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Use the VPS as your origin server, Nginx as the web server or application reverse proxy, and Cloudflare as the domain’s authoritative DNS provider and optional HTTP/HTTPS reverse proxy. The reliable sequence is: install Nginx, configure a server block for your hostnames, point Cloudflare DNS to the VPS, change your registrar nameservers, install a suitable origin certificate, select Full (strict), and verify both DNS and HTTPS before exposing the site.
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What this setup does
A visitor requests example.com. Cloudflare answers for the domain and, when the DNS record is proxied, receives the web request at its edge. Cloudflare then opens a connection to your VPS, where Nginx serves files or forwards the request to an application. In this design, the VPS remains the origin; Cloudflare does not replace Nginx.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteCloudflare’s DNS and proxy controls are separate. An A or AAAA record tells DNS which origin address belongs to a hostname. The orange-cloud proxy setting determines whether HTTP and HTTPS requests pass through Cloudflare or go directly to that address. Cloudflare describes this role as acting as the reverse proxy and DNS provider for the site.
Keep records for services that are not ordinary web traffic, such as mail, DNS-only unless the service explicitly supports Cloudflare proxying. Proxying a mail hostname can break mail delivery because the proxy is intended for supported HTTP and HTTPS traffic.
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Prerequisites and planning
Prepare these items before changing DNS:
- A registered domain and access to its registrar account.
- A VPS with a public IPv4 address, IPv6 address, or both.
- SSH access and an Ubuntu installation on the VPS.
- Permission to edit the registrar’s nameservers and the domain’s Cloudflare DNS records.
- A decision about whether Nginx will serve static files or proxy to an application process.
- A plan for the origin certificate: a publicly trusted Let’s Encrypt certificate, or a Cloudflare Origin CA certificate used only on the Cloudflare-to-origin connection.
Write down the exact hostnames you will publish, normally the apex name and www. Certificate coverage, Nginx’s server_name, DNS records, and the URLs you test must use the same names. Cloudflare warns that missing or incorrect records can result in DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN, so do not remove the old nameservers until the replacement records are ready.
Install Nginx on Ubuntu
For an Ubuntu distribution package, connect over SSH and run:
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sudo apt install nginx
sudo systemctl status nginxUbuntu identifies Nginx as a high-performance web server and reverse proxy. The status command should show the service running. If it is not active, inspect the service output before changing configuration; a syntax error in a newly enabled site can prevent a reload or restart.
Nginx also publishes signed packages. Its current package information lists Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04, and 26.04 among supported releases. If you choose that repository instead of Ubuntu’s distribution package, use the repository intended for your exact operating-system release and verify its signing keys. Do not mix package instructions for one Ubuntu version with another.
Build the Nginx site configuration
Create a directory for static files
For a simple static site, create a document root. Replace the example hostname with yours:
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sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com/html
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/example.com/html
printf '%sn' '<!doctype html><html><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>Example site</title></head><body><h1>It works</h1></body></html>' > /var/www/example.com/html/index.htmlThe ownership command makes the directory manageable by the account you used for SSH. For a production deployment, copy your built files into this directory and apply the permissions policy appropriate to your deployment process.
Write a server block
Ubuntu’s sites-available convention keeps each virtual host in its own file. Create /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com:
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
root /var/www/example.com/html;
index index.html;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
}
}The server_name line is not cosmetic: Nginx uses it to select the block that handles the requested Host header. Include every hostname you intend to serve. The root directive points to the files, while try_files returns a 404 when the requested path does not exist.
Enable the file with the standard Ubuntu symlink, test the complete configuration, and only then reload:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/example.com
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginxsudo nginx -t must report a successful syntax test before every reload. If it names a file or line, correct that specific problem and run the test again. A reload applies a valid configuration without unnecessarily terminating existing connections.
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Proxy an application instead of serving files
If your site is an application listening locally, use a location block with proxy_pass rather than a static document root. A minimal pattern is:
server {
listen 80;
listen [::]:80;
server_name example.com www.example.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
}
}Change the address and port to the process that runs your application. Keep the application bound to the intended interface, and confirm that it is listening before blaming Nginx. The Nginx Beginner’s Guide covers the related static-content, proxy-server, and FastCGI patterns; use the appropriate one for your application stack. After editing, repeat sudo nginx -t and reload.
Put the domain on Cloudflare
Add the zone and review imported records
- Sign in to Cloudflare and add the apex domain, such as
example.com. - Review the records Cloudflare imports. Remove stale web records and correct any record that points at an old server.
