I've found instructions for using Cloudflare to make dns changes and create a subdomain as part of the process to make my Nextcloud (running in a container) internet facing. I'm wondering, do I NEED to use Cloudflare for this? I see GoDaddy has an option to create dns records and subdomains, will this be sufficient?

 

I ask because my domain (from GoDaddy) is currently connected to Exchange as well and I suspect changing name servers to Cloudflare will break this. Though I can probably work through this it's a headache I'd like to avoid if possible.

 

Thanks in advance!

I would not want to put any of my servers on the internet with DNS records pointing to them, so using CloudFlare as a security firewall proxy makes sense.

 

But its your server and your data so take whatever highstakes risks that you are comfortable with.

Yes, I've been trying to understand this better, and I'm in agreement. Certainly using Cloudflare as a "middleman" to hide my IP address is a good idea. So GoDaddy can't do this? I'm surprised, as I don't know who would be comfortable advertising their IP address in this way.

 

I think "high stakes risk" is a little overblown, but if you're hosting your own services you should be fairly familiar with those services and the ports you're exposing - having Cloudflare pointing at your IP doesn't change that.

 

14 hours ago, Kiefer said:

GoDaddy can't do this?

You need to add a CNAME, or A record in your DNS in your godaddy panel if your domain isn't already pointed at your server. I created a sub domain pointed at my home server (the A record), and then use CNAMEs that point to that subdomain for any services I want to self host, and my domain and websites remain pointed at my webhost.

Thanks @Michael_P for explaining the DNS record change process. That was my understanding as well but it's good to have it verified! GoDaddy can do that, but I think what GoDaddy cannot do (that Cloudflare can) is run those redirections through their own proxy service such that others cannot see where the A record is actually pointing (so no one, except Cloudflare I suppose, will know the IP address of my server).