vinithra_karunanidhi VI

custom nameservers and cloudflare at the same time, confused

Our host wants us on their branded nameservers with the master zone kept there, but we also want cloudflare in front of the site. Every guide says switch to cloudflare's nameservers. Can both work, or does one have to go?
cloudflare dns servers
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dan_48 Nov 09, 2026
vinithra_karunanidhi
One more thing that bites people after the switch: the SSL mode in Cloudflare. If your host already has an SSL cert and you leave Cloudflare on "Flexible", you'll often get a redirect loop (too many redirects). Set it to Full (strict) and it goes away. Also lower the TTL on your records a day before you move, makes the cutover quicker if you need to undo it.
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rajq Oct 13, 2026
vinithra_karunanidhi
You can only have one set. If you want Cloudflare, the domain's nameservers at your registrar have to be the two Cloudflare gives you, and then all your DNS lives in Cloudflare. The host's custom nameservers (ns1.yourdomain etc) just stop being used. So: before switching, copy every DNS record from your host into Cloudflare, especially the A record for the site and the MX records for email. Then change the nameservers at the registrar. Miss the MX and your email breaks, that's the usual mistake.
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