Connect an existing domain to Oogle hosting

You keep your domain at the registrar where you bought it. To connect it to Oogle hosting, we add the domain to Cloudflare and check its records, then you replace the nameservers at your registrar with the two Cloudflare nameservers we send you. Once Cloudflare sees the change, usually within a few hours, your domain is active and we point it at your new website.

How the setup works

1. We add your domain to Cloudflare. Oogle uses Cloudflare for DNS. Your domain goes into the Cloudflare account we manage for clients.
2. We review the records. Cloudflare scans your current DNS and copies what it finds, but scans can miss records. We check the important ones by hand: the bare domain, www, and your email records (MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC).
3. Cloudflare assigns two nameservers. They look like xxxx.ns.cloudflare.com. The pair is specific to your domain, and we send it to you.
4. You change the nameservers at your registrar (steps below). If you'd prefer, we can do it with access to your registrar account.
5. Cloudflare activates the domain. Usually within hours, and allow up to 24 hours. We're notified when it's active and tell you.
6. We point the domain at your website on Oogle hosting, if that's not already done, and check the security certificate.

If you have your own Cloudflare account, the same sequence applies there: add the site, review every scanned record, note the two assigned nameservers, then make the registrar change.

Before you change anything

• Tell us about everything that uses your domain. Email, a booking system, a shop on another platform, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace verification. Each may need a record copied.
• Check for DNSSEC. If DNSSEC is on at your registrar, turn it off there first (remove the DS record) and wait for the old record to expire, often 24–48 hours. Changing nameservers with DNSSEC still on can make the domain stop resolving. See DNSSEC basics.
• Wait for our go-ahead. Change the nameservers only after we've confirmed the records are ready.

Change the nameservers

1. Sign in to your registrar.
2. Open the domain and find its nameserver setting.
3. Choose custom (or "your own") nameservers.
4. Delete every existing nameserver entry.
5. Enter the two Cloudflare nameservers from our message, exactly as written.
6. Save, and enter any confirmation code your registrar asks for.
7. Reply to our ticket to let us know it's done.

Exact labels for GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace, Porkbun, Dynadot and Name.com are in How to change your domain's nameservers.

You'll know it worked when

We tell you Cloudflare shows the domain as active, and your website loads at your domain with a padlock. To check the nameservers yourself:

dig ns example.com @1.1.1.1

Replace example.com with your domain. The answer should list only the two names we sent. Without a command line, enter your domain at Google Public DNS, select Resolve, and check the NS records, or look the domain up at ICANN Lookup.

Troubleshooting

• Still pending after a day. The usual causes: the change wasn't saved, a typo in a nameserver, an old DNSSEC (DS) record at the registrar, or a registrar lock or expired domain stopping changes. Cloudflare can remove a domain that stays pending for 28 days, so tell us if it's been more than a day.
• The domain stopped working completely. Most often DNSSEC. Remove the DS record at your registrar and tell us.
• Email stopped. A mail record was missed. Open a ticket straight away with your email provider's name; see Email DNS records.
• Your domain is registered at Cloudflare. Cloudflare Registrar domains must use Cloudflare nameservers and can't be pointed at another set. If it's in your own Cloudflare account, open a ticket and we'll agree the setup with you.
• A security warning in the browser. The certificate can take from 15 minutes to 24 hours after activation. If it lasts longer, see Fix DNS and SSL errors.

To raise any of these, open a Website Support ticket.

Next steps

• Change DNS without taking your website or email offline
• How long DNS changes take