X-Cart forums

[kevinrm]

We used to use MaxCDN on XC4.6, it worked pretty well. Then after upgrading to XC5 I purchased CDN module from CFL systems, and had loads of problems getting that to work right, mostly relating to https mode and some things just not working right. I do not consider these problems to be related to the CFL module per se, I also had so many problems with XC5 itself that I decided to shelf the CDN thing for the time being.

Now that my XC5 is working well, it's time to reconsider using CDN. But now I'm asking myself if I really need it at all or not.

For starters, our site is full, forced https. I found it tricky to get that to work with CDN, I believe you need an SSL certificate specially for the CDN url, correct? Then you need to install that - where, at the CDN company? I tried to get that to work at MaxCDN and never did get it to work right.

I've read that for a full on https site, CDN isn't really all that faster, anyone care to comment?

Our current dedicated server is located on the East Coast USA and the bulk of our customers are from N.American and Europe. Our site is maxed out for speed right now, but I've had customers in Singapore complain about the speed.

So if anyone has any input, advice, about using XC5 with full-time https on a CDN, or could recommend a company, I'm all ears...

[cflsystems]

MaxCDN allows you to either use their SSL or upload your own. The CDN does work with SSL. Of course if you are to use your own SSL it has to be for the CDN url.

The xCDN module allows you to enter both http and https urls.

As for whether you need CDN or not that would be somewhat debatable. It all depends on the amount of resources on any given page. CSS files are usually cached by the browser for so many days so once downloaded they are not requested again until time expires (unless your site forces download each page load). JS files are loaded every time so their size matters. A page with 1 image will load a lot faster than page with 10 images so in the case of many images per page you do want to have the CDN there.

You can test your site by making it http and using the MaxCDN you have - same page both ways - and see if there is any significant difference. Sometimes the CDN gives you so little advantage in load times that it is just not that necessary. But again whether you need it or not highly depe3nds on your site and contents.