How to Set Up Cloudflare with InMotion Hosting

Cloudflare is a global content delivery network (CDN), security, and performance platform that protects and speeds up websites. It acts as a reverse proxy, routing traffic through its network for DDoS protection, WAF (Web Application Firewall), caching, and more.

This guide walks you through a full nameserver setup (the most common method), which is fully compatible with InMotion Hosting shared, VPS, or dedicated plans. Always refer to Cloudflare’s official documentation for the latest interface details, as dashboards evolve.

Prerequisites

• An active Cloudflare account (free plan is sufficient for most users).
• Access to your domain’s nameserver settings (either in InMotion’s Account Management Panel (AMP) if registered there, or at your domain registrar).
• Backup your current DNS records from cPanel’s Zone Editor.
• InMotion’s AutoSSL (or another valid SSL certificate) installed on your hosting account.

Note: DNS changes, especially nameserver updates, can take 24–48 hours to propagate fully.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Cloudflare

1. Log in to the Cloudflare Dashboard. Go to dash.cloudflare.com and sign in.
2. Onboard Your Domain
   • From the homepage or Domains section, select Onboard a domain (or Add a site / Add domain).
   • Enter your apex domain (e.g., example.com) and continue.
   • Cloudflare will scan for existing DNS records. Review them carefully.
3. Note Your Cloudflare Nameservers Cloudflare will assign two custom nameservers (e.g., ns1.cloudflare.com and ns2.cloudflare.com). Write them down exactly. These replace your current nameservers.
4. Update Nameservers at Your Registrar
   • If your domain is registered with InMotion, log into the Account Management Panel (AMP) and update the nameservers there.
   • If registered elsewhere (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.), log into that registrar’s control panel and replace the existing nameservers with Cloudflare’s.
   • Save changes. Do not add Cloudflare nameservers as records inside your old DNS — replace them at the registrar level.
5. Confirm in Cloudflare Once updated, return to Cloudflare. It will automatically detect the change (or click the confirmation button). You’ll see a success message when your domain becomes active.

Your basic setup is now complete. Cloudflare is proxying traffic (orange cloud icon on DNS records).

SSL/TLS Configuration (Critical for Security)

For end-to-end encryption:

• Go to SSL/TLS → Overview.
• Set the encryption mode to Full (strict). This is the recommended and most secure option. It requires a valid SSL certificate on your InMotion server (AutoSSL works perfectly).

Avoid Flexible mode (only encrypts visitor-to-Cloudflare traffic) as it is less secure and can cause redirect issues.

Tip: If you encounter mixed-content or redirect loops, ensure your WordPress/site settings force HTTPS and clear caches.

DNS Settings After Switching

Since Cloudflare now handles your DNS, you must recreate important records:

1. In Cloudflare, go to DNS → Records.
2. Add or import records from your old cPanel Zone Editor:
   • A or AAAA records for your website (point to InMotion server IP) → Proxy enabled (orange cloud).
   • MX records for email → Usually DNS-only (gray cloud) so email bypasses Cloudflare.
   • CNAME for subdomains (e.g., www) → Proxy as needed.
   • SPF, DKIM, DMARC records for email deliverability.

Common recommendation: Keep web traffic proxied and email records unproxied.

Recommended Cloudflare Settings

• Security: Enable Bot Fight Mode (free) or the WAF. Use I’m Under Attack mode only during active attacks.
• Performance: Enable caching, Polish (image optimization), and Brotli compression.
• DNS: Enable DNSSEC in Cloudflare after setup (disable it first at your old registrar if enabled).
• Advanced: Consider Tiered Cache or Origin Shield for high-traffic sites.

How to Disable or Pause Cloudflare

Temporary Pause (recommended for testing):

• Go to your domain → Overview.
• Scroll to Advanced Actions → Pause Cloudflare on Site.

Permanent Removal:

• Change your nameservers back to InMotion’s (or your previous provider) at the registrar.
• Remove the domain from Cloudflare if desired.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Propagation delays: Use whatsmydns.net to check nameserver changes.
• Email issues: Ensure MX records are DNS-only.
• Too many redirects: Switch to Full (strict) SSL and force HTTPS on your site.
• Slow performance: Clear Cloudflare cache and review Page Rules / Cache Rules.

For InMotion-specific help (e.g., finding your server IP or AutoSSL), contact InMotion support. For Cloudflare features, use their support or community.