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I want to install a forum on a domain

Started by gusu, June 21, 2018, 06:40:25 AM

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gusu

June 21, 2018, 06:40:25 AM
Hi guys,

I have decided to install a forum on a domain and what to know the procedure. And also let me know, is there any way we can install the SSL Certificate for free as I have heard Google gives importance to HTTPS sites.

Any help would be appreciated!

Arantor

#1
June 21, 2018, 06:49:03 AM
1. Buy the domain if you haven't already.
2. Get an account with a hosting provider where the files can actually live.
3. Connect the two together, many hosts will let you buy the domain and the hosting together, but beyond that hard to know how to connect them without knowing who both providers are.
4. Upload all the files from SMF to the hosting account.
5. Visit the domain and go through the installer.

bukharifaran

#2
June 21, 2018, 06:50:11 AM
Hi,

From here download the latest version of SMF on your computer: http://www.simplemachines.org/download/index.php/latest/install/

Though you may have an option to install the Simple Machine forum script from your C-panel but it is not recommended. So, it is better to install it manually using FTP.

After downloading, here is the guide to install the SMF on your domain: https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Installing

About the Free SSL, yes, you should install the SSL Certificate as well to get an advantage of SEO. Though I will recommend you to install a paid SSL to get the full advantage but if you want a free one, then you have to add your site to CloudFlare account. After adding the site to Cloudflare, you have to change your nameservers from domain registrar to point your domain to CloudFlare.

Then you can activate the SSL free certificate.

Here you can find the complete details and you can watch a video as well about how to install the free SSL from CloudFlare: https://www.limitlessreferrals.info/keyword-ranking-google/

The guide is about WordPress site. But the process will be the same for SMF as well. You just need to skip the step of installing a WordPress plugin for URL rewriting in the video guide.

I will recommend you to first add your site into CloudFlare and activate the SSL certificate (Medium). And after that start the process of installing simple machine forum script as you have to provide domain URL while installing the forum. Provide the URL with https instead of http....
My Forum: Mobile Fun | My Blog: Mobile Fun Blog

gusu

#3
June 21, 2018, 07:00:36 AM
Quote from: Arantor on June 21, 2018, 06:49:03 AM
1. Buy the domain if you haven't already.
2. Get an account with a hosting provider where the files can actually live.
3. Connect the two together, many hosts will let you buy the domain and the hosting together, but beyond that hard to know how to connect them without knowing who both providers are.
4. Upload all the files from SMF to the hosting account.
5. Visit the domain and go through the installer.

First of all, thanks for replying so fast.

I have already purchased a domain and hosting. I will follow the tips you have mentioned and get back to you if there is any problem.

gusu

#4
June 21, 2018, 07:03:43 AM
Quote from: bukharifaran on June 21, 2018, 06:50:11 AM
Hi,

From here download the latest version of SMF on your computer: http://www.simplemachines.org/download/index.php/latest/install/

Though you may have an option to install the Simple Machine forum script from your C-panel but it is not recommended. So, it is better to install it manually using FTP.

After downloading, here is the guide to install the SMF on your domain: https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Installing

About the Free SSL, yes, you should install the SSL Certificate as well to get an advantage of SEO. Though I will recommend you to install a paid SSL to get the full advantage but if you want a free one, then you have to add your site to CloudFlare account. After adding the site to Cloudflare, you have to change your nameservers from domain registrar to point your domain to CloudFlare.

Then you can activate the SSL free certificate.

Here you can find the complete details and you can watch a video as well about how to install the free SSL from CloudFlare: hxxp:www.limitlessreferrals.info/keyword-ranking-google/ [nonactive]

The guide is about WordPress site. But the process will be the same for SMF as well. You just need to skip the step of installing a WordPress plugin for URL rewriting in the video guide.

I will recommend you to first add your site into CloudFlare and activate the SSL certificate (Medium). And after that start the process of installing simple machine forum script as you have to provide domain URL while installing the forum. Provide the URL with https instead of http....

Simply Amazing!
This detailed information is very useful to me. I will follow the steps you have mentioned.
Thanks a lot!

Kindred

#5
June 21, 2018, 07:10:37 AM
I wil, say that I consider cloudflare pretty much a waste of time for a forum.
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

Arantor

#6
June 21, 2018, 07:18:58 AM
CloudFlare has some value right up until an email is sent, by which time the Protection is gone.

It's also not needed for free SSL, as most hosts now have Let's Encrypt integration.

Kindred

#7
June 21, 2018, 12:04:29 PM
it also, potentially, causes problems with tracking IPs and caching.
Слaва
Украинi

Please do not PM, IM or Email me with support questions.  You will get better and faster responses in the support boards.  Thank you.

"Loki is not evil, although he is certainly not a force for good. Loki is... complicated."

GigaWatt

#8
June 21, 2018, 01:11:01 PM
Quote from: Kindred on June 21, 2018, 07:10:37 AM
I wil, say that I consider cloudflare pretty much a waste of time for a forum.

Depends what kind of forum you're running 8)... and if you're trying to hide your forum's IP or not ;).
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

Arantor

#9
June 21, 2018, 01:35:53 PM
If you're trying to hide the forum's IP, you'd better be running some other email relay that isn't on your host ;)

GigaWatt

#10
June 21, 2018, 02:03:42 PM
Quote from: Arantor on June 21, 2018, 01:35:53 PM
If you're trying to hide the forum's IP, you'd better be running some other email relay that isn't on your host ;)

Of course ;). Otherwise, there's no point ;).
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

Arantor

#11
June 21, 2018, 02:09:09 PM
You'd be surprised how many people forget that fairly important step.

Sir Osis of Liver

#12
June 21, 2018, 06:08:48 PM
Cloudflare is crap, wasted a lot of time with a forum that had moved to my host and was having problems customizing.  CF was caching images and css, cache never expired.  Put it in dev mode, purged cache, no effect, nonexistent files continued to be served.  Fixed it by having support remove it.

And the CF cp doesn't work in IE11. >:(
Ashes and diamonds, foe and friend,
 we were all equal in the end.
                                     - R. Waters

Jailer

#13
June 21, 2018, 07:29:08 PM
I'm using their DNS servers but that's it. I don't need their "optimizations", my forum runs just fine and very fast without them.  ;)

GigaWatt

#14
June 21, 2018, 09:00:53 PM
Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on June 21, 2018, 06:08:48 PM
And the CF cp doesn't work in IE11. >:(

Apparently, the only browser that it does work as it should is Chrome ::).

And, from what I've seen, most sites that use CF have just been burned by DDoS attacks and wanna hide behind something. CF is the simplest way. In most cases, going through CF is actually slower than running your site without it... caching or not, it just slower from what I've experienced. Maybe it's because all their IPs are based in the US, I don't know.
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

gusu

#15
June 22, 2018, 08:05:53 AM
Thanks to all for your wonderful support.

GigaWatt

#16
June 22, 2018, 05:53:14 PM
So, can the topic be marked as solved, or do you have other questions :)?
"This is really a generic concept about human thinking - when faced with large tasks we're naturally inclined to try to break them down into a bunch of smaller tasks that together make up the whole."

"A 500 error loosely translates to the webserver saying, "WTF?"..."

gusu

#17
June 23, 2018, 05:51:57 AM
Quote from: GigaWatt on June 22, 2018, 05:53:14 PM
So, can the topic be marked as solved, or do you have other questions :)?

Yes, it can be marked as solved.
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