Wondering if I had a second copy of IPB could I have it connected to the same database as my main site but running from a different URL? Would that work?

Goal is to have downloads running from 1 URL and the rest of the site on another. This way I can use cloudflare for most of my site but have it bypass downloads (avoiding the 100MB Cloud Flare limitations)

Anyone know??

Maybe you should use a new storage method FTP in System_Files_Storage Settings_Configuratons

and your Storage Settings  select resources  which you want from the other url.

 

Your license is only good for 1 production/live URL so this would be against your license terms. Unless you had 2 licenses of course.

26 minutes ago, Jim M said:

Your license is only good for 1 production/live URL so this would be against your license terms. Unless you had 2 licenses of course.

That's exactly what I mean, purchase a second license and connect to same DB. Will that work? 

Or would users be forced to log in again due to session issues when clicking links in menu and moving between each copy of IPB 

6 minutes ago, superj707 said:

That's exactly what I mean, purchase a second license and connect to same DB. Will that work? 

Or would users be forced to log in again due to session issues when clicking links in menu and moving between each copy of IPB 

They would have to re-authenticate due to the cookies and session are domain specific.

What is the objective here? Have your downloads on another server? If so, you can do this via file configurations easily without the need for another instance/license.

3 minutes ago, Jim M said:

They would have to re-authenticate due to the cookies and session are domain specific.

What is the objective here? Have your downloads on another server? If so, you can do this via file configurations easily without the need for another instance/license.

That isn't the objective. I do know how to set that up in the ACP.

The objective is to be able to use cloudflare. Cloudflare is amazing but it has a 100MB limit for any file.

Often my files sizes in downloads are larger than 100MB and it won't work with cloudflare. I contacted them and they said the only option is to put the part of my site that I don't want going though cloudflare on a subdomain.  I have no idea how to do this so I was thinking about this idea in this thread but I guess that won't work either. It's so frustrating.

anyway to put just downloads app on a subdomain?

Really your only problem is uploads not downloads as files greater then 100mb work through cloudflare, I would personally try and figure out a way to handle that through a subdomain then create the file link in the db but I really dont know the source well enough to tell you how to do it.

40 minutes ago, ZeroHour said:

Really your only problem is uploads not downloads as files greater then 100mb work through cloudflare, I would personally try and figure out a way to handle that through a subdomain then create the file link in the db but I really dont know the source well enough to tell you how to do it.

Yes exactly!! Uploads fail. How can I allow uploads on a sub domain but still keep the whole system working?

Your idea of 2 sets of files connected to 1 database is wrought with impending doom.  Also, 2 sets of files, 2 licenses.  

Reconfigure your file storage for downloads. 

12 minutes ago, Aiwa said:

Your idea of 2 sets of files connected to 1 database is wrought with impending doom.  Also, 2 sets of files, 2 licenses.  

Reconfigure your file storage for downloads. 

but I don't have a file storage issue. I have an  "I can't use cloudflare and still allow my users to upload large files " issue.

Pardon me for being dumb but I don't think I understand what that option in the ACP is for. Can you explain what that does?

14 hours ago, superj707 said:

Wondering if I had a second copy of IPB could I have it connected to the same database as my main site but running from a different URL? Would that work?

Could you clarify what you mean with same database?
I wouldn't suggest to have a 1:1 copy of the same content on two domains.

But you could probably have the downloads installation on domain 1 and the community and gallery or whatever else you have on domain 2 and then you could use IPS Connect to connect the 2 installations to get the same userbase.
Further information about IPS Connect can be found here: 

 

14 hours ago, superj707 said:

Pardon me for being dumb but I don't think I understand what that option in the ACP is for. Can you explain what that does?

When you use a CDN

Using a second instance has many complications as others have noted.  However...  there might be another path worth pursuing.  

Setup another Virtual Host record for your site using the same document root.  (So for example, you have www.yoursite.com in the first vhost pointing to /home/site/public_html and a second for upload.yoursite.com also pointing to /home/site/public_html).  This basically will allow the web server to serve the same content from two different URLs.

Now... where the challenge is that makes this difficult is finding out where the upload action is processed and changing the submit upload action to the new hardcoded URL.  

Taking this approach will let you not have to worry about multiple instances/licenses (because it's the same instance you're working with), and you should not have to worry about session management as I believe IPB is setting the cookie domain as ".yourdomain.com"

Your users will be browsing the site using your cloud flare protected address, and uploading via the non-protected address.  It's just contingent on you finding where the upload/post action is for the item you want and changing it to an absolute link on the other address.  

