This blog also use W3 Total Cache to handle caching. Few days ago W3 EDGE company behind this super popular (Downloads: 1,622,242) plugin pushed updated version 0.9.2.7. They actually introduced a revamp look and seems like a great update. But after update, Asif.im broke down completely, as MaxCDN, the Content Delivery Network(CDN) I use was not working with the updated version of W3TC. Here is a quick semi-fix.

After the most speculated W3 Total Cache exploit, the author of the plugin acted very quick and released updated. But as a lot of you probably already know Frederick Townes, the developer has a beta version for test for a while, which promised to bring a lot new feature. So in this process he released version 0.9.2.7. Check the change log, also change log for 0.9.2.6 is also very important.

But when I updated the plugin, my site broken. First thing I did deactivated the plugin and activated again, then I started to check each option separately. Just in few minute I find out its mainly the CDN option that is causing issue. The interface is completely changed. As in my case I use MaxCDN, previously I only need this field “API ID” & “API Key”. But the option is changed in W3 Total Cache 0.9.2.7, now we have “Alias”, “Consumer Key” & “Consumer Secret”. And it ask to create a new API key from MaxCDN or NetDNA(both are from same company and almost same interface, NetDNA is just for enterprise). Then I discovered MaxCDN or NetDNA both interface also got changed. Their App Creation function is not like before. Here is where confusion begins. I was able to create API. Follow the guide below

1. Visit this page For MaxCDN
https://cp.maxcdn.com/account/api/create

Or this page for NetDNA
https://cp.netdna.com/account/api/create

you have to login.

2. Then fill up form like below

3. Copy the “Consumer Key” and “Consumer Secret” to W3 Total Cache in CDN configuration form. Now you only need “Alias”, which you will find in your MaxCDN or NetDNA’s Account Setting page (MaxCDN link & NetDNA link)

4. You still need to complete “Replace site’s hostname with:” field. Even if previously you had custom domain and had the CNAME configured, it will not work for now(Read the Update below). Previously I was using “cdn.masifrahman.com” as custom hostname, and have it configured from my DNS control and also in my MaxCDN/NetDNA zone setting, but this is not working. Each time I click “Test MaxCDN/NetDNA” I am getting “Error: No zones matching custom domain.”. I had plan to keep as this blog related asset in this domain, so I did configured “static.masifrahman.com” to use as custom domain, I configured DNS carefully, checked if its resolving properly, still I am getting the same error.

So for now use your “temporary url” from MaxCDN/NetDNA, it will be a large url like “zonename.alias.maxcdn-cdn.com” or “zonename.alias.netdna-cdn.com“. And then CDN will work with W3 Total Cache.

Now you could see this blog is working. I will update this post as I find ways to solve the custom domain issue.

BTW, this post is meant only to give a quick heads up how to solve issues from W3TC 0.9.2.7, so I have not given any detail instruction how to install W3 Total Cache, configure with CDN, specially with MaxCDN/NetDNA. But you could check my presentation from my session at WordCamp Orlando 2012. Also there is an official guideline from NetDNA here.

You could comment here with your experience and there is an official support thread at WordPress.org support forum, where plugin developer Frederick Townes answering directly, click here.

Update – Date:2013-02-09; Time:04:05PM(BST)

W3 Total Cache Version 0.9.2.8 released few hours ago with following changes. Main important update is now you could use custom domain. So in “Replace site’s hostname with:” field you could put your custom domain, though “Test MaxCDN/NetDNA” button does not work, but no worry it actually functional. Check now in my this blog I am serving all content from “static.masifrahman.com”