Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Hashnode Blog in Nigeria and Solving Accessibility Problems

If you’ve set up a Hashnode blog and noticed it doesn’t load on Nigerian ISPs, you’re not alone. Many users resort to VPNs, but there’s a better solution—using Cloudflare’s proxy (orange cloud) instead of DNS-only (gray cloud).

However, there’s one issue: Hashnode won’t verify your domain if Cloudflare’s proxy is enabled. In this guide, I’ll show you how to successfully verify your subdomain and still make your blog accessible without a VPN.

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The Problem: Hashnode Blogs Not Resolving on Nigerian ISPs

Hashnode requires you to set your DNS records to DNS-only (gray cloud) in Cloudflare for verification. But even after doing this, many Nigerian ISPs fail to resolve custom domains, leaving users locked out of their own blogs.

Since Hashnode won’t verify your domain if Cloudflare’s proxy is enabled, the trick is to temporarily disable the proxy, complete the verification, and then turn it back on.

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The Fix: Verify Your Domain, Then Enable Cloudflare Proxy

Instead of struggling with VPNs, follow these steps to verify your Hashnode domain and make your blog accessible.

Step 1: Add Your Domain to Cloudflare

1. Sign up at Cloudflare and add your domain.

2. Let Cloudflare scan and import your DNS records.

Step 2: Verify Your Hashnode Domain

1. Go to Cloudflare’s DNS settings.

2. Add a CNAME record:

   • Name: blog (or whatever subdomain you’re using).

   • Target: hashnode.network.

   • Proxy Status: Set to DNS-only (gray cloud).

3. Go to Hashnode and verify your custom domain.

4. Once verification is complete, your blog is connected, but it still might not resolve on Nigerian ISPs.

Step 3: Enable Cloudflare Proxy

1. Go back to Cloudflare’s DNS settings.

2. Change the Proxy Status of your CNAME record to Proxied (orange cloud ON).

3. Wait a few minutes for the changes to propagate.

Your blog should now be accessible across Nigerian ISPs without needing a VPN!

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Why This Works

Hashnode requires DNS-only mode for verification, but Nigerian ISPs often fail to resolve hashnode.network. When you enable Cloudflare’s proxy after verification, Cloudflare routes your traffic through its global network, bypassing these ISP restrictions.

Common Questions

1. Why does Hashnode recommend DNS-only mode?
Hashnode prefers a direct connection to their servers for simplicity and verification purposes. However, this doesn’t work well with some Nigerian ISPs, which is why enabling Cloudflare’s proxy after verification helps.

2. Won’t enabling Cloudflare’s proxy break my Hashnode setup?
No. Once verification is complete, Hashnode doesn’t need DNS-only mode to keep your blog active. Proxying the traffic through Cloudflare makes it accessible.

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Conclusion

If your Hashnode blog isn’t loading in Nigeria, follow this method:

1. Verify your subdomain with DNS-only mode.

2. Enable Cloudflare’s proxy afterward.

3. Enjoy seamless access to your blog.

This fix worked for me, and I hope it helps you too! Let me know if you have any questions.