18 minutes ago, Randy Calvert said:

Using a second instance has many complications as others have noted.  However...  there might be another path worth pursuing.  

Setup another Virtual Host record for your site using the same document root.  (So for example, you have www.yoursite.com in the first vhost pointing to /home/site/public_html and a second for upload.yoursite.com also pointing to /home/site/public_html).  This basically will allow the web server to serve the same content from two different URLs.

Now... where the challenge is that makes this difficult is finding out where the upload action is processed and changing the submit upload action to the new hardcoded URL.  

Taking this approach will let you not have to worry about multiple instances/licenses (because it's the same instance you're working with), and you should not have to worry about session management as I believe IPB is setting the cookie domain as ".yourdomain.com"

Your users will be browsing the site using your cloud flare protected address, and uploading via the non-protected address.  It's just contingent on you finding where the upload/post action is for the item you want and changing it to an absolute link on the other address.  

Other than the details of setting a new vhost, that's what changing the storage settings should get you.  The screenshot I posted above.

37 minutes ago, Aiwa said:

Other than the details of setting a new vhost, that's what changing the storage settings should get you.  The screenshot I posted above.

I thought that would only affect downloads not uploads. Aka the CDN url is where the download is served but thats sent to your site as a pull request from the cdn network. Its not necessarily where the file is saved as most cdns dont allow you to push content to them, only pull on request.

I don't have cloud flare set up to test it... Will it work, maybe... But it's certainly easier to setup and test this than it is to set up 2 installations with an IPS Connect bridge.

4 minutes ago, ZeroHour said:

I thought that would only affect downloads not uploads. Aka the CDN url is where the download is served but thats sent to your site as a pull request from the cdn network. Its not necessarily where the file is saved as most cdns dont allow you to push content to them, only pull on request.

That was my understanding as well.  That's why I mentioned it as a challenge because I did not see anywhere to implicitly change the UPLOAD target.  I believe it would have to new done within the code.

1 hour ago, Randy Calvert said:

That was my understanding as well.  That's why I mentioned it as a challenge because I did not see anywhere to implicitly change the UPLOAD target.  I believe it would have to new done within the code.

@AiwaIs right. Simply use the storage settings.

Default directory is  ".../public_html/uploads" but in new storage settings you can change. Using Custom Url solves a idea.

37 minutes ago, Adlago said:

@AiwaIs right. Simply use the storage settings.

Default directory is  ".../public_html/uploads" but in new storage settings you can change. Using Custom Url solves a idea.

How would I do that though? I get that I can make a new folder (suppose uploads_two)  but what do I do with the custom URL? Can I trick it into thinking it's a sub domain? That's where I am lost. Seems like it would still have to be mysite.com/newurl

I guess since you were talking about sub domains we all figured you knew how to set one up...

You need to set up your sub domain, point it to the same directory as your main domain or a sub-directory if you want to keep the files separate.  Then set that subdomain as your custom URL in the new storage setting you're creating.  customurl.domain.com. 

You can configure which app uses the new storage configuration.  So only set downloads to use it if that's all you want to do.  If you want another app to use it down the road, just change that apps settings to use the new storage method.  

If you have the custom URL configured so it puts your files in the same /uploads folder as your main installation it would save you trouble of moving files to the new storage location.

6 minutes ago, superj707 said:

How would I do that though? I get that I can make a new folder (suppose uploads_two)  but what do I do with the custom URL? Can I trick it into thinking it's a sub domain? That's where I am lost. Seems like it would still have to be mysite.com/newurl

First create a new cookie-free domain  on your server. For example  att.yourdomain.com

Follow instructions

If you create this cookie-free  domain correctly when you put a link http://att.yourdomain.com

in the address bar your browser, it loads your site without a problem
To be continued

In   System_Files_Storage Settings_Confgurations => Create    New

In Storage Settings use a drop-down menu and mark a new line

After saving, all attachments will be loaded with your new address

 

Yeah that solves downloads but thats not the issue, Cloudflare is on the sites primary domain name of www.something.com and uploads will still go to the server www.something.com to be stored. Downloads would be moved to subdomain.something.com but thats not the problem, the problem is cloudflare only allows you to upload up to 100mb file when routing through their service which means any upload bigger then 100mb to www.something.com will be blocked. It lets you download any file size though, this is just a problem with sending files to your server.

I really wouldnt expect the submission form with the file to send the file to subdomain.something.com if you set a cdn url as most CDN's wont allow you to send a file to there servers which then goes to your own file system.