How to Activate or Deactivate Proxy on Cloudflare

How to Activate or Deactivate Proxy on Cloudflare

Cloudflare acts as an intermediary layer between your visitors and your mybox server. One of its most important features is the “Proxy” setting, which determines whether traffic flows through Cloudflare’s security filters or connects directly to your infrastructure.

What is a Cloudflare Proxy?

When a DNS record is Proxied, Cloudflare masks your server’s real IP address and provides features like DDoS protection, web application firewalls, and content caching.

• Orange Cloud (Enabled): Traffic is routed through Cloudflare. Your server’s IP is hidden, and optimization features are active.
• Gray Cloud (Disabled/DNS Only): Traffic goes directly to your mybox server. Cloudflare only acts as a standard DNS provider, and no security or speed optimizations are applied.

How to Activate or Deactivate the Proxy

The process for toggling the proxy status is the same for both activation and deactivation.

1. Log in to Cloudflare: Access your account at cloudflare.com.
2. Select Your Domain: Click on the domain you wish to manage.
3. Open the DNS Settings: Click the DNS tab in the sidebar menu, then select Records.
4. Edit the Record: Find the specific DNS record (usually an A or CNAME record) you want to change and click Edit.
5. Toggle the Proxy Status: * Click the Proxy status slider to switch between Proxied (Orange) and DNS only (Gray).
6. Save: Click Save to apply the changes.

When to Use Each Setting

Deciding whether to enable the proxy depends on the specific service linked to that DNS record.

Enable Proxy (Orange Cloud) for:

• Main Website Records: Your primary “A” record and “www” CNAME should always be proxied to benefit from mybox performance and Cloudflare’s security.
• Public Web Apps: Any service accessed via a browser that requires protection from attacks or needs faster loading times.

Disable Proxy (Gray Cloud) for:

• Mail Infrastructure: To ensure reliable email delivery, records like imap.mybox.com, smtp.mybox.com, and MX records must remain unproxied (Gray Cloud).
• FTP/SSH Access: Connections used for file transfers or server management often require a direct connection to the server IP.
• SSL Validation: Some third-party SSL certificates require a direct connection to the server for verification purposes.

Practical Implications for mybox Users

Managing your proxy status correctly prevents common technical issues:

• Email Connectivity: If you accidentally proxy your mail records, your email client (like Outlook or Gmail) may fail to connect to imap.mybox.com because Cloudflare does not proxy standard mail protocols by default.
• Real IP Logging: When the proxy is enabled, your server logs will see Cloudflare’s IP addresses instead of the visitor’s. If you need to see real visitor IPs in your mybox panel logs, ensure you have “Cloudflare Polish” or similar headers configured.
• Propagation: While DNS changes in Cloudflare are nearly instant, it may still take a short time for your local network to recognize the switch from a proxied IP to a direct IP.

Summary

The Cloudflare proxy is a powerful switch that toggles between total protection and a direct connection. For your website, keep the cloud orange. For technical services like email or direct server access, keep it gray. This balance ensures your mybox environment remains both secure and fully functional.