Should we keep the Cloudflare DDoS protection enabled?

[Rob]

We get hammered quite a bit from bots that do take the site down for (normally) about 7-8 minutes. At least once/day. The other day it was pretty bad, so I enabled the DDoS protection from Cloudflare (Thanks Cloudflare free plan!!).

Anyway, this introduces a 5ish second delay in loading the site when you first get here, then again after another 5 minutes or so it seems like. Some people might get 'are you human' puzzles, though, I haven't seen any posts about that this time around.

Should we keep this enabled to ensure the site is functioning properly 24/7? Let us know by voting on the poll! Thanks everyone!

 

[KGIII]

I'm not sure... What impact will it have long-term with things like search engine results?

 

[Rob]

I'm not sure... What impact will it have long-term with things like search engine results?

Not sure - I have a weekly-ish thing from hrefs website that lets me know links gained/lost, so it should give me an idea. I don't believe it'd make a difference?

 

[Deleted member 137406]

This is what is a PITA.

 

[Rob]

Yeah, that's no good @Bartman

 

[KGIII]

I don't believe it'd make a difference?

Google recently changed their ranking (I too get ahrefs alerts, by the way) to include how rapidly a site loads. What I am unsure of is what they consider loading. Is it loaded when it shows the warning? Is it loaded when it gets to the actual content? Are the search engine bots going to wait that five+ seconds to get in and index the new material?

I guess I'd look for ways to remove the checking, to see if there's another option - using this only as a last resort.

 

[Rob]

Google recently changed their ranking (I too get ahrefs alerts, by the way) to include how rapidly a site loads. What I am unsure of is what they consider loading. Is it loaded when it shows the warning? Is it loaded when it gets to the actual content? Are the search engine bots going to wait that five+ seconds to get in and index the new material?

I guess I'd look for ways to remove the checking, to see if there's another option - using this only as a last resort.

Ah, yeah, that's true - about the load time. Plus, I don't want people getting that 'oops' issue. Let me turn it off overnight, we'll see if the 'oops' thing goes away.

 

[Rob]

I changed it from "under attack!" to "medium". Let's see how that goes.

Edit: @Bartman can you take note if you get the 'oops' at all the next day or so?

 

[wizwanabe]

@Rob , @KGIII , i personnely perfer the 5ish seconds. I've noticed a quick check when I log in if this keeps the site safe, go for it.

 

[Deleted member 137406]

I changed it from "under attack!" to "medium". Let's see how that goes.

Edit: @Bartman can you take note if you get the 'oops' at all the next day or so?

Will do.

Thanks

 

[f33dm3bits]

I don't mind the extra 5 seconds to load the page so keep it on since I don't there's probably not a better solution for ddos's.

 

[Brickwizard]

@Bartman
I get that occasionally [maybe a couple of times a week] I just accept it as I think it's system load

 

[Brickwizard]

@Rob @KGIII
I have no problem with an extra 5 sec login procedure, If it is going to protect the site, there has to be some balancing act, between site function, Kg's hit count and potential cost [buying more bandwidth]
If the reduction to medium on the security controls work, then in a few weeks perhaps try it at the next setting down, A bit of trial and error until you are comfortable with it,

 

[kc1di]

I too have no problem with the extra 5 seconds, Better than the whole site going down and getting the 404 or 405 screen. Which has happened a few times here. It would be nice if the bots would just go away but that's dreaming.
Thanks for your work on this it's appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 137406]

@Bartman
I get that occasionally [maybe a couple of times a week] I just accept it as I think it's system load

I wished that's all I'd get it.
Sometimes I'm unable to even post right after a log on.

 

[Deleted member 137406]

I changed it from "under attack!" to "medium". Let's see how that goes.

Edit: @Bartman can you take note if you get the 'oops' at all the next day or so?

Here's what pops up now.

 

[KGIII]

FWIW: There has been less spam for me to clean out over the past few days.

 

[Condobloke]

We get hammered quite a bit from bots that do take the site down for (normally) about 7-8 minutes. At least once/day. The other day it was pretty bad, so I enabled the DDoS protection from Cloudflare (Thanks Cloudflare free plan!!).

Is enabling this on a permanent/semi permanent basis at all likely to give Cloudflare ideas that they can up the ante on you ?....charge you more ?

 

[Brickwizard]

FWIW: There has been less spam for me to clean out over the past few days.

Win Win then!

 

[Brickwizard]

@Bartman .. Stupid question, but have you checked the settings in your browser and browser security add on's

It may be something in your add blocker causing the problem