Dolphin Hosting Requirements ¶
A default Dolphin installation works with most common configurations of hosting server, however, since Dolphin is a package with multiple scripts and apps, it is very important to ensure that all of the following requirements are met. Most of the technical problems occur due to improper server setup, so make sure that your hosting provider is Dolphin-compatible.
To help avoid trouble, we gathered a number of Recommended Hosting Providers that have Dolphin-ready accounts and experience with managing accounts that have Dolphin installed. Some of them offer instant installation or even pre-installed Dolphin.
Providing that the server is properly configured, it is possible to run Dolphin on a shared hosting account. We do recommend, however, that you have a VPS or a Dedicated Server for Dolphin.
Server Requirements ¶
- Linux/Unix (Red Hat, Debian, FreeBSD, Mandrake, etc.) or Windows OS
- Apache v.1.3 and higher or LiteSpeed web server. Other web servers can be used too, but custom rewrite rules are required, we have one for nginx web server.
- PHP 5.2.0 or higher.
- register_globals must be Off
safe_mode must be Off
exec() (executable files) must be allowed
short_open_tag must be On
allow_url_fopen should be On
allow_url_include should be Off
open_basedir should not have any value
memory_limit should be 128M or higher
- mbstring, mysql, mysqli, curl, gd, xslt extensions must be installed.
- MySQL 4.1.2 and higher.
- The magic_quotes_gpc option must be disabled for Dolphin 7.x, but enabled for Dolphin 6.x.
- If a security module is installed (such as mod_security for Apache), it should be able to be configured for specific folders (or disabled).
- mod_rewrite for Apache
- Direct connection to boonex.com should be able to be established (i.e. connection without requiring proxy authorization). This is required for license verification.
- GD library compiled with FreeType fonts (for photo processing) or ImageMagick as an alternative.
- Sendmail or Postfix programs for sending emails.
- Ability to create Cron Jobs.
- You should be able to run executable files (you would need it for ffmpeg.exe, which converts videos).
Server Requirements for Media Streaming ¶
Some of Dolphin's features (such as Flash Chat, Flash IM, Boards, Video Recorder, Video Comments) require media streaming capabilities. To use those, you need to make sure that the following requirements are met:
- VPS or Dedicated server is generally required in order to be able to install and run RMS (Ray Media Server). You would need access to the root or administrator account on the hosting server.
- JRE (Java Runtime Environment) ver. 1.6 or higher should be installed.
- Ports 1935, 1936 and 5080 should be open on the server.
- Allowance of at least 15 KB/sec for media streaming for each user.
It is a good idea to send the list above to your hosting provider to make sure the server is ready for installation. If all the above requirements are met you are all set to proceed to Dolphin Installation.
Recommended Hosting Providers ¶
Over the years we have worked with many different hosting providers, and some of them are very experienced when it comes to managing Dolphin sites. Going for one of our Recommended Hosting Providers is a good idea for both starters and those willing to work with companies that have Dolphin experience. Most of our hosting partners provide automatic Dolphin installation and special discounts for Dolphin users.
Recommended Server Setup ¶
Since Dolphin is a resource-intensive platform, it is very important to "fine-tune" your server. In some cases (for popular sites) you may have to setup clustered servers, and/or a remote database server. Alternative "web-server" software, such as nginx may also be beneficial to your site performance. Please refer to Hosting Server Setup Recommendations for the details on how you can tune-up your server.
