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Hi,
I’m using the free version of WordPress Download Manager (3.3.75) on SiteGround hosting.
We have several large ZIP downloads, including one approximately 110 MB, and our Apache access logs show some downloads keeping connections open for over 800 seconds.
However, what’s more strange is that every single file has thousands and thousands of downloads shown next to the file name in WP Downloads Manger, which is just not realistic.
This is massively effecting our CPU Seconds on SiteGround, with an 6,243 requests containing wpdmdl= in the last 48 hours alone.
Any idea why this is and how we can lower this?
Thanks,
Stefan
Hello Stefan,
Hope you are well. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for reaching out and providing details about the issues you’re experiencing with WordPress Download Manager on your SiteGround hosting. I understand your concern regarding the unrealistic download numbers and the significant impact on your CPU seconds, especially with the long connection times for large ZIP files.
The massive download counts and high server load are indeed problematic and can stem from a few common causes:
1.Bot Activity or Scrapers: Automated scripts and bots often crawl websites, hitting download links repeatedly. Each request, even partial ones, can increment the download counter and contribute to server load.
2.Hotlinking: If other websites are directly linking to your wpdmdl URLs or your actual file paths, these downloads will use your server’s resources without visitors ever reaching your site.
Here’s how you can approach diagnosing and mitigating these issues:
Immediate Troubleshooting and Mitigation:
Review Server Access Logs: Beyond just the wpdmdl requests, thoroughly examine your SiteGround Apache access logs for patterns. Look for specific IP addresses or user agents that are making an unusually high number of requests to your download URLs. This can help identify bots.
Implement Hotlinking Protection: SiteGround typically offers options to enable hotlinking protection via cPanel or their Site Tools interface. This can prevent external sites from directly linking to your files.
Check WPDM Settings: While the free version has limited advanced options, review all available settings in WordPress Download Manager related to download limits, security, and IP blocking to ensure they are configured optimally.
Temporary Download Limit Testing: For a specific problematic package, you could temporarily set a very low “Downloads per IP” limit (e.g., 1 per 24 hours) under the package settings to see if it reduces the spikes from single sources, it is available in the Pro version.
Bot Protection and Download Security: You can use reCAPTCHA integration for downloads, add other lock options for bot protection, or switch to the Pro version for more lock options
Please check and let me know if these help you.
Thank you and regards.
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