Title: Cloud Flare Feedback?
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Cloud Flare Feedback?

 *  Resolved [Dave](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tlwh/)
 * (@tlwh)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/)
 * Has anyone used the cloudflare option on W3TC?
 * And if so, what’s your feedback on the service?

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 24 total)

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 *  [SEO Marketing Media Elite](https://wordpress.org/support/users/seo-marketing-media-elite/)
 * (@seo-marketing-media-elite)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147233)
 * Dave,
 * I also was curious so I tried it. Here are the highs and lows.
 * Highs
    1. Definitely faster
 * Lows
    1. You will have to change your servers to theirs. 2. With the free account
   you cant change any of your files. 3. The paid account is pricey at over 20 dollars
   a month.
 *  [EddieG](https://wordpress.org/support/users/eddieg/)
 * (@eddieg)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147241)
 * Dave,
 * It is noticeably faster, yes, but sometimes it seems to have “gone to sleep” 
   and needs a sec to wake up. Note that it only caches _**certain**_ of your records,
   not all of them.
 * Changing your DNS server takes about 20 seconds. Since installing CloudFlare 
   I have changed many of my files many times without issue.
 * The Google Apache module _mod\_pagespeed_ _**may**_ pick up the fine-tuning process
   where CloudFlare leaves off, and can be used in conjunction with CloudFlare. 
   I aim to try it but have not done so yet.
 *  [SEO Marketing Media Elite](https://wordpress.org/support/users/seo-marketing-media-elite/)
 * (@seo-marketing-media-elite)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147242)
 * Let me rephrase the changing of files.
    Only through WordPress you can change
   your files. If there is something you had to upload directly to a folder, not
   through WordPress you won’t be able to unless you have a paid account.
 *  Thread Starter [Dave](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tlwh/)
 * (@tlwh)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147323)
 * Many thank for the feedback on Cloud flare.
 * I’ll take a look at the free version based on what you’ve said here. And take
   it from there.
 * Always a bit wary when someone else wants to take over your DNS!
 *  [A Man Cooks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/a-man-cooks/)
 * (@a-man-cooks)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147328)
 * Yeah, I thought that too. But what I giveth, I can taketh away. 🙂
 *  [wavesoftech](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wavesoftech/)
 * (@wavesoftech)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147378)
 * I’m currently using MaxCDN. Can cloud flare be used in conjunction/simultaneously
   with another CDN?
 *  [A Man Cooks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/a-man-cooks/)
 * (@a-man-cooks)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147382)
 * Although I haven’t tried it I suspect the answer is yes, since W3TC has an option
   to enable MaxCDN in addition to CloudFlare, although that doesn’t prove anything.
 * I’ve had passing contact with CloudFlare Support, but did not find them to be
   _eager beavers_. In fact I invited them to this discussion earlier today.
 *  [Pixel Light Media](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pizzaman66/)
 * (@pizzaman66)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147391)
 * I’ve been using the free CloudFlare service for a few months now, it did speed
   things up as far as page load time and it definitely helped with server requests.
 * Also, I did activate the CloudFlare feature in W3 Total Cache as well. I’ve had
   decent success with it after a bit of tinkering and can say that I have made 
   a marked improvement on page load time for this site here: [kimoverholt.com](http://kimoverholt.com).
 * I discovered the biggest factor in slowing the page load is the affiliate ads
   as well as any of the scripts that need to load.
 * There’s still more I can do but I’m learning as I go with respect to the pluggins
   capabilities.
 * Check out this video: [Use W3 Total Cache to Speed Up Your WordPress Site](http://www.ostraining.com/blog/wordpress/w3-total-cache/)
 * Hope it helps!
 *  [A Man Cooks](https://wordpress.org/support/users/a-man-cooks/)
 * (@a-man-cooks)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147394)
 * CloudFlare decreased my ping time by a factor of 7, and users said my pages now
   load “instantaneously.” However, Google Page Speed only went from 89/100 to 90/
   100. And it is the Google ring that we must kiss. Argh…
 * Next time I feel inspired I will install _mod\_pagespeed_ on my server.
 * CloudFlare wrote me this AM re mod_pagespeed, “No direct experience with this.
   But I believe we may look at adding this as an option in CloudFlare settings 
   at some point.”
 * “The pioneer is the one with the arrows in his back.”
 *  [goddess_dix](https://wordpress.org/support/users/goddess_dix/)
 * (@goddess_dix)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147396)
 * I’ve had good luck with CloudFlare–good increase in page speed and especially,
   MUCH less spam.
 *  [damoncloudflare](https://wordpress.org/support/users/damoncloudflare/)
 * (@damoncloudflare)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147414)
 * “If there is something you had to upload directly to a folder, not through WordPress
