3 posts tagged with "web hosting"

Windows Internet Information Services (IIS) is Microsoft’s robust, enterprise-grade web server designed to host web applications and services. It’s tightly integrated with the Windows Server platform and widely used for everything from static sites to dynamic web apps built with ASP.NET, PHP, or Python.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what IIS is, its key components, common use cases, how to configure it, and ways to troubleshoot typical issues.

What Is Windows Internet Information Services (IIS)?#

IIS is a feature-rich web server that supports multiple protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, FTPS, SMTP, and WebSocket. It’s often chosen in Windows-centric environments for its performance, flexibility, and ease of use.For an official overview, check out Microsoft’s IIS documentation.

It can host:

• Static websites
• Dynamic applications using ASP.NET, PHP, or Python
• Web services and APIs

IIS provides powerful security controls, application isolation via application pools, and extensive monitoring features.

Key Components of Windows IIS Web Server#

IIS Manager#

The graphical user interface for managing IIS settings, websites, and application pools.

Web Server#

Handles incoming HTTP(S) traffic and serves static or dynamic content.

Application Pools#

Isolate applications to improve stability and security. Each pool runs in its own worker process.

FastCGI#

Used to run non-native apps like PHP or Python. For Python apps, IIS commonly uses wfastcgi to bridge communication. Learn more about hosting Python apps on IIS.

SSL/TLS Support#

IIS makes it easy to configure HTTPS, manage SSL certificates, and enforce secure connections.

Top Features and Benefits of IIS#

Security & Authentication#

Supports multiple authentication schemes like Basic, Integrated Windows Auth, and custom modules. Can be tied into Active Directory.

Logging & Diagnostics#

Robust logging and diagnostics tools to help troubleshoot performance and runtime issues.For troubleshooting guides, visit Microsoft’s IIS troubleshooting resources.

Performance & Scalability#

Features like output caching, dynamic compression, and bandwidth throttling help scale under load.

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing and Configuring IIS on Windows Server#

Install IIS#

1. Open Server Manager → Add Roles and Features
2. Choose Web Server (IIS) and complete the wizard
3. Launch IIS Manager using inetmgr in the Run dialog

Add a Website#

1. In IIS Manager, right-click Sites → Add Website
2. Set Site name, physical path, and port
3. Optionally bind a domain or IP

Configure Application Pool#

Each new website creates a pool, but you can customize it:

• Set .NET version
• Change identity settings
• Enable recycling

Enable HTTPS#

1. Right-click site → Edit Bindings
2. Add HTTPS binding with an SSL certificate

Set File Permissions#

Ensure that IIS has read (and optionally write) permissions on your site directory.

Troubleshooting Common IIS Issues and Solutions#

Website Not Starting#

• Check event logs for errors
• Ensure app pool is running
• Confirm no port conflicts

Permission Denied Errors#

• Confirm folder/file permissions for IIS user

Python FastCGI Issues#

• Validate wfastcgi.py installation
• Confirm FastCGI settings in IIS Manager

Slow Performance#

• Enable caching and compression
• Use performance monitor tools

For more community-driven insights, explore the Microsoft IIS Tech Community.

Conclusion: Maximizing IIS for Your Windows Web Hosting Needs#

IIS remains a top-tier web server solution for Windows environments. Whether you're running enterprise ASP.NET applications or lightweight Python services, IIS delivers in performance, security, and manageability.

With the right setup and understanding of its components, you can confidently deploy and manage scalable, secure web infrastructure on Windows Server.

Looking to streamline your cloud infrastructure, application delivery, or DevOps workflows? Visit nife.io/solutions to discover powerful tools and services tailored for modern application lifecycles. and specialized support for Unreal Engine app deployment in cloud environments.

If your WordPress site hosted on AWS Lightsail freezes at 33% when loading, don’t panic—this is a common issue, often caused by a misbehaving plugin. Since Lightsail runs WordPress in a managed environment, plugin conflicts or performance bottlenecks can sometimes cause this problem.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through troubleshooting steps to identify and fix the problematic plugin so your site loads properly again.

Why WordPress Freezes at 33% on AWS Lightsail (Common Causes Explained)#

When your site hangs at 33%, it usually means WordPress is waiting for a response from a slow or failing process—often a plugin. This could happen because:

• A plugin is conflicting with another plugin or theme
• An outdated plugin is incompatible with your WordPress or PHP version
• A resource-heavy plugin (like backup or SEO tools) is slowing things down
• A buggy plugin is causing errors that prevent the page from loading

Since AWS Lightsail doesn’t provide direct error logs in the dashboard, we’ll need to manually check and disable plugins to find the culprit.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fix WordPress Stuck at 33% Using SSH#

Step 1: Log Into AWS Lightsail via SSH to Access WordPress#

Since you can’t access the WordPress admin dashboard (because the site is stuck), you’ll need to log in to your Lightsail instance via SSH:

1. Go to the AWS Lightsail console.
2. Click on your WordPress instance.
3. Under "Connect", click "Connect using SSH" (or use your own SSH client with the provided key).

Once connected, navigate to the plugins folder:

More on SSH access in Lightsail

Step 2: Disable All WordPress Plugins via SSH for Troubleshooting#

To check if a plugin is causing the issue, we’ll disable all of them at once by renaming the plugins folder:

This adds _disabled to each plugin’s folder name, making WordPress ignore them.

Step 3: Test the Site After Disabling Plugins#

After disabling plugins, refresh your WordPress site. If it loads normally, the problem is definitely plugin-related.

