How to check if your website is correctly configured with 5centsCDN?

To ensure your website is correctly configured with 5centsCDN before updating the CNAME record, follow these steps:

Steps to Verify Configuration Before Changing the CNAME Record:

  1. Access the 5centsCDN Dashboard:
    • Log in to your 5centsCDN account and navigate to the Pull Zone you created for your website.
  2. Check Zone Status:
    • Ensure the Pull Zone you created is Active. If it’s not, troubleshoot any issues preventing activation.
  3. Test CDN URL:
    • In the Pull Zone settings, you’ll find a CDN URL (it will look like pull-xxxx.5centscdn.com).
    • Open a browser and manually enter the CDN URL, followed by the path to a file (image, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) from your website.
      • Example: pull-xxxx.5centscdn.com/path/to/file.jpg
    • If the file loads correctly, the CDN is working properly.
  4. Compare Load Times (Optional):
    • Test the load time of your website with the CDN URL versus the origin URL (your original website URL).
    • Tools like Pingdom or GTmetrix can help you compare loading times and check if the CDN is delivering content faster.
  5. Inspect Cache Headers:
    • You can inspect cache headers by using browser developer tools or tools like cURL or Redbot.
    • Look for headers like X-Cache or Cache-Control. If the CDN is functioning correctly, you should see headers indicating content is being served from the CDN cache.
  6. Check SSL Configuration:
    • If you are using SSL, ensure that your CDN URL is accessible via HTTPS. If not, review your SSL settings in the Pull Zone to ensure they are properly configured.
  7. Preview CNAME Without Changing DNS:
    • Use a hosts file modification to test the custom CNAME configuration locally without changing your DNS records. This allows you to point your domain name to the CDN’s IP address for testing.
      • Modify the hosts file on your computer (located in /etc/hosts on Linux/macOS or C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows) to temporarily redirect your domain to the CDN IP address.
      • Example entry: 104.XX.XX.XX yourdomain.com
    • After saving the changes, access your website through the browser. This will simulate the CNAME change without affecting public DNS records.
  8. Verify Content Delivery:
    • After making these checks, confirm that all content (images, CSS, JS files) is being properly delivered through the CDN URL before proceeding to update your CNAME records.

By following these steps, you can confidently verify that your website is set up correctly with 5centsCDN before making any DNS changes.