- Create an A record for the VPS IPv4 address and an AAAA record when you intend to serve IPv6. Use the apex name for the root record and create the
wwwrecord as required by your naming plan. - Set the web records to Proxied when browser traffic should traverse Cloudflare. Leave mail and other unsupported service records DNS-only.
An A or AAAA record identifies the origin; it does not by itself turn on Cloudflare’s reverse proxy. Conversely, a proxied record cannot repair an incorrect address. Verify both the value and the proxy status in the DNS dashboard.
Change the registrar nameservers
- Cloudflare supplies two authoritative nameservers for the zone.
- At the registrar, replace the existing nameservers with exactly those two assigned nameservers.
- Save the change and wait for delegation to update. Until delegation changes, public resolvers may continue using the previous DNS provider.
Do not assume that adding a zone in Cloudflare automatically changes delegation. The registrar step is what makes Cloudflare authoritative. During the transition, test from more than one network and allow for resolver caching.
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HTTPS has two relevant legs: the visitor-to-Cloudflare connection and, when proxying is enabled, the Cloudflare-to-origin connection. Your certificate choice determines whether the origin can be validated when Cloudflare connects to Nginx and whether browsers can connect directly if proxying is later disabled.
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| Criterion | Let’s Encrypt with Certbot | Cloudflare Origin CA |
|---|---|---|
| Browser trust when the origin is reached directly | Designed to provide a publicly trusted certificate. | Designed for Cloudflare-to-origin encryption; browsers may show a certificate-authority error if they connect directly. |
| Dependence on Cloudflare proxying | Can be used with or without Cloudflare proxying. | Intended for proxied traffic and should not be exposed directly when proxying is disabled. |
| Issuance workflow | Certbot uses the Let’s Encrypt ACME service and can install the result through its Nginx plugin. | Create an Origin CA certificate in Cloudflare, then install the supplied certificate and private key on Nginx. |
| Hostname coverage | Request the exact names you serve, such as the apex and www. |
Issue the certificate for the hostnames Cloudflare will use to reach the origin. |
| Operational monitoring | Track renewal and confirm that the installed certificate remains current. | Track expiration yourself; Cloudflare states that it does not send expiration notifications for Origin CA certificates. |
Option A: Let’s Encrypt through Certbot
Ubuntu recommends Certbot as an ACME client, and its Nginx plugin can obtain a certificate for the configured domains, edit the matching server block, and reload Nginx. With the server block already naming both hosts, run:
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com -d www.example.comFollow Certbot’s prompts and read the proposed Nginx changes before accepting them. The certificate must cover every hostname that browsers will request. After completion, run sudo nginx -t and request both HTTP and HTTPS URLs. Keep a record of the certificate locations and verify your renewal process rather than assuming an unattended renewal is working.
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Option B: Cloudflare Origin CA
- In Cloudflare’s SSL/TLS area, create an Origin CA certificate covering the hostnames that Cloudflare will send to the VPS.
- Copy the PEM certificate and private key to protected files on the VPS. Restrict access to the key according to your operating-system policy.
- Update the Nginx server block to listen on port 443 and reference the certificate and key files. Keep the port-80 block available for the HTTP behavior you choose, commonly a redirect after HTTPS is confirmed.
- Run
sudo nginx -t, reload Nginx, and confirm that the origin accepts HTTPS. - In Cloudflare, select Full (strict) once the valid origin certificate is installed.
Cloudflare Origin CA certificates encrypt the Cloudflare-to-origin leg and are compatible with Strict SSL mode. They are not general-purpose public certificates. If you pause or disable Cloudflare proxying, a visitor connecting directly to the VPS can receive a certificate-authority error because the browser does not trust the Origin CA chain. Use a publicly trusted certificate when direct browser access must remain valid.
Full versus Full (strict)
Full (strict) is the appropriate end state when Nginx presents a valid certificate for the requested hostname. It lets Cloudflare encrypt the origin connection and validate the certificate. If the origin certificate is missing, expired, does not match the hostname, or is otherwise not accepted, strict mode will fail the connection. A non-strict Full setting can be used only as a temporary compatibility step while you install a proper origin certificate; it does not replace that certificate or remove the need to maintain one.
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The origin must be reachable on the ports required by your selected validation and HTTPS design. At minimum, your plan must account for SSH administration and the HTTP and HTTPS listeners that Nginx uses. Check the VPS firewall and any provider-level network firewall before testing through Cloudflare. A correct DNS record cannot compensate for a blocked origin port.
