Overview
Before you activate the Cloud icon for your domain in VergeCloud, it’s important to make sure your server and DNS setup are fully prepared to work with the platform. Turning on the Cloud icon changes the way traffic reaches your website, requests will start flowing through VergeCloud’s global edge network instead of connecting directly to your server. Because of this shift, a few essential checks are required to avoid issues like unexpected downtime, blocked requests, SSL errors, or missing content.
This guide walks you through all the key steps you should complete beforehand, including whitelisting VergeCloud IP ranges, confirming your SSL or selecting a VergeCloud certificate, ensuring the correct ports are open on your origin server, reviewing firewall behavior, and configuring page rules for caching. By taking a few minutes to verify these settings, you ensure that everything works smoothly the moment the Cloud icon is switched on. Once these checks are done, your website can safely take advantage of VergeCloud’s performance boosts, security features, and optimized delivery without any interruption to your users.
1. Whitelisting VergeCloud IP Addresses:
When the Cloud icon is switched on, your website will no longer receive requests directly from visitors. Instead, every request will first reach VergeCloud’s edge servers, which will then communicate with your main server. Because of this change, your server, firewall, or security system may mistakenly treat traffic from VergeCloud as suspicious. In many cases, firewalls are configured to block sudden or unfamiliar traffic sources, which can lead to the website becoming inaccessible.
To avoid this problem, it is important to
whitelist the IP addresses used by VergeCloud. After doing so, all communication between the edge servers and your main server will be treated as trusted traffic. VergeCloud provides a simple guide that explains which addresses must be added and where to enter them within your firewall or hosting control panel. Completing this step early prevents false positives and ensures that your site remains reachable as soon as the Cloud icon is enabled.
2. Configuring HTTPS:
If you have already purchased and installed an SSL certificate on your website’s main server, you need to upload your certificate file (.crt file) and private key (.key file) in the HTTPS Settings section of the CDN user panel. To avoid errors when users visit your site in different browsers, ensure you include the certificate along with the chain file. Use these links to obtain the chain certificate file:
- How to obtain a certificate with a chain via a browser
- How to create a certificate trust chain
If you don’t have a certificate yet and prefer to use VergeCloud’s free certificate, this must be done before activating the Cloud icon. Note that the certificate will only be issued if your domain’s active phrase is registered in the VergeCloud user panel under the Cloud DNS section (i.e., NS records are successfully set). To obtain a free VergeCloud certificate, navigate to the CDN product in the user panel, go to the HTTPS Settings section, and enable the VergeCloud Certificate option.
3. Port Configuration:
VergeCloud communicates with your origin server over standard web ports. By default, the edge servers use both port 80 for regular HTTP requests and port 443 for encrypted HTTPS requests. If either of these ports is closed or blocked on your origin server, VergeCloud will not be able to retrieve content when users visit your site.
To address this, check your server and confirm which port is open. Then, in the VergeCloud panel, open the origin settings section and select the protocol that matches your server configuration. If only port 80 is open, choose HTTP. If only port 443 is available, choose HTTPS. This ensures that VergeCloud always uses a working communication path.
4. Security Settings:
VergeCloud includes a Web Application Firewall that protects your site from bots, attacks, and suspicious traffic. Before enabling the firewall in full protection mode, it is recommended to first run it in detection mode. This mode allows the system to observe incoming requests without blocking them, giving you time to study the reports, understand which rules trigger alerts, and make adjustments as needed. VergeCloud provides a guide that explains how to tune the rules and customize the firewall based on your website’s behavior. After a short observation period, you can switch the firewall to active protection.
5. Configuring Page Rules:
Page rules help you control how VergeCloud caches and delivers content. By default, only static elements such as images, style sheets, and scripts are cached at the edge. If certain pages should never be cached, such as login pages or frequently updated sections, you must specify them in the page rules section of the CDN panel. VergeCloud also offers recommendations for common platforms like WordPress, helping you decide which pages to exclude or optimize. Setting these rules ahead of time ensures consistent performance and correct behavior after the Cloud icon is activated.
Once all the above checks are completed, you can safely enable the Cloud icon. At that point, your website will begin benefiting from VergeCloud’s global network, improved speed, stronger security, and reduced load on your origin server.