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  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @bikegremlin said:

    @Lee said:

    @Ympker said: Personally, I am super happy with being able to focus 100% on my Websites and leave it to the Shared Hosting/Reseller

    Yeah, I am trying to get into a mindset of trusting a shared/reseller provider for some sites so I can do exactly that, focus on the websites these days and stop being a whiny little bitch about trust. I have real trust issues when it comes to relying on other hosts since I sold my own a while back.

    Although I like DA probably going to switch back to cPanel, Jetbackup only seems to provide the option of having your own external source for backups like S3. Does not appear to be available in the DA version unless I am mistaken. Makes me feel a lot more comfortable using a reseller where I have the ability to backup to my own location.

    DA has in-built support for storage, but not the cheap options like Amazon, or BackBlaze.
    Hetzner Box works perfectly fine, and it's not outrageously expensive, but does cost more.

    DirectAdmin automated remote backup configuration

    Yeah, I am aware you can send them to a VPS and then to a cloud of your choice, it is just that HM has made me very comfortable with the 1 click backup to GDrive solution :P Thanks for sharing though! Nice write-up.

    Thanked by (2)bikegremlin Lee
  • bikegremlinbikegremlin ModeratorOGContent Writer

    @Ympker said:

    @bikegremlin said:

    @Lee said:

    @Ympker said: Personally, I am super happy with being able to focus 100% on my Websites and leave it to the Shared Hosting/Reseller

    Yeah, I am trying to get into a mindset of trusting a shared/reseller provider for some sites so I can do exactly that, focus on the websites these days and stop being a whiny little bitch about trust. I have real trust issues when it comes to relying on other hosts since I sold my own a while back.

    Although I like DA probably going to switch back to cPanel, Jetbackup only seems to provide the option of having your own external source for backups like S3. Does not appear to be available in the DA version unless I am mistaken. Makes me feel a lot more comfortable using a reseller where I have the ability to backup to my own location.

    DA has in-built support for storage, but not the cheap options like Amazon, or BackBlaze.
    Hetzner Box works perfectly fine, and it's not outrageously expensive, but does cost more.

    DirectAdmin automated remote backup configuration

    Yeah, I am aware you can send them to a VPS and then to a cloud of your choice, it is just that HM has made me very comfortable with the 1 click backup to GDrive solution :P Thanks for sharing though! Nice write-up.

    I agree - JetBackup (and cPanel) are a lot more convenient. I prefer them.
    It could even be argued that you pay more for the more expensive backup options than you save on the license costs (as a customer at least).

    Thanked by (1)Lee

    Relja of House Novović, the First of His Name, King of the Plains, the Breaker of Chains, WirMach Wolves pack member
    BikeGremlin's web-hosting reviews

  • @Lee said: trust issues

    Me either, but the issue come from the cPanel price change.

    @Lee said: As much as panels are convenient they can be a hassle, it is just one more thing to learn and also cause you issues that you then have to learn how to fix.

    2 days of trial and error saved me 30 minutes of reading doc.

    Thanked by (1)Lee

    Action and Reaction in history

  • LeeLee OG
    edited March 2021

    @bikegremlin said: I agree - JetBackup (and cPanel) are a lot more convenient. I prefer them.
    It could even be argued that you pay more for the more expensive backup options than you save on the license costs (as a customer at least).

    Absolutely, want to focus on sites these days now I have more time. If I use a VPS/Dedi I tinker, then I tinker so much I forget that I am supposed to be developing a site. cPanel/JetBackup really is a sweet spot solution. Both for ease of safety and quickly moving if the need arises.

    Thanked by (2)bikegremlin Ympker
  • What are your essential go-to plugins for WordPress these days? Caching and optimisation in particular but nice to haves that adds something to the site.

  • MewMew
    edited March 2021

    LS Cache/WP Super Cache + Flying Pages (or WP rocket) depending on your webserver. I also like to install Classic Editor to create posts and add Contact Form 7. Depending on your needs you might want to add some additional security, anti-spam and backup plugins. (Akismet, Wordfence, Jetpack, I don't use backup plugins as I backup the server as a whole.)
    And not to forget, if you don't know much about SEO, a SEO plugin like Yoast (even tho it's very bloated) helps a lot.

