Erik L. Arneson — Writer and Software Developer

Alternate Ways to Call wp-cron

2016-03-05T17:09:28+00:00

WordPress includes a job scheduling system called wp-cron. The default method for scheduled jobs is for wp-cron to be checked on each page load, which has the potential to slow down your website while background jobs are run. Check out these other options that help maintain the user experience on your WordPress site while still running important tasks in the background.

Using ALTERNATE_WP_CRON

The ALTERNATE_WP_CRON method uses a quick, nearly invisible redirect to direct an incoming user to a new request while the old one continues running, executing background jobs. This is an easy, effective method and it works really well if you don’t have access to crontab on your hosting site. Even though this method adds some elements to the page URL, it’s only triggered when background jobs need to be run. To enable it, follow these instructions:

Open your site’s wp-config.php in your text editor.

After the lines containing your database credentials, add the following lines:

/** Use alternate WP_CRON method with redirects. */
define('ALTERNATE_WP_CRON', true);

Using Crontab

If you have access to a shell on your web host and can run cron jobs, this method might be the best. It ensures that background jobs will get run, even when your website isn’t getting any visitors. It also runs background jobs without requiring a redirect or any additional delays that will be noticed by users. Here’s how you do it.

Add a Crontab Entry

Run crontab -e

Add the following lines to the end of your crontab file:

# Call wp-cron regularly
*/15 * * * * curl http://www.example.com/wp-cron.php > /dev/null 2>&1

Make sure you replace “www.example.com” with your website’s hostname. The */15 specifies that wp-cron.php will be called every 15 minutes. If you would like to change this, replace the 15 with a different number.

Disable Built-in wp-cron

The next step is to disable the built-in call to wp-cron in WordPress.

Open your site’s wp-config.php in your text editor.

After the lines containing your database credentials, add the following lines:

/** Disable built-in cron in favor of system crontab */
define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);

For more details on this method, check out this page on EasyEngine.

Still Doing Well with SSL

2016-01-29T20:10:47+00:00

I renewed my SSL certificate today and updated the configuration. Still doing pretty well!

Security Link Rodeo: Privacy, Your Passwords, and Hackers

2015-06-19T21:34:02+00:00

Edward Snowden wrote an op-ed in the New York Times where he argues that people are finally starting to care about privacy and preventing global surveillance. And though we care more, we also feel more powerless, according to a recent survey.

Online password database service LastPass had a serious security breach. Encrypted master passwords were leaked. This further outlines the problem with our current password-based approach to security. We need something better!

https://twitter.com/intermedia_net/status/611925215526961152

Things are getting better for privacy and security on the web. Cedexis reports that SSL use is on the rise, and about 35% of the traffic they are routing is encrypted now. After switching to SSL, you might want to read about hardening your WordPress site against malicious use.

Finally, learn how to hire a hacker on the deep web, and read an interview with Jesse Victors, a new Tor developer.

https://twitter.com/ste_trombetti/status/451355792923688961

The featured image for this post is from Flickr user Marc Falardeau.

Good, solid SSL

2015-05-24T02:12:06+00:00

I’m in the middle of some major migrations and upgrades on the Arnesonium servers. So far, the results have been positive. For instance, the SSL/TLS configuration on my webserver is finally awesome. I’ve also got MaxCDN configured properly, so the entire website is now served via SSL/TLS only!

Here’s what the Qualys SSL Labs checker had to say:

Integrating Cedexis Radar with WordPress Sites

2015-01-26T20:00:52+00:00

Cedexis Radar is a real user monitoring (RUM) system that collects millions of metrics every day. It’s used to measure the health of networks in order for Cedexis Openmix to make intelligent routing decisions for web service users.

I put together a simple plugin to add Cedexis Radar tracking codes to a WordPress website. I’m not yet sure how much of an overlap there is between WordPress users and Cedexis Openmix users, but if you’re using both, check out my new plugin.

Sometime between 2015 and 2022, Cedexis was purchased by Citrix and no longer exists.