How to Make IIS Operate Efficiently with WordPress

Running WordPress on Internet Information Services (IIS) can be a powerful combination, but it requires careful configuration to ensure optimal performance. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into each step, explaining the details of every setting and optimization to help you make your WordPress site on IIS faster and more efficient.

1. Introduction to IIS and WordPress

IIS is a web server developed by Microsoft for Windows Server. It’s highly customizable and integrates well with other Microsoft technologies. WordPress, on the other hand, is a PHP-based CMS that typically runs on Linux-based servers with Apache or Nginx. However, with the right setup, IIS can host WordPress efficiently.

The key to success lies in configuring IIS to handle PHP requests, optimizing the server environment, and fine-tuning WordPress for performance.

2. Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

• Windows Server: A server running Windows Server 2016 or later.

• IIS Installed: IIS should be installed and configured.

• PHP: PHP installed and configured to work with IIS (e.g., via FastCGI).

• MySQL or MariaDB: A database server for WordPress.

• FTP Access: To upload WordPress files to the server.

• Domain Name: A domain pointed to your server (optional but recommended).

3. Installing WordPress on IIS

Step-by-Step Installation

1. Download WordPress:

   • Visit https://wordpress.org/download/ and download the latest version of WordPress.

2. Extract WordPress Files:

   • Extract the downloaded ZIP file to your desired directory, such as C:\inetpub\wwwroot\wordpress.

3. Create a MySQL Database:

   • Log in to your MySQL server (e.g., using phpMyAdmin or MySQL Workbench).

   • Create a new database (e.g., wordpress_db) and a user with full privileges.

4. Configure wp-config.php:

   • Rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php.

   • Open the file and update the following lines with your database details:

     php

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     define('DB_NAME', 'wordpress_db');
     define('DB_USER', 'your_db_user');
     define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_db_password');
     define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

5. Set File Permissions:

   • Ensure the IIS user (IUSR) has read/write permissions to the WordPress directory and its subfolders.

6. Complete the Installation:

   • Open your browser and navigate to your WordPress installation URL (e.g., http://yourdomain.com/wordpress).

   • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

4. Configuring IIS for Optimal Performance

4.1. Enable HTTP/2

HTTP/2 improves website performance by allowing multiple requests to be sent over a single connection, reducing latency.

1. Open IIS Manager.

2. Select your site and click Advanced Settings.

3. Set Enabled Protocols to http/2.

4. Restart IIS by running the following command in Command Prompt:

   bash

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   iisreset

4.2. Configure Caching

Caching reduces server load and speeds up page delivery by storing frequently accessed data.

Output Caching

1. Open IIS Manager.

2. Select your site and click Output Caching.

3. Click Add and configure a rule for .php files:

   • Set Duration to 3600 seconds (1 hour).

   • Enable User-mode caching.

Kernel Caching

1. In the Output Caching settings, enable kernel caching for static files like images, CSS, and JS.

4.3. Optimize PHP Configuration

PHP performance is critical for WordPress. Here’s how to optimize it:

1. Increase Memory Limit:

   • Open the php.ini file (located in your PHP installation directory).

   • Find the memory_limit directive and set it to at least 256M:

     ini

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     memory_limit = 256M

2. Enable OPcache:

   • OPcache improves PHP performance by caching precompiled script bytecode.

   • In php.ini, add or uncomment the following lines:

     ini

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     zend_extension=php_opcache.dll
     opcache.enable=1
     opcache.memory_consumption=128
     opcache.max_accelerated_files=4000
     opcache.revalidate_freq=60

3. Adjust PHP-FPM Settings (if using PHP-FPM):

   • Open the php-fpm.conf file.

   • Adjust the following settings based on your server’s resources:

     ini

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     pm.max_children = 50
     pm.start_servers = 10
     pm.min_spare_servers = 5
     pm.max_spare_servers = 20

4.4. Enable Compression

Compression reduces the size of files sent from the server to the browser, improving load times.

1. Static Compression:

   • Open IIS Manager.

   • Click Compression.

   • Enable Static Compression and configure the settings.

2. Dynamic Compression:

   • In the same Compression settings, enable Dynamic Compression.

   • Add the following MIME types to compress dynamic content:

      

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     text/html
     application/json
     application/javascript
     text/css

4.5. Configure URL Rewrite Rules

WordPress relies on clean URLs, which require URL rewriting.

1. Install URL Rewrite Module:

   • Download and install the URL Rewrite module from the Microsoft website.

2. Add Rewrite Rules:

   • Open IIS Manager.

   • Select your site and click URL Rewrite.

   • Add a new rule to rewrite requests to index.php for non-existent files and directories:

     xml

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     <rule name="WordPress Rule" stopProcessing="true">
       <match url=".*" />
       <conditions>
         <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsFile" negate="true" />
         <add input="{REQUEST_FILENAME}" matchType="IsDirectory" negate="true" />
       </conditions>
       <action type="Rewrite" url="index.php" />
     </rule>

      

     Run HTML

5. Database Optimization

A well-optimized database ensures faster query execution and reduces server load.

1. Optimize Tables:

   • Use phpMyAdmin or a plugin like WP-Optimize to optimize database tables.

2. Limit Post Revisions:

   • Add the following line to wp-config.php to limit post revisions:

     php

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     define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', 5);

3. Use Indexes:

   • Ensure your database tables have appropriate indexes to speed up queries.

6. WordPress-Specific Optimizations

6.1. Use a Lightweight Theme

Choose a theme optimized for performance, such as Astra or GeneratePress.

6.2. Optimize Images

Use plugins like Smush or ShortPixel to compress and resize images.

6.3. Minimize and Combine CSS/JS Files

Use plugins like Autoptimize to minimize and combine CSS/JS files.

6.4. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A CDN like Cloudflare or StackPath distributes your site’s static content globally, reducing latency.

6.5. Enable Object Caching

Use Redis or Memcached with a plugin like Redis Object Cache to enable object caching.

7. Monitoring and Maintenance

Regularly monitor your site’s performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. Perform routine maintenance, such as updating WordPress, plugins, and themes, and cleaning up your database.