    Thanked by (1)Lee
  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer
    edited March 2021

    @Lee said:
    What are your essential go-to plugins for WordPress these days? Caching and optimisation in particular but nice to haves that adds something to the site.

    LSCache, PasswordProtected (before goinf live, or in maintenance mode), ShortPixel for Image Optimization, SecurityNinja (free version, only on first install to further secure the wp install, then deactivate and/or uninstall), Qubely (for Gutenberg Blocks, works with Blocksy), depending on Hosting provider: UpdraftPlus. Yoast for SEO.

    Thanked by (1)Lee
  • Here's my (minimum) list:
    1. CDN: BunnyCDN or Gumlet. Both support Video now, haven't tried
    2. Image Optimization: Shortpixel (not really required - you can use jpegoptim or pngoptim to compress the images before uploading. In fact, preferred for (a) above. Otherwise the SEO and pagespeed tools complain :-) https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/03/how-to-optimize-jpeg-command-line-linux )
    3. "Security" : wordfence. I use it more for notifications and who is doing what. Ideally, following as many steps from below as possible : https://www.digitalocean.com/community/questions/how-to-secure-wordpress-without-a-security-plugin
    There was a better article, cannot find it now.
    4. Backup : All In One Backup or Updraft Plus.
    5. Cache: All in one optimization, for LS servers: LS Cache, for non LS : https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-fastest-cache/
    6. SEO: Rankmath. Ideally, the posts should be optimized BEFORE publishing. I use Frase.ai or Copywritely for that.

    I have a longer list of Free, Paid and Freemium plugins that I typically use. I prefer the latter two : https://amarvyas.in/most-common-plugins-wordpress-sites/

    Thanked by (1)Lee
  • @Lee said:
    What are your essential go-to plugins for WordPress these days? Caching and optimisation in particular but nice to haves that adds something to the site.

    First and foremost, Backups: WPvivid.
    Caching: One LiteSpeed server: LSCache for caching. If you want something simple, WP Fastest Cache.
    Security: NinjaFirewall.
    SEO: The SEO Framework.
    Image Optimization: For a new site, Smush is a good enough option.

    Thanked by (1)Lee
  • MewMew
    edited March 2021

    @vyas said:
    Here's my (minimum) list:
    2. Image Optimization: Shortpixel (not really required - you can use jpegoptim or pngoptim to compress the images before uploading.

    Exactly this. Plugins tend to heavily compress the images and make the image look bad. Most of the times you don't know what kind of compression is used either. You are better off doing it yourself before uploading and 100% of the times it looks way better than vs a plugin optimized image.

  • bikegremlinbikegremlin ModeratorOGContent Writer

    Can I move my websites to a UK based hosting server, even those with a majority of US-based visitors?
    Do I have to keep paying for the USA-based hosting as well?
    I did an experiment with my cycling website - turns out it's not a problem. At least when comparing those two locations.
    In June there will be more data and the results will probably be more conclusive.

    The testing method and the results:
    Hosting server location impact on website speed

    Relja of House Novović, the First of His Name, King of the Plains, the Breaker of Chains, WirMach Wolves pack member
    BikeGremlin's web-hosting reviews

  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer
    edited March 2021

    @bikegremlin said:
    Can I move my websites to a UK based hosting server, even those with a majority of US-based visitors?
    Do I have to keep paying for the USA-based hosting as well?
    I did an experiment with my cycling website - turns out it's not a problem. At least when comparing those two locations.
    In June there will be more data and the results will probably be more conclusive.

    The testing method and the results:
    Hosting server location impact on website speed

    If you were to use a good cdn like Bunny for big media files and a good shared hosting provider I doubt there'll be that much of a difference. Make sure your website is optimized, too. So, if you like UK Shared Hosting more, go for it.

    Oh, wait. Was that more of a rhethorical question and you actually posted the answer in form of an article on your blog? :P Because the article already reads like the answer to your question.

