Do you want to reduce your WordPress site’s page load time? Set up a CDN system!
A content delivery network acts as the primary proxy between the visitor of the website and the site. It enables the user to receive static content from the nearest servers if the users stay in distant locations i.e. the website loads faster with less physical distance.
Cloudflare is one of the biggest and most popular CDN networks in the world. It aids in delivering the fastest website experience, which can help boost ranking in SERP.
Apart from caching, the content serves as an optimised version of your web pages. It also provides an extra layer of security and minifies the JS files. Plus, it filters out spam and unwanted traffic before it reaches your server making your site safe.
Why You Need Cloudflare CDN for WordPress?
If you compare Cloudflare CDN with other content delivery systems, it offers the best features for a WordPress website. It is an extensive network of static servers that automatically deliver dynamic content and caches static content.
It provides analytics on all the requests made to a website. It also offers easy SSL certificate installation. What’s more, it offers DDOS attack mitigation and provides a network gateway between different protocols.
Bluehost offers Cloudflare CDN feature with all hosting packages. It is directly built into your account and helps to automatically increase your site’s performance. To learn more about other web hosting features, read this Bluehost review.
A. Setup Free Cloudflare CDN For WordPress
Step 1: Create a Cloudflare account
Visit CloudFlare to create an account. Click on ‘Sign up’ → enter email → set a strong password with numbers and special characters.
Step 2: Add the domain name
Once you create an account on Cloudflare, the next step is to add your domain name to the system.
- Go to the Cloudflare dashboard and select the add site option.
- You will find the option below the text ‘you currently don’t have any websites.’
- Here, select a plan. If it is for a personal website, choose a free plan. If it is for a business website, choose a PRO or Business plan.
Step 3: Check the DNS record
Once you are through with adding your website to Cloudflare, you will have to provide the DNS details of your website.
- You can disable or enable Cloudflare with specific sub-domain options. For activation, you will need to toggle the Cloud to orange.
- Enabling the option is simple for both domain and subdomains. You can press the continue option to proceed to the next step.
If you are doing it from the cPanel, don’t enable the Cloudflare option. It may result in various DNS issues, which will complicate the setup process.
Step 4: Pointing of Domain Name
After you activate Cloudflare for domain and subdomains, you need to point it to your nameservers.
- Open the browser tab and visit your control panel. You will be able to find the details of the nameservers there.
- Here you need to replace the existing nameservers with those of Cloudflare.
- Once you add all nameservers, click the update option.
Note that the whole process may take some time. At times, it takes about three days to propagate the DNS worldwide.
Once the update is complete, you will receive an email configuration.
You need to check the update status on the website. During the whole process, your page won’t face downtime, which is an advantage.
Step 5: Configuring the Cloudflare Plugin
Once you point to the domain name, it’s time to configure the plugin option. To complete the process, you must install it on WordPress. The tools are available with various features to manage the CDN options.
- The features include single-click optimization of your WordPress website. It contains an automatic cache purge along with statics and built-in Cloudflare settings for simple modification. It comes with a web application and firewall ruleset.
- Proceed with the plugin installation. Access the WordPress dashboard → head to plugins → add new. Search for Cloudflare → install and activate the plugin.
- Go to settings and select Cloudflare. You will need to continue with the API key below the log field options. A window with a Cloudflare account will now be visible, and you will need to go to the API token and select global API. Enter your Cloudflare password and copy the API key.
- Now go back to the plugin settings and paste the key to login fields. Save the API credentials button to complete the process.
Step 6: After the login process
Once you complete the login process, you will see several settings. To optimise Cloudflare for WordPress, click the apply button to enable the option. It will make sure your Cloudflare settings are ready for the best performance.
- With the automatic cache management feature, you can clear the Cloudflare cache option every time you edit or switch to a different theme.
- With the purge cache option, you’ll be able to activate the service after you update your website design or you update your WordPress website.
B. Pros and Cons of Using Cloudflare CDN
Pros
- Cloudflare CDN is free and helps to improve the performance of the website. It also helps save on the bandwidth.
- It provides accurate site analytics. The stats are much more reliable than the JavaScript stats.
- All DNS changes in the website complete in 24 to 48 hours.
Cons
- It can interfere with the IP address. With the Cloudflare CDN system, the code needs to change the way it passes IP.
On a Final note,
With the CDN system, you’ll be able to create a Cloudflare account and add your domain name to it. You’ll be able to check all the domain records and activate the service. You can point your domain name to the Cloudflare nameservers. Simple installation of WordPress-Cloudflare provides easy configuration.
As always, use Bluehost Coupons to purchase hosting and domain at a hefty discount!
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