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When using Certbot, make sure the validation method you selected can reach the hostname and that Nginx serves the challenge on the expected listener. When using Origin CA, make sure port 443 is enabled and the certificate files are readable by Nginx while the private key remains protected.
Verify the finished deployment
Perform these checks in order so that a failure points to the right layer:
- Delegation: confirm that the registrar now lists the two Cloudflare-assigned nameservers.
- DNS records: resolve the apex and
wwwnames and confirm that the A or AAAA values correspond to the VPS. A proxied response may show Cloudflare addresses rather than the VPS address; that is expected when proxying is enabled. - Proxy status: confirm that the web records have the intended Proxied or DNS-only state. Do not infer status from the returned IP alone.
- Nginx configuration: run
sudo nginx -tand check that the active server block contains the expectedserver_name, root or proxy target, and HTTPS certificate paths. - Origin listeners: verify that Nginx is listening on the ports required by the design and that the application process is listening on its local port when applicable.
- HTTP: request the apex and
wwwURLs and confirm that the expected site, redirect, or application response appears. - HTTPS: request both names over HTTPS. Confirm that the certificate names match the hostname and that the connection remains successful through the selected Cloudflare SSL mode.
- Direct-origin behavior: if you use an Origin CA certificate, do not treat a direct browser certificate warning as a Cloudflare failure; it is the expected limitation when proxying is bypassed.
Troubleshoot common failures
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
Check that the registrar delegation points to Cloudflare, that the zone is active there, and that an A or AAAA record exists for the exact hostname. Also check for a typo in the hostname and whether you are testing a name that has no record. Changing Nginx cannot fix an NXDOMAIN response because the request has not reached the VPS.
The domain resolves but the site does not load
First check proxy status and the VPS firewall. Confirm that Nginx is running, that the relevant port is open, and that the request’s hostname appears in server_name. For a static site, verify the file exists beneath the configured root. For an application, verify the local process and the proxy_pass destination.
Nginx will not reload
Run sudo nginx -t and fix the first reported error. Typical causes are a missing semicolon, an incorrect certificate path, a duplicate or malformed server block, or a symlink to a file that was moved. Do not repeatedly restart the service without reading the test output; a restart can interrupt otherwise healthy sites.
HTTPS fails after enabling strict mode
Check that port 443 is reachable, the certificate and private key files are present, and the certificate covers the hostname Cloudflare requested. Ensure the Nginx HTTPS block is enabled and that the certificate has not expired. Full (strict) requires a valid origin certificate, including a correctly installed Cloudflare Origin CA certificate.
A browser warns about the certificate after proxying is paused
This is expected for a Cloudflare Origin CA certificate when visitors connect directly to the VPS. Restore Cloudflare proxying, or replace the origin certificate with one issued by a publicly trusted authority if direct access is a requirement.
Maintenance after launch
- Keep Ubuntu, Nginx, and the application packages maintained. Apply updates appropriate to the installed Ubuntu release and package source.
- Run
sudo nginx -tbefore every reload, including reloads performed by deployment tooling. - Maintain an inventory of certificate names, file locations, issuer, and expiration date.
- Test certificate renewal before the current certificate approaches expiration. Certbot and an Origin CA certificate have different issuance and monitoring workflows.
- Recheck both apex and
wwwafter DNS, Nginx, certificate, or proxy-status changes. - Document which records are proxied and which are DNS-only so a future operator does not proxy mail or another unsupported service accidentally.
- Review the origin firewall whenever you change the validation method, enable IPv6, or add an HTTPS listener.
A practical decision framework
Choose the Nginx role
- Use a static
rootandtry_filesblock for files generated by a site build. - Use
proxy_passwhen a separate application server renders responses or provides an API. - Use FastCGI configuration when your application runtime requires it rather than treating every backend as an HTTP proxy.
Choose the certificate
- Choose Let’s Encrypt with Certbot when the VPS may be visited directly, when Cloudflare proxying might be paused, or when you want a browser-trusted origin certificate.
- Choose Cloudflare Origin CA when the origin is deliberately private behind Cloudflare and you will keep the web records proxied. Track expiration yourself because Cloudflare does not provide Origin CA expiration notifications.
- Whichever path you choose, select Full (strict) only after the origin certificate is installed, matches the hostnames, and Nginx serves it on port 443.
The durable arrangement is therefore straightforward: DNS identifies the VPS, proxy status controls whether Cloudflare sits in front of it, Nginx selects the correct site by hostname, and a maintained origin certificate allows strict TLS between Cloudflare and the VPS.
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