I thought I would write up a list of ways to save bandwidth. Perhaps this could then be moved to the Hints and Tips forum. Please add any other suggestions:
ADMIN SETTINGS:
1) Ensure that you do not have NO CACHE headers set on in your settings
2) Reduce the number of threads displayed on forumdisplay and the number of posts displayed in showthread
3) Use CSS to replace font settings:
SERVER SETTINGS:
1) Install gzip and turn it on for the forum (biggest saving you can make)
AVATAR SETTINGS:
You have a number of options here:
1) Encourage use of default avatars and not custom avatars (which don't appear to be cached by the browser. sorry could not find url discussing this)
2) Use hack to save custom avatars as files
3) Use hack to allow users to enter a link to their avatar off server
4) Prevent hotlinking of custom avatars with a referrer in avatar.php
5) Store default avatars on another server.
IMAGES/ATTACHMENTS
1) Place all your images on another server and link to them. The other server being a place with cheaper bandwidth.
2) Reduce the max size of attachments
3) Prevent attachments being viewed by guests, will also stop hotlinking from other sites.
4) Use mod re-write to prevent hotlinking of images and non custom avatars
CHEAP BANDWIDTH
I would recommend www.rackshack.net for a server at $100 per month and about $250 set up (rubbish server) but you get 300GB bandwidth and they have a decent network (with stats to show its use).
Of all these suggestions none really decrease any functionality of your forum. If you want to decrease more bandwidth and don't mind decreasing functionality, suggestions include:
1) Requiring registration (ie no guests)
2) Turn of PM
3) Turn of Calendar
4) Turn of forumjump (can use quite a lot of bandwidth if you have lots of forums. More than 40 forums and I would get rid of it)
ADMIN SETTINGS:
1) Ensure that you do not have NO CACHE headers set on in your settings
2) Reduce the number of threads displayed on forumdisplay and the number of posts displayed in showthread
3) Use CSS to replace font settings:
SERVER SETTINGS:
1) Install gzip and turn it on for the forum (biggest saving you can make)
AVATAR SETTINGS:
You have a number of options here:
1) Encourage use of default avatars and not custom avatars (which don't appear to be cached by the browser. sorry could not find url discussing this)
2) Use hack to save custom avatars as files
3) Use hack to allow users to enter a link to their avatar off server
4) Prevent hotlinking of custom avatars with a referrer in avatar.php
5) Store default avatars on another server.
IMAGES/ATTACHMENTS
1) Place all your images on another server and link to them. The other server being a place with cheaper bandwidth.
2) Reduce the max size of attachments
3) Prevent attachments being viewed by guests, will also stop hotlinking from other sites.
4) Use mod re-write to prevent hotlinking of images and non custom avatars
CHEAP BANDWIDTH
I would recommend www.rackshack.net for a server at $100 per month and about $250 set up (rubbish server) but you get 300GB bandwidth and they have a decent network (with stats to show its use).
Of all these suggestions none really decrease any functionality of your forum. If you want to decrease more bandwidth and don't mind decreasing functionality, suggestions include:
1) Requiring registration (ie no guests)
2) Turn of PM
3) Turn of Calendar
4) Turn of forumjump (can use quite a lot of bandwidth if you have lots of forums. More than 40 forums and I would get rid of it)
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