  • bikegremlinbikegremlin ModeratorOGContent Writer
    edited March 2021

    @Ympker said:

    @bikegremlin said:
    Can I move my websites to a UK based hosting server, even those with a majority of US-based visitors?
    Do I have to keep paying for the USA-based hosting as well?
    I did an experiment with my cycling website - turns out it's not a problem. At least when comparing those two locations.
    In June there will be more data and the results will probably be more conclusive.

    The testing method and the results:
    Hosting server location impact on website speed

    If you were to use a good cdn like Bunny for big media files and a good shared hosting provider I doubt there'll be that much of a difference. Make sure your website is optimized, too. So, if you like UK Shared Hosting more, go for it.

    Oh, wait. Was that more of a rhethorical question and you actually posted the answer in form of an article on your blog? :P Because the article already reads like the answer to your question.

    Yes and no.
    The jury is still out - waiting for more test results by the start of June this year.

    So far - based on the currently available results (2 x 31 days of metrics) I see no measurable detriments of hosting my website in the UK.
    While management is a bit faster when the server is closer to home. :)

    Still have more than a year to decide where I'll move all the websites (or even if I'll still keep both the US and UK reseller accounts, that's about 200 $ more per three years, unless the prices go up again in the mean time).

    Thanked by (1)Ympker

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    BikeGremlin's web-hosting reviews

  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @bikegremlin said:

    @Ympker said:

    @bikegremlin said:
    Can I move my websites to a UK based hosting server, even those with a majority of US-based visitors?
    Do I have to keep paying for the USA-based hosting as well?
    I did an experiment with my cycling website - turns out it's not a problem. At least when comparing those two locations.
    In June there will be more data and the results will probably be more conclusive.

    The testing method and the results:
    Hosting server location impact on website speed

    If you were to use a good cdn like Bunny for big media files and a good shared hosting provider I doubt there'll be that much of a difference. Make sure your website is optimized, too. So, if you like UK Shared Hosting more, go for it.

    Oh, wait. Was that more of a rhethorical question and you actually posted the answer in form of an article on your blog? :P Because the article already reads like the answer to your question.

    Yes and no.
    The jury is still out - waiting for more test results by the start of June this year.

    So far - based on the currently available results (2 x 31 days of metrics) I see no measurable detriments of hosting my website in the UK.
    While management is a bit faster when the server is closer to home. :)

    Still have more than a year to decide where I'll move all the websites (or even if I'll still keep both the US and UK reseller accounts, that's about 200 $ more per three years, unless the prices go up again in the mean time).

    Ah, fair enough. Thanks for sharing regardless. Definitely helps to show that with CDNs and good optimization can go a long way and location does not matter as much anymore. Time to sign back up on GenHost(dot)in for 500GB reseller jk. Should still pick performant hosting :)

  • MikePTMikePT Hosting ProviderOGServices Provider

    @Ympker said:

    @Lee said:

    @Ympker said: Personally, I am super happy with being able to focus 100% on my Websites and leave it to the Shared Hosting/Reseller

    Yeah, I am trying to get into a mindset of trusting a shared/reseller provider for some sites so I can do exactly that, focus on the websites these days and stop being a whiny little bitch about trust. I have real trust issues when it comes to relying on other hosts since I sold my own a while back.

    Although I like DA probably going to switch back to cPanel, Jetbackup only seems to provide the option of having your own external source for backups like S3. Does not appear to be available in the DA version unless I am mistaken. Makes me feel a lot more comfortable using a reseller where I have the ability to backup to my own location.

    I hear you. Very happy that, with HM reseller I can use cPanel and it has daily backups on JetBackup. Additionaly, I have scheduled weekly/monthly JetBackups remote backups to GDrive. A feature still missing for DA :( @MikePT is also waiting for this as much as I am probably. As for trust, just make sure to pick a well-established provider with good performance and features. Imho cant go wrong with Ramnode/HM/Mike.

    Send me another ticket, there's a waiting list, I can check if the plugin is available now <3

    Thanked by (2)Ympker flips
  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @MikePT said:

    @Ympker said:

    @Lee said:

    @Ympker said: Personally, I am super happy with being able to focus 100% on my Websites and leave it to the Shared Hosting/Reseller

    Yeah, I am trying to get into a mindset of trusting a shared/reseller provider for some sites so I can do exactly that, focus on the websites these days and stop being a whiny little bitch about trust. I have real trust issues when it comes to relying on other hosts since I sold my own a while back.

