|
A Few SMF 1.x Tips
After installing your forum make sure it's secure
by doing the following:
1. Delete install.php immediately if
this has not been done already! Check your root forum folder to make sure.
2. Go To Admin ->
Features and Options and make sure the
follow ARE checked:
- Do not reveal contact details of members to guests
- Enable error logging
- Require reactivation after email change
- Log moderation actions
- Enable reporting of personal messages
- Maximum number of recipients allowed in a personal message. Leave
at the default.
- Number of personal messages a user may send in an hour. Leave at
the default.
3. Go To Admin ->
Features and Options and make sure the
follow ARE NOT checked:
- Allow non-administrators to hide their online status
4. Go To Admin ->
Attachments and Avatars ->
Attachment Settings and make sure you
check the box as below:
DO NOT USE ".EXE"
EXTENSION!!! This is a known security risk!!!
- Having this checked will create backups of any files modified or
replaced by installing mods. You can then use these files to restore
corrupted mods or those that just didn't install correctly. Just delete the
updated files and then rename the appropriate file with the "~" (just delete
the "~"). This will save you from reinstalling any mods that modified the
file before installing the corrupted mod.
- Let's look at each one of these options in turn:
- "Only the standard files are
writable." - This is the default setting and is usually fine for
most forums. This setting will ALWAYS
be ticked when you come back to this screen no matter what your previous
setting was. If you've ticked any of the other options you will always
see this ticked when you come back to this screen. This is a SMF bug.
Please, remember that.
- "All files are writable."
- This is the setting you want to use
BEFORE installting any mods.This setting should make all file
writable so mods should not have problems installing. However, this does
not seem to work well on some servers.
- "The minimun files are
writable." - Will leave only the absolute necessary files
writable.
Tips:
1. It is better to remove all guest permissions but
allow guests to access the forums. This way the spiders get to index your site
for search engines.
2. Create a test account so you can see what your members in each member group
can see or do.
3. Create a separate test forum to play with, modify files, and install mods. It
should have the same features and mods as your live forum but you won't need any
users. Installing mods on a test siet and solving any problems first will save
you and your users on your live site a lot of headaches.
4. Install mods to make your job a lot easier.
5. Before installing any mod it is advised to go to
Admin ->
Packages ->
Options ->
Cleanup Permissions and select "Make
all files writable."
6. Use the Forum Maintenance - General
Maintenance options to try to repair any errors and and improve system
performance.
7. Use the Forum Maintenance - Backup Database
options to to make regular database backups.
This will be updated as more tips come in....
- Enjoy!!!
Courtesy of:
|
|
Home