   you won’t be able to unless you have a paid account. “
    Not sure where this is
   coming from. Having a Pro account doesn’t have anything to do with folders or
   uploading anything at all (nor does a free account). Are you talking about doing
   something via ftp? You should either FTP to your server’s IP (ftp://yourserverip/)
   address or to:
 * direct.yourdomain.com
 * “You will have to change your servers to theirs.”
    You’re only changing your 
   domain nameservers (DNS). You still keep your hosting provider, which means your
   site server IP address doesn’t change at all.
 * “I’ve had passing contact with CloudFlare Support, but did not find them to be
   eager beavers. In fact I invited them to this discussion earlier today.”
 * Sorry if it takes me a bit to get out to here from a request. We’re experiencing
   decent contact volumes right now, and I’m in the process of helping train new
   folks to tackle that load.
 * “I’m currently using MaxCDN. Can cloud flare be used in conjunction/simultaneously
   with another CDN? “
 * There is no conflict with using other CDN services. You would want to make sure
   that any CNAMEs you have for your CDN are present in your CloudFlare DNS settings(
   settings->DNS settings).
 * “Always a bit wary when someone else wants to take over your DNS! “
    This isn’t
   a requirement if you activate via a [hosting partner’s cpanel integration](https://www.cloudflare.com/hosting-partners.html).
   We will also have CNAME pointing available in about 4-5 weeks or so (target is
   late July).
 * “Note that it only caches certain of your records, not all of them.”
    CloudFlare
   only [caches static content](http://support.cloudflare.com/kb/top-frequently-asked-questions/which-kind-of-file-extensions-does-cloudflare-cache)
   by extension type.
 * Some other [helpful CloudFlare tips](http://blog.cloudflare.com/top-tips-for-new-cloudflare-users).
 * I can generally free some time up to respond to posts & I just want to advise
   it will take a little time right now for me to get back to one.
 *  [VSCC](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vscc/)
 * (@vscc)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147508)
 *     ```
       "If there is something you had to upload directly to a folder, not through WordPress you won't be able to unless you have a paid account. "
       Not sure where this is coming from. Having a Pro account doesn't have anything to do with folders or uploading anything at all (nor does a free account). Are you talking about doing something via ftp?
       You should either FTP to your server's IP (ftp://yourserverip/)
       address or to:
   
       direct.yourdomain.com
       ```
   
 * Exactly, Cloudflare has no effect on your original hosting servers IP address
   just get the IP address of the hosting server before you switch over, you can
   easily find it by doing a A record DNS lookup on your existing domain, you can
   use a simple online tool like [http://www.mxlookups.com ](http://www.mxlookups.com)
   or similar.
 * Cloudflare doesn’t give direct access to your site but rather proxies this in
   a manor. So once your name server records have changed your original domain will
   no longer point at the hosts IP but to one of cloudflare’s.
 * During the initial setup a DNS record of direct.yourdomain.com is created. this
   by default is the only name server record pointing directly to the originals 
   hosts ip. So unless you changed it on setup anyone can bypass the cloudflare 
   service using [http://direct.cloudflare.com](http://direct.cloudflare.com). So
   I always remove it, but you could also use this for ftp connection if you still
   have it.
 * A bigger concern to me is any potential effect this may have on Google ads? as
   the originating ips of visitors become those of cloudflare’s, does this have 
   a detrimental effect?
 * I’m in the process of searching for a answer now. I also have a phpbb site that
   I use cloudflare on and I read on there support pages a recommended change to
   the session.php file to allow original IP pass through. I wondering if wordpress
   has any issue at all, found this thread while searching thought I would reply,
   so for posting on 3 week old thread.
 *  [damoncloudflare](https://wordpress.org/support/users/damoncloudflare/)
 * (@damoncloudflare)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147509)
 * “A bigger concern to me is any potential effect this may have on Google ads?”
 * No conflict because this is between your visitor and your site (javascript). 
   The only thing that might impact javascript are the beta features (Rocket Loader,
   Auto Minify) & you should turn these off if you have them turned on & have a 
   problem.
 * “I wondering if wordpress has any issue at all, found this thread while searching
   thought I would reply, so for posting on 3 week old thread. “
 * You should install the CloudFlare WordPress plugin (if using WordPress). You 
   can also install mod_cloudflare on your server as another option.
 *  [VSCC](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vscc/)
 * (@vscc)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147510)
 * damoncloudflare
 * Perfect, thanks for the info.
 *  [damoncloudflare](https://wordpress.org/support/users/damoncloudflare/)
 * (@damoncloudflare)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cloud-flare-feedback/#post-2147511)
 * Hi,
 * Glad to help!

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