Setting up ShieldCache: add a site, verify your domain and switch DNS

After your order, your project is ready under My products > ShieldCache. You can complete the setup yourself in a few minutes. The order matters: verify and apply first, then switch DNS. That way ShieldCache is ready before the first visitor arrives via the proxy.

Step 1: Add a site

1. Open your project and click Add site.
2. Enter a name, for example “Online shop”.
3. Enter the main domain - without https:// and without a path, for example www.muster.de.
4. Click Add site.

The overview of the new site shows “Four steps to a protected site” with your progress. Steps 2 to 5 of this guide correspond to that list.

Step 2: Verify the domain

ShieldCache only accepts domains that belong to you. A domain is verified via a TXT record with the verification value - or automatically if the domain is in your domain portfolio with us. The fact that a domain already points to ShieldCache is not enough on its own.

1. Open the Domains & DNS tab and there the DNS guide sub-tab.
2. Copy the TXT record: name _shieldcache. followed by your domain, with the displayed verification value as the value.
3. Create the record in the DNS management of your domain. It does not change anything about visitor traffic.
4. In the Domains sub-tab, click Check. ShieldCache also checks automatically at regular intervals.

You add further domains, such as muster.de without www, in the Domains sub-tab. They must belong to the same registrable domain and are verified in the same way.

Step 3: Enter the origin server

1. Open the Origin tab, Server sub-tab.
2. Enter the address of your server - IP address or hostname. Only publicly reachable servers are allowed.
3. Choose the port: 443 with “Connect encrypted (HTTPS)” or 80 without.
4. You can usually leave the host header empty - ShieldCache then passes on the requested domain.
5. Click Save and then Test origin. The test fetches the home page from the proxy and shows the status and response time.

All origin settings are explained in Setting up the origin server.

Step 4: Apply

As soon as a domain is verified and the origin has been entered, click Apply at the top. The site then goes live on the proxy. If something is still missing, the notice above the tabs tells you why, for example “To apply, the origin server is still missing”.

Before applying, it is worth taking a look at the Cache tab, Rules sub-tab: with the templates for WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopware 6, Joomla or static websites, you add common exceptions with one click. More on this in Configuring the cache.

Step 5: Switch DNS

Only now do you point your domain to ShieldCache. The exact values are shown in the DNS guide:

• Subdomains such as www.muster.de: via CNAME to the displayed target.
• Main domain without www such as muster.de: via A and AAAA records to the displayed addresses. A CNAME is usually not possible on the main domain.

At the same time, remove old A, AAAA or CNAME records with the same names so that no more requests go directly to your server. Depending on the provider, DNS changes take a few minutes to a few hours. Leave the TXT record in place.

Step 6: Certificate

ShieldCache automatically issues a free certificate for every verified domain as soon as it points to ShieldCache - usually in under a minute. You can see the status in the Settings tab under Certificate. You can also store a custom certificate there, for example EV or wildcard. It is included in Enterprise and can be booked as an option in the other plans.

After setup

• The firewall starts in Detect only mode: it logs attacks but does not block them yet. The overview shows the date until which this test phase runs. During this time, check the WAF log and then switch to Block - see Configuring the firewall.
• Check the statistics after a few hours: how much comes from the cache, how much is blocked? See Statistics and logs.

Express setup

Would you rather hand over the setup? In the project, use Express setup to commission our team: we set up domains, origin, cache, firewall profiles and rules for you and get in touch via a support ticket. Express setup is chargeable, and you will see the price before placing the order. Please do not enter any passwords in the notes field.