website (CSS, JavaScript, images) is cached on CloudFlare servers. Moreover, users receive content from nearby service servers, depending on their geographic location.
By passing all incoming traffic through its network, CloudFlare analyzes and filters incoming requests. As a result, legitimate users gain access to your site, and requests from intruders are filtered out.
Where are CloudFlare servers located?
The CloudFlare network is growing rapidly. Currently, the CloudFlare network includes 200 data centers located on 4 continents: North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Oceania. Including CDN CloudFlare are located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Riga, Vilnius and Chisinau.
How to connect CloudFlare?
First of all, you need to register an account on the service website: https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up.
Next step: adding your website to the CloudFlare database:
After this, you need to choose a tariff; for sites with small and medium traffic, a free tariff is suitable
Next, the service will scan your site’s records.
After scanning, you will be offered to fine-tune DNS records. You can add or change some entries. Also, you can choose which of the subdomains you want to connect to CF and which not.
Then you will be given new NS servers, this time from CloudFlare. You will need to change the current NS in the registrar panel of your domain to those that will be indicated on the page
The next step will be to set up a secure SSL connection for the site. If your site has SSL enabled in the control panel of our hosting, you should select Full mode; if your site does not have SSL in the panel, select Flexible.
Below you will be asked to enable forced redirection to https and on-the-fly optimization of static files
After you have confirmed the DNS records for the domain, you need to configure the CF for your site. Select the necessary parameters based on your own needs.
CloudFlare protection levels
You can select the protection level in the Firewall - Settings section
- I'm Under Attack:The level of security that needs to be enabled for a site when it is under attack. As a result, CloudFlare will enable special security measures to block malicious HTTP traffic. Visually, when visiting the site for the first time, site users will see an intermediate page with a five-second countdown while the visitor is being verified. This page should be treated as an automatic CAPTCHA.
- High: provides broad protection against spam, hacker attacks, and DoS attacks. This level of security requires each user to enter a captcha who has been caught in malicious behavior on other sites. The service checks the user's browser for malicious signatures. This level of security is suitable for administrators for whom website security is a top priority.
- Medium: When using this level of security, users will be screened out based on instances of spam, hacker attacks, or DoS attacks that were carried out by these users on other sites. It is necessary to enter a captcha for users who have been caught in frequent attacks on other sites. The service will also check the user's browser for malicious signatures. Ideal for sites with high security requirements. At this level, the risk of false alarms of the security system is minimal.
- Low: This security level provides for screening out only those users who regularly and frequently participate in hacker attacks on other sites. We do not recommend using this level of security, as it will allow users who may be attackers to access your site.
- Essentially off: will deny access to your site only to those users who are currently participating in a DoS attack known to the service. Suitable for webmasters who use CF mainly to increase the speed of delivering content to users. We also do not recommend using this level for security reasons.
Important!
CloudFlare does not connect immediately. After setting up all the options in the interface, you should wait until the information on the DNS servers is updated, after which your site will be successfully connected to the CloudFlare service.
Updating NS servers for a domain can take from 1 to 72 hours.
The static content of your website (CSS, JavaScript, images) is cached on CloudFlare servers. Moreover, users receive content from nearby service servers, depending on their geographic location.
By passing all incoming traffic through its network, CloudFlare analyzes and filters incoming requests. As a result, legitimate users gain access to your site, and requests from intruders are filtered out.
How to connect CloudFlare?
First of all, you need to register an account on the service website: https://dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up.
Next step: adding your website to the CloudFlare database:
After this, you need to choose a tariff; for sites with small and medium traffic, a free tariff is suitable
Next, the service will scan your site’s records.
After scanning, you will be offered to fine-tune DNS records. You can add or change some entries. Also, you can choose which of the subdomains you want to connect to CF and which not.
Then you will be given new NS servers, this time from CloudFlare. You will need to change the current NS in the registrar panel of your domain to those that will be indicated on the page
The next step will be to set up a secure SSL connection for the site. If your site has SSL enabled in the control panel of our hosting, you should select Full mode; if your site does not have SSL in the panel, select Flexible.
Below you will be asked to enable forced redirection to https and on-the-fly optimization of static files
After you have confirmed the DNS records for the domain, you need to configure the CF for your site. Select the necessary parameters based on your own needs.
- I'm Under Attack:The level of security that needs to be enabled for a site when it is under attack. As a result, CloudFlare will enable special security measures to block malicious HTTP traffic. Visually, when visiting the site for the first time, site users will see an intermediate page with a five-second countdown while the visitor is being verified. This page should be treated as an automatic CAPTCHA.
- High: provides broad protection against spam, hacker attacks, and DoS attacks. This level of security requires each user to enter a captcha who has been caught in malicious behavior on other sites. The service checks the user's browser for malicious signatures. This level of security is suitable for administrators for whom website security is a top priority.
- Medium: When using this level of security, users will be screened out based on instances of spam, hacker attacks, or DoS attacks that were carried out by these users on other sites. It is necessary to enter a captcha for users who have been caught in frequent attacks on other sites. The service will also check the user's browser for malicious signatures. Ideal for sites with high security requirements. At this level, the risk of false alarms of the security system is minimal.
- Low: This security level provides for screening out only those users who regularly and frequently participate in hacker attacks on other sites. We do not recommend using this level of security, as it will allow users who may be attackers to access your site.
- Essentially off: will deny access to your site only to those users who are currently participating in a DoS attack known to the service. Suitable for webmasters who use CF mainly to increase the speed of delivering content to users. We also do not recommend using this level for security reasons.