    Although I like DA probably going to switch back to cPanel, Jetbackup only seems to provide the option of having your own external source for backups like S3. Does not appear to be available in the DA version unless I am mistaken. Makes me feel a lot more comfortable using a reseller where I have the ability to backup to my own location.

    I hear you. Very happy that, with HM reseller I can use cPanel and it has daily backups on JetBackup. Additionaly, I have scheduled weekly/monthly JetBackups remote backups to GDrive. A feature still missing for DA :( @MikePT is also waiting for this as much as I am probably. As for trust, just make sure to pick a well-established provider with good performance and features. Imho cant go wrong with Ramnode/HM/Mike.

    Send me another ticket, there's a waiting list, I can check if the plugin is available now <3

    Done :)

    Thanked by (1)flips
  • So I tried out ShortPixel, threw them a $10 one-off recharge and ran a couple of WP Blogs through it. That is after LiteSpeed had already compressed them. The result was a further 20% saving overall with no visible loss of quality. Quite impressed overall with their plugin.

    Thanked by (1)Ympker
  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @Lee said:
    So I tried out ShortPixel, threw them a $10 one-off recharge and ran a couple of WP Blogs through it. That is after LiteSpeed had already compressed them. The result was a further 20% saving overall with no visible loss of quality. Quite impressed overall with their plugin.

    They are quite awesome :) If you run out of credits and need them for inital setup of your websites, I do have some spare credits (renew monthly with the LTD). Let me know :)

    Thanked by (2)Chievo Lee
  • @Ympker said:

    @Lee said:
    So I tried out ShortPixel, threw them a $10 one-off recharge and ran a couple of WP Blogs through it. That is after LiteSpeed had already compressed them. The result was a further 20% saving overall with no visible loss of quality. Quite impressed overall with their plugin.

    They are quite awesome :) If you run out of credits and need them for inital setup of your websites, I do have some spare credits (renew monthly with the LTD). Let me know :)

    Better than manually done with tinypng etc?

    Dentistry is my passion

  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @Chievo said:

    @Ympker said:

    @Lee said:
    So I tried out ShortPixel, threw them a $10 one-off recharge and ran a couple of WP Blogs through it. That is after LiteSpeed had already compressed them. The result was a further 20% saving overall with no visible loss of quality. Quite impressed overall with their plugin.

    They are quite awesome :) If you run out of credits and need them for inital setup of your websites, I do have some spare credits (renew monthly with the LTD). Let me know :)

    Better than manually done with tinypng etc?

    I never tried but at some point I stopped getting lost in comparison once I foind a solution that works well for me :P Can be quite time consuming as @Lee probably can tell (Blocksy performance testing). I'd say you won't do anything wrong using ShortPixel. The performance has been great imho and they are well established. If tinypng works good for you and you are happy with the results, I guess there is no need to change, either :)

    Thanked by (2)Chievo Lee
  • vyasvyas OG
    edited April 2021

    @Chievo said:

    @Ympker said:

    @Lee said:
    So I tried out ShortPixel, threw them a $10 one-off recharge and ran a couple of WP Blogs through it. That is after LiteSpeed had already compressed them. The result was a further 20% saving overall with no visible loss of quality. Quite impressed overall with their plugin.

    They are quite awesome :) If you run out of credits and need them for inital setup of your websites, I do have some spare credits (renew monthly with the LTD). Let me know :)

    Better than manually done with tinypng etc?

    You can use jpegoptim(png has a similar tool) in Linux / Mac to run a batch and compress multiple images. So technically no need to use any compression tool. Why use them then? Could be a mix of:

    • Convenience
    • Backup of originals,
    • CDN
    • Compression to support new image types (AVIf/HEIC/Webp)
    • GUi versus CLI

    You can build your own list.

    I ran jpegoptim on a couple of screenshots- testing Bodhi Linux. One image I compressed using jpegoptim.

    Literally- Spot the difference

    image

    image

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  • @Ympker said:

    @Chievo said:

    @Ympker said:

    Better than manually done with tinypng etc?