Step 4: Re-enable WordPress Plugins Individually to Identify the Problematic One#

Now, we’ll re-enable plugins one at a time to find the troublemaker.

For example, to re-enable "Yoast SEO", run:

After enabling each plugin, refresh your site. If it freezes again, the last plugin you enabled is likely the issue.

Step 5: Clear WordPress Cache and Restart Apache in Bitnami Stack#

Sometimes, cached data can interfere. Clear the cache and restart your web server:

Bitnami restart commands

How to clear WordPress cache properly

This ensures changes take effect.

Step 6: Update, Replace, or Remove the Faulty WordPress Plugin#

Once you’ve found the faulty plugin, you have a few options:

✔ Update it – Check if a newer version is available.
✔ Find an alternative – Some plugins have better alternatives.
✔ Contact support – If it’s a premium plugin, reach out to the developer.

Find plugin alternatives on WordPress.org

Best practices for evaluating WordPress plugins

Final Thoughts: Restore Full WordPress Functionality on AWS Lightsail#

A WordPress site freezing at 33% is frustrating, but the fix is usually straightforward—a misbehaving plugin. By disabling plugins via SSH and re-enabling them one by one, you can quickly identify the culprit.

Since AWS Lightsail doesn’t provide detailed debugging tools, this manual method is the most reliable way to troubleshoot. Once you find the problematic plugin, updating, replacing, or removing it should get your site back to normal.

Ask questions or share your experience on the Bitnami Community Forum

To deploy a static site or frontend framework (e.g., React, Vue, Angular), refer to the Nife Build File Deployment guide for configuring and uploading your build assets.

Check out our solutions on nife.io

AWS Lightsail can be the ideal choice for you if you're new to the cloud or simply want a more straightforward solution to host your projects. It's a quick and easy method for setting up virtual private servers (VPS) for your apps and websites. Although it works well for a lot of use scenarios, it isn't always the answer. Let's examine Lightsail's definition, its benefits, and situations in which it might not be the best option.

AWS Lightsail: What is it?#

AWS Lightsail is a cloud hosting solution that makes it easier to set up servers and apps. It is perfect for small-scale projects because it offers pre-configured VPS settings with predictable cost.

It only takes a few clicks to spin up a server with popular configurations like WordPress, Drupal, or LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stacks using Lightsail.

Lightsail is intended for:

• Small businesses
• Hobbyists or developers
• Beginners in the cloud

Learn More About Bring Your Own Cluster (BYOC)

What Makes AWS Lightsail So Well-liked?#

Here's why Lightsail is so popular:

Usability#

A server may be quickly and easily set up thanks to the user-friendly dashboard and pre-built blueprints.

Costs That Are Predictable#

Lightsail eliminates unexpected bills by offering fixed monthly pricing. Plans that cover your computing, storage, and bandwidth requirements start at just $5 per month.

Apps that are Already Configured#

With Lightsail, you can start using ready-to-use configurations for custom web stacks or well-known apps like WordPress and Magento.

Controlled Services#

It takes care of load balancing, DNS administration, and automatic snapshots so you don't have to.

Integration of the AWS Ecosystem#

You can link your Lightsail instance to more sophisticated AWS services like S3, RDS, or CloudFront if your project expands.

AWS Lightsail: What Can You Do With It?#

Lightsail is quite adaptable. With it, you can accomplish the following:

• Websites that host: Launch an online store, portfolio website, or WordPress blog.

• Run Web Apps: Web apps can be hosted using the LAMP, Node.js, or MEAN stacks.

• Try New Things and Learn: Establish a sandbox environment to test new software or gain knowledge about cloud computing.

• Private Game Servers: Run your own server for Minecraft or another game.

• E-commerce Stores: For your online store, use systems such as Magento or PrestaShop.

  Integrate Your AWS EKS Cluster - User Guide

When AWS Lightsail Should Not Be Used#

Intricate Structures#

EC2, ECS, or Kubernetes are preferable options if your application needs microservices architecture, high availability, or sophisticated networking.

High Requirements for Scalability#

Lightsail is intended for low-to-medium workloads that are predictable. EC2 or Auto Scaling Groups are better options if you anticipate substantial scaling or can manage high traffic volumes.

Personalized Networking Requirements#

Compared to AWS VPC, where you can set up custom subnets, NAT gateways, and security groups, Lightsail's networking features are more constrained.

Workloads involving Big Data or Machine Learning#

EC2 with GPU instances, AWS EMR, and SageMaker are superior options for resource-intensive workloads like machine learning or big data analysis.

More Complex AWS Integrations#

Lightsail is somewhat isolated from the rest of the AWS environment. Lightsail can be connected to some services, but it is not the best choice if your project requires a lot of connections with technologies like CloudFormation, Elastic Beanstalk, or IAM.

Enterprise-Level Applications#

For large-scale, mission-critical enterprise applications, Lightsail might not offer the flexibility and redundancy needed.

The Right Time to Select Lightsail#

Lightsail is ideal if:

• You need to quickly launch a basic website or application.
• You like your prices to be consistent and affordable.
• You're testing small applications or learning about cloud hosting.

AWS Lightsail Documentation

Conclusion#

AWS Lightsail is an excellent resource for beginning cloud hosting. It saves you time, streamlines the procedure, and is reasonably priced. It's crucial to understand its limitations, though. Lightsail is an obvious choice for modest to medium-sized applications. However, if your requirements exceed its capacity, there are several options in the larger AWS ecosystem to grow with you. visit Nife.io - Cloud Deployment