Signup/Sign In
PUBLISHED ON: MARCH 2, 2023

Limit file upload speed in Apache Server

File upload speed is an important factor to consider when setting up an Apache server. If the upload speed is too slow, it can be to frustrating for users trying to upload large files. On the other hand, if the upload speed is too fast, it can lead to server performance issues and sometimes Denial of Service (DoS). Therefore, it is important to find speed balance and limit the file upload speed in Apache server as needed.

How to Limit file upload speed in Apache Server

To limit file upload speed in Apache, follow these steps.

1. Modify the .htaccess file:

The .htaccess file is a config file for Apache servers that allows you to set various options for your website. To limit the file upload speed in Apache server, you can add the following line to the .htaccess file:

LimitRequestBody 5000KB

This line will limit the file upload size to 5000KB. You can adjust the size as needed by changing the value in the line.

Use the mod_bw module:

The mod_bw (or modify bandwidth) module is a Apache module that allows you to limit the bandwidth usage of your website. To use this module, you will need to enable it in your Apache config file.

To enable the mod_bw module, add the following line to your Apache config file:

LoadModule bw_module modules/mod_bw.so

Next, you can use the following directive in your Apache config file to limit the file upload speed:

BW_Min 500KB

This directive will limit the file upload speed to 500KB per second. You can adjust the speed as needed by changing the value in the directive.

Example config and commands:

Here is an example of how you can configure the .htaccess file and the Apache config file to limit the file upload speed in Apache server:

.htaccess file:

LimitRequestBody 50MB

Apache config file:

LoadModule bw_module modules/mod_bw.so
BW_Min 50KB

To check if the .htaccess file and the Apache config file are properly configured, you can use the following command:

apachectl -t

The output of this command should be:


Syntax OK

If you see any errors in the output, it means there is an issue with your config and you will need to fix it before proceeding.

Conclusion:

Limiting the file upload speed in Apache server is an important task that can help improve the performance of your website. By modifying the .htaccess file or using the mod_bw (modify bandwidth) module, you can easily set the file upload speed as needed. With a little bit of config and the right tools, you can tune Apache server that can handle large file uploads without any issues.



About the author:
Pradeep has expertise in Linux, Go, Nginx, Apache, CyberSecurity, AppSec and various other technical areas. He has contributed to numerous publications and websites, providing his readers with insightful and informative content.