[Plugin: Quick Chat] Preventing Server Stress

Hello,
if you are limited in number of allowed process the best thing would be to stop hosting large chat sessions because you roughly need one process per user and this can’t be changed. By adjusting parameters like refresh rates you offload stress those processes make but the number of processes is not something that can be tweaked. One user-one process.

Hi Marko,
I have a similar problem, but we have a dedicated server.
Last time, with 2GB of ram the server went down to a complete halt. We needed to reboot it.
We are expecting about 2000 users.
Do you have any experience with something like this?
Thanks!

Hello,
unfortunately long polling (technology Quick Chat is using can’t handle that many users, not even close. You can expect few dozen users on shared host and maximum 100-300 on dedicated server. Problem is that apache web server isn’t designed for serving chat, it is designed for serving HTML.

I’m working on Jabber (XMPP) web chat client where few thousand users would be possible but it isn’t ready for production yet. Drawback to this solution (and advantage of long polling) is that instead of web server Jabber requires it’s own XMPP server software and because of that it isn’t good for shared hosting use.

Regards

Hi I am having the same problem.My site was blocked today by host.What is the use of having a chat if no more than a few people can use it.I do not understand, I had maybe 12 people give it a go today when it worked

Hi. The use is that this is the only way to have ANY self hosted chat on shared hosting environment. You could have someone else to host you chat (and cope with server load) but you’ll have to pay for it. Usually monthly fee or similar. Also Quick Chat alone probably didn’t freeze your hoster server. Hosters like to have few hundred or even thousand pages on same server and they would be happiest if you pay hosting and never use your site for anything. This is how capitalism works.

p.s. Loosening update timings in admin options and not hosting chat on your site sidebar can do wonders

Hi marko,

I appreciate you replying. I am only just finding out the truth about shared servers. Like selling fresh air by the sounds of it.They sure to brag on the front page about unlimited bandwidth and this and that.Then get you in the fine print of ToS. grrrrrrrrr

I will have to go with a hosted chat i think. But will send you a donation in thanks for your time.

All the best, my readers loved your chat plugin while it lasted at my site aussiecriminals.com.au

@aussiecriminals sorry to see you leave. And thanks for the donation I really appreciate it, people like you are why I do what I do in open source ??