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dnsmigrator

Cloudflare DNS Hurricane Electric DNS

Migrate DNS from Cloudflare to Hurricane Electric.

Preview every record before anything is written, then apply, verify and cut over with a way back at each step.

Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.

What works differently

Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.

We're still verifying Hurricane Electric.

Record-type support and limits for Hurricane Electric haven't been confirmed against the official API yet, so this page doesn't list differences we can't stand behind. Run the free check on your domain to see how your records compare.

Domains registered at Cloudflare must transfer out

Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare's nameservers. If the domain is registered there, transfer it to another registrar before switching.

How the move works

  1. 1

    Connect Cloudflare

    Connect Cloudflare with read-only access (Scoped API token).

  2. 2

    Connect Hurricane Electric

    Connect Hurricane Electric (Account username + password (+ TOTP)). Write access is only used when you apply.

  3. 3

    Review the preview

    Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.

  4. 4

    Apply to Hurricane Electric

    We snapshot the Hurricane Electric zone, write in batches, and leave Cloudflare untouched.

  5. 5

    Verify

    We query Hurricane Electric's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.

  6. 6

    Switch nameservers

    Lower TTLs a day or two ahead, remove any DS record if DNSSEC is on, then point the domain at the new nameservers at your registrar.

Good to know about Cloudflare

  • Proxied (orange-cloud) records hide the origin IP. Moving them to another provider sends traffic straight to the origin.
  • Apex CNAMEs are flattened by Cloudflare. Other providers need an ALIAS record or static A/AAAA records instead.
  • Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare nameservers, so domains registered there must be transferred out first.

Access we need: Zone → DNS → Read for the preview, Zone → DNS → Edit to apply.

Good to know about Hurricane Electric

  • Hurricane Electric has no official DNS API. Tools such as DNSControl drive the dns.he.net web interface with the account password, which DNSMigrator does not do yet.
  • Dynamic DNS records keep their own update keys, which can't be read back and must be set again after a move.

Access we need: Hurricane Electric has no API keys or scoped roles; access means full control of the whole account.

Questions

Will there be downtime moving from Cloudflare to Hurricane Electric?

Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to Hurricane Electric and verified before you change nameservers, so resolvers get the same answer from either side while caches expire.

Do I have to delete anything at Cloudflare?

No. We never write to Cloudflare. Keep the old zone for a week after cutover so you can switch back instantly if anything looks wrong.

What about DNSSEC?

If DNSSEC is on, remove the DS record at your registrar and wait for it to expire before switching nameservers. Then enable DNSSEC at Hurricane Electric and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.

What happens to Cloudflare proxied records?

They move as ordinary records pointing at your origin server, because Hurricane Electric can't proxy traffic. The preview lists every proxied record and the IP it would expose.

Related migrations

Ready to see your own zone?

Start a free preview