    I never tried but at some point I stopped getting lost in comparison once I found a solution that works well for me

    I had written a few posts on the topic last year. Each solution has their advantages and limitations. For e.g. Tinypng is better in compression ratio than Shortpixel but their CDN is terribly expensive.

    https://amarvyas.in/which-is-the-best-image-optimization-service/

    https://amarvyas.in/image-compression-services/

    Could be due for a refresh, but now, as nicely summed up by @ympker, sticking with what works.

    Also did what @Lee mentioned. Pay the $ 10, get some Shortpixel credits (used to be one time 12,000 image compression credits earlier, not sure about the amount now). Later I got a 25,000 credits/ month plan. Took a second plan last year but refunded because I didn't need.

    On related note- I think even Shortpixel has moved to BunnyCDN.

    Thanked by (2)Lee Ympker
  • @Chievo said: Better than manually done with tinypng etc?

    I would say so, I personally don't want to be spending time optimizing images then uploading them. If there is a plugin that manages it well, even it means a few $'s then I am all for it :)

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  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @Lee said:

    @Chievo said: Better than manually done with tinypng etc?

    I would say so, I personally don't want to be spending time optimizing images then uploading them. If there is a plugin that manages it well, even it means a few $'s then I am all for it :)

    Definitely more comfortable that way :)

    @vyas ahh, I remember this article, I think :P Nice one! But yeah, sticking to what works these days.

    Thanked by (1)Lee
  • bikegremlinbikegremlin ModeratorOGContent Writer

    I prefer manual compression. Why?
    Some images (screenshots of command prompt, menus etc.) get smaller files when saved as a .png, with 256 colours, or even fewer (this forum screenshot could look perfectly fine with only 10, or 20 colours .png).

    While other images result in much smaller files using .jpg.

    I also often crop images before uploading them.

    So while I'm already doing all that, it's just one more step to do the compression, test various rates with the image quality.

    If I have a lot of images that hadn't been properly compressed, then it makes sense to use an automated tool and save time, even with slightly inferior results. For that, Litespeed does a good job, especially if you enable lossy compression and set it to 80 on "WordPress image quality control" option.

    Going over that results in larger files, going below results in noticeably lower image quality.

    Relja of House Novović, the First of His Name, King of the Plains, the Breaker of Chains, WirMach Wolves pack member
    BikeGremlin's web-hosting reviews

  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    Has anyone had any experience with "Hotel Booking System"-like WordPress plugins? I know there are many out there but no first hand experience yet. My landlord in Spain asked if I could build a website for their business (they rent shared flats to people). Since I am busy now, work will likely start in August/September but can't hurt testing the waters a bit, already :)

  • LeeLee OG
    edited May 2021

    Was playing with Elementor Pro today, which is a really nice site builder if you have a flair for design unlike me. Still, a fair bit you can't control or adjust but still, best site builder I have seen thus far. Takes a while to really understand it though.

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  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer
    edited May 2021

    @Lee said:
    Was playing with Elementor Pro today, which is a really nice site builder if you have a flair for design unlike me. Still, a fair bit you can't control or adjust but still, best site builder I have seen thus far. Takes a while to really understand it though.

    Yeah, it is probably among the market leader but recently changed licensing and screwed over even existing clients (iirc) , so gonna stay away for now. Also, these days, I use either Divi or a good theme and a nice block builder :)
    Not saying the builder itself is bad, though.

    Thanked by (1)Lee
  • @Ympker said: recently changed licensing and screwed over even existing clients (iirc)

    Noted that, I suspect they have established the amount using it in a commercial capacity has prompted the increase. Not going to hold that against them for being popular in that respect. But beyond 3 sites it is a bit expensive.

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  • YmpkerYmpker OGContent Writer

    @Lee said:

    @Ympker said: recently changed licensing and screwed over even existing clients (iirc)

    Noted that, I suspect they have established the amount using it in a commercial capacity has prompted the increase. Not going to hold that against them for being popular in that respect. But beyond 3 sites it is a bit expensive.

    Probably that is the case. Still, leaves a sour taste. Regardless, with Divi they are probably the biggest page builder out there and they certainly offer lots of features. So, if it fits your need (esp only few websites) it might just be worth a try :)

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