This week I have experienced trouble when accessing the back-end of Joomla. For many times, it wouldn't let me log in and it would show code 500 Internal Server Error.

Since our web-host provider is Network Solutions I contacted them to solve the problem. Here is what the operator said I need to do:

“Sorry to see that you're having website latency. This can be caused when your connection string uses the IP instead of the MySQL server name. You should correct this. The MySQL IP is always slower than using the vanity but during peak traffic times it may result in sufficiently slower website loading or even complete site outages.”

How can I do that?

Thanks a lot, Val

P.S. I could not find a similar issue in your list of questions/answers. I saw many people talking about the error #500, but I didn't see anything about changing connection strings etc... sorry if you have already answered it somewhere else :(

Hi vhysong,

To be honest, it doesn't sound like they have optimized servers.

What Joomla version are you using?

Kind regards,
Nick

Version 1.5.26...
In fact the front-end of our website (www.bakercity.com) has always been very slow...

OK, it might be worth checking out one of our recommended hosts then:
www.ostraining.com/resources/joomla/hosting/

500 internal error means that the error is occurring at the server level and is really outside of Joomla's control for the most part. At a good host, you wouldn't be experiencing 500 errors on a regular, but rather it would be a rare occurrence.

I hope this information helps!

Kind regards,
Nick

The problem is that the City just renewed the hosting services with them… not sure how a big deal will be to change it. Not that I will miss Network Solutions because they have been lacking on customer services quality… :(

In regards of what the operator asked me to do change the ”connection string to the IP instead of the MySQL server name” Is it something you can assist me with?

Thanks :)

Hi Val,

Here is how you can convert your website URL (server name) to an IP address:
www.hcidata.info/host2ip.cgi

You should be able to change this in the configuration.php file located on your root of your site.

Let me know if this helps.

Tessa, I don't think that's the same thing. This has to do with the mySQL connection.

Val, please hold on while we look into this more for you.

Kind regards,
Nick

Val, please give the following guide a try:
www.ostraining.com/blog/joomla/guided-to...nfigurationphp-file/

and then look for the public $db variable. What is it set to?

Kind regards,
Nick

Sorry Nick, for some reason I didn't notice you had answered :(

Here it is:

var $db = '[edited by Nick]';

I copied and paste all the info on the configuration.php file (attached)

Thanks for your help!
Val

Hi Val,

No problem! By the way, we usually reply within a business day, so if for some reason you don't spot our email promptly, double check on the forum.

OK, please make a backup of your file, then try changing:
to:
If some reason that causes your site to crash right away, just change it back to the IP, then ask your host what you should use instead of 'localhost'.

Hope this helps!

Kind regards,
Nick