Drowning in Documentation

DNS & Network
#1

You’re not gonna believe this, but I am the documentation guy for a development company that is launching a new hosting service – well, technically, I think it launched a couple hours ago – and I am still trying to get the DNS documentation ready for the a.m. Don’t judge me. :slight_smile: Now, if you need a WordPress backend walkthrough, I’m your boy. Need a plugin explained, I got you. But, everything I know about DNS I’ve learned in the last two days.

So, this last task (it’s always the last task that gets you, isn’t it) has me a bit befuddled. We’re recommending Cloudflare exclusively. And this task requires that I explain to users how to configure CF if 1) theirs is a brand new site, never hosted anywhere before and, 2) it’s an existing site migrating from another host.

My questions:

  1. I don’t see how one configures CF for a site unless it has a host to provide DNS records, so the “never hosted” part of this task must mean “new domain and we’re it’s first host”
  2. So, what’s the distinction between a new site with hosting and an existing site with hosting as it relates to connecting to and configuring CF?

EDIT: After writing the above, I referred back to the task and discovered a significant point I missed. Still, I am not certain how it to work it out. A subtask says: "Connecting an already used domain to Cloudflare (previously used on another hosting and needs to be transferred to our hosting using Cloudflare)

Going on 20 hours straight of writing, so I am a little loopy.
Thank you to any charitable soul willing to help.

Please search for any existing topics relating to your subject before posting.

#2

Whats the domain to begin with?

#3

But to address your questions.

Cloudflare wont host your site, you need a host where you can point Cloudflare to.

There is not much, though I am not quite sure about the meaning of the question to be honest.

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#4

Thanks for responding Sandro.

I don’t follow your question. Perhaps if I just c&p the tasks that will make it easier.

Below is the guidance for two sets of how-to documents I am supposed to write:

  1. How to connect a new domain (not previously used on any other hosting) to Cloudflare

  2. How to connect an existing domain to Cloudflare then transferred to our hosting using CF

I think I get #1. That’s pretty straightforward. But #2 has me a tad confused.

#5

There is no distinction between new and existing. You need to have a domain and you need to have hosting to point Cloudflare to.

Then you simply add the domain to Cloudflare, point the domain’s nameservers to Cloudflare, and make sure Cloudflare’s DNS is properly set up to point to your host.

I would suggest to check out https://support.cloudflare.com/hc/en-us/categories/200275218 and #tutorials.

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#6

Believe it or not, I think I understand that. Just to be clear, the whole point of Cloudflare is to point your site to CF, then CF to the host. I think the task was poorly written and I’ve been searching for something that doesn’t exist, namely a distinction between a new domain and an existing domain as far as CF configuration.

Thank you. “There is no distinction between new and existing” are the best words I have heard all day. I’m not crazy (or stupid) afterall.

1 Like
#7

Absolutely correct. Cloudflare is just a proxy, respectively not even that should you choose not to proxy but only use their DNS service (which however would essentially disable their core service for you).

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#8

Hi @luke.britt,

In addition to what @sandro wrote, I wrote most of the Community Tutorials you can find here, including the setup ones. If they will help you with your documentation, please do feel free to use the material there.

Also, once you have written your docs, if you would like me, or someone else here to take a look at them, I am happy to do that :slight_smile:

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#9

Thanks domjh! I appreciate that.

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