Put Cloudflare's free CDN and DDoS protection in front of your ProFlex website without breaking your email or SSL. This guide covers adding your domain to Cloudflare, checking the DNS records, switching nameservers, choosing the right SSL mode and connecting LiteSpeed Cache so it can clear Cloudflare's cache.
Do you need Cloudflare?
ProFlex is already fast. LiteSpeed Enterprise with LiteSpeed Cache serves cached pages very quickly, and Imunify360 protects the server. Cloudflare adds the most value if you have lots of visitors outside the UK, you're the target of attacks, or you want Cloudflare's extra security rules. If you're unsure, ask us. We're happy to advise, or to help you set it up.
Before you start
- Your site should already be working on ProFlex with a valid SSL certificate. See Free SSL certificates on ProFlex.
- Know where your domain is registered. You'll change its nameservers there. For domains registered with Host Dada, that's in the Client Area.
- Make a note of your current DNS records, especially email. If your domain uses Host Dada nameservers and you'd like a copy of your records, open a ticket and we'll send you a list.
Step-by-step
- Create a Cloudflare account at dash.cloudflare.com, or log in to your existing one.
- Add your domain. Choose Onboard a domain, enter your domain without
www(for exampleyourbusiness.co.uk), let Cloudflare scan your existing DNS records and continue. The Free plan is fine. -
Review the DNS records Cloudflare found. Compare them with your notes and add anything missing.
- Website: the A record for your domain (shown as
@or the domain name) andwwwshould point to your ProFlex IP address (shown as Shared IP Address on cPanel's home page). Set these to Proxied (orange cloud). - Email: MX records,
autodiscover, and SPF, DKIM and DMARC records must stay DNS only (grey cloud). If you use Microsoft 365, check every record listed in Microsoft 365 DNS records on Host Dada nameservers is present. - Verification records (TXT records such as Google or Microsoft verification codes): copy them across exactly.
- Website: the A record for your domain (shown as
- Change your nameservers. Cloudflare shows you two nameservers, such as
name1.ns.cloudflare.com. Replace your current nameservers with these at your registrar. For a domain registered with Host Dada, see Change nameservers for a domain registered with Host Dada. - Wait for activation. Cloudflare emails you when the domain is active. That's usually within a few hours, but it can take up to 24 hours.
- Set SSL to Full (strict). In Cloudflare, open your domain, go to SSL/TLS → Overview and choose Full (strict). Your ProFlex hosting already has a valid certificate, so this keeps the whole connection encrypted.
- Connect LiteSpeed Cache (WordPress only). In Cloudflare, create an API token from the WordPress template. Then in WordPress go to LiteSpeed Cache → CDN → Cloudflare, turn Cloudflare API on, paste the token into Global API Key / API Token, enter your Domain and save. Now Purge All clears Cloudflare's cache too.
Settings at a glance
| Cloudflare setting | Recommended value |
|---|---|
A records for @ and www | Your ProFlex IP address, Proxied |
| MX, autodiscover, SPF, DKIM, DMARC | DNS only (never proxied) |
| SSL/TLS encryption mode | Full (strict) |
| Always Use HTTPS | On (or use Force HTTPS Redirect in cPanel, not both if you see redirect loops) |
| Rocket Loader and other JavaScript optimisation | Off if you use LiteSpeed Cache's page optimisation, to avoid doing the same job twice |
Troubleshooting
"Too many redirects" (ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS)
Cloudflare's SSL mode is set to Flexible. Change it to Full (strict) under SSL/TLS → Overview, then clear your browser cache.
Email stopped arriving after the switch
An MX record is missing in Cloudflare, or it's been set to Proxied. Add the correct MX records as DNS only. For Microsoft 365, compare your records with our Microsoft 365 DNS guide.
Cloudflare error 521 or 522
Cloudflare can't reach your hosting. Check that the A records point to the right ProFlex IP address. If they do, open a ticket so we can check the server and firewall.
My SSL certificate didn't renew
AutoSSL normally renews through Cloudflare without any changes. If the SSL/TLS Status page in cPanel shows an error for your domain, open a ticket and we'll renew it.
Last reviewed: October 2026
