My big board is slow before i even started!
 

Hi guys,

I have been working on a board that will be a big board very soon, although i still have a way to go. There is one problem that is pressing me though, my forum is slow! My forum was slow loading before i even started, it may be to do with the hacks i installed but most of them were template modifications. What do you guys use for hosting? I really cant afford to put this on a dedicated server, but at the moment im only using a godaddy standard package.

Any suggestions you have would be very appreciated.

James

I was with servage.net for a while and they weren't slow, but they did have a major problem with the amount of queries my site was executing.

I then tried Dreamhost.com which offers you a whole lot for a small price, but they are a horrible host for vbulletin forums.

Right now I'm with hostrocket.com and I must say that I'm thoroughly impressed. My forum is not huge yet (4000 members) so I can't really say if it's the ideal choice for really big boards, but I am pleased with it. If you are thinking about signing up for it then PM me and I'll give you a referral link through which we will both save some money.

There's a big thread on vbulletin.com where many users have critiqued hosts they have been with in the past. Look there for some more info.

Direct template modifications should not have an overall impact on the speed of your forum, unless the page sizes are overly large themselves or the server you're on is bogged down or overloaded.

If you're planning for growth and you're in a shared hosting environment now, VPS (Virtual Private Server) would be the next step up for you and still remain a step down from a dedicated server (as well as remain a bit cheaper).

Possibly check ASmallOrange.com or related companies for VPS packages.

I left ASO for powervps.com and couldn't be happier.

If your board is going to get upwards of 100 people online at any given time, you'll at least need a base VPS.