WordPress server is running on LightSail, but static IP cannot be reached

nolsman 2019-08-06 12:22:46 UTC #1

Keywords: WordPress - AWS - Technical issue - Domain Name (DNS)
bnsupport ID: feb43d71-98ec-54a0-e8b8-0295aa0ea8c6
Description:
I recently set up a WordPress server through AWS LightSail, and am in the process of trying to switch over our site's domain from the old site to the new WordPress one. The first thing I did was associate a static IP through AWS, and now when I type in or ping the IP I get a request timeout error: ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT.

I tried changing the host location in wp-config.php and a variety of other suggestions I found online, but to no avail.

If I tail my apache2 error_log file, I get the following:

[Tue Aug 06 01:57:06.499570 2019] [mpm_event:notice] [pid 1930:tid 140470749914880] AH00489: Apache/2.4.39 (Unix) OpenSSL/1.0.2r configu
red -- resuming normal operations
[Tue Aug 06 01:57:06.499602 2019] [core:notice] [pid 1930:tid 140470749914880] AH00094: Command line: '/opt/bitnami/apache2/bin/httpd.bi
n -f /opt/bitnami/apache2/conf/httpd.conf -D DISABLE_BANNER'
[Tue Aug 06 01:58:23.980931 2019] [mpm_event:notice] [pid 1930:tid 140470749914880] AH00491: caught SIGTERM, shutting down
[Tue Aug 06 01:59:39.184440 2019] [ssl:warn] [pid 1886:tid 139921591080704] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include
 an ID which matches the server name
[Tue Aug 06 01:59:39.344532 2019] [ssl:warn] [pid 1887:tid 139921591080704] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include
 an ID which matches the server name
[Tue Aug 06 01:59:39.366556 2019] [mpm_event:notice] [pid 1887:tid 139921591080704] AH00489: Apache/2.4.39 (Unix) OpenSSL/1.0.2r configu
red -- resuming normal operations
[Tue Aug 06 01:59:39.366585 2019] [core:notice] [pid 1887:tid 139921591080704] AH00094: Command line: '/opt/bitnami/apache2/bin/httpd.bi
n -f /opt/bitnami/apache2/conf/httpd.conf -D DISABLE_BANNER'
[Tue Aug 06 04:56:32.599872 2019] [authz_core:error] [pid 2194:tid 139921192851200] [client 211.149.138.148:19978] AH01630: client denie
d by server configuration: /opt/bitnami/apps/phpmyadmin/htdocs/scripts
[Tue Aug 06 04:56:33.924517 2019] [authz_core:error] [pid 2194:tid 139921167673088] [client 211.149.138.148:20178] AH01630: client denie
d by server configuration: /opt/bitnami/apps/phpmyadmin/htdocs/scripts
[Tue Aug 06 05:12:45.527761 2019] [authz_core:error] [pid 2194:tid 139920781608704] [client 211.149.138.148:11940] AH01630: client denie
d by server configuration: /opt/bitnami/apps/phpmyadmin/htdocs/phpmyadmin

It seems that there may be some problem related to SSL, but I didn't change nay settings with that between when the site worked and when I associated the static IP.

I ran the bitnami support tool, below is the code:
feb43d71-98ec-54a0-e8b8-0295aa0ea8c6

Lightsail Static IP Inaccessible After DNS Zone Creation

michiel 2019-08-07 10:35:17 UTC #2

Hi @nolsman,

Did you install any themes or plugins? Did you change any configuration files?

Please, click on if you think my answer was helpful

nolsman 2019-08-07 11:04:20 UTC #3

I didn't personally change any configuration files, however the way this came about is that I got the server running and handed it off to a web developer who had already designed the WordPress site elsewhere, and he transferred over the database from that site to the one we hosted on AWS. I wasn't involved in that process, however I can ask him what if anything he installed.

nolsman 2019-08-07 11:07:44 UTC #4

I just realized I forgot that they did ask me to change a few configurations on the server:

Thanks so much for all of your help so far. Hopefully this is the last one. Can you please provide us with FTP access? We need to make the following changes to the configuration of the instance:

php_value upload_max_filesize 1024M php_value post_max_size 1024M php_value memory_limit 1024M php_value max_execution_time 3000 php_value max_input_time 3000

Thank you so much!

I did these before I handed the server over, then they transferred the site, and it was working as far as I could tell from there on. The first time it seemed to stop responding was after I associated the static IP address.

michiel 2019-08-08 08:14:44 UTC #5

I'm forwarding the issue to another team, they will update the topic or request additional information.

nolsman 2019-08-08 17:30:31 UTC #6

Thank you! Here is the list of plugins on the server:

Here is a list of plugins, but we don't believe these should be causing any issue:
iThemes Security
Anti-Malware
Wordfence
Akismet
Yoast SEO
WP Super Cache
GoGoogle XML Sitemaps

jariza 2019-08-12 15:24:44 UTC #7

Hi @nolsman

The error you faced complaining about the certificates are normal unless you configured SSL on your server. Please note that Bitnami stacks include a self-signed certificates which is not valid for production environments.

[Tue Aug 06 01:59:39.184440 2019] [ssl:warn] [pid 1886:tid 139921591080704] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name
[Tue Aug 06 01:59:39.344532 2019] [ssl:warn] [pid 1887:tid 139921591080704] AH01909: localhost:443:0 server certificate does NOT include an ID which matches the server name

To configure a valid certificate, I recommend you to follow the guide below which explains how to use the Bitnami HTTPS Configuration Tool to configure the certificates in your server:

https://docs.bitnami.com/aws/how-to/understand-bncert/

This other error indicates somebody is trying to access your PhpMyAdmin console which can be only be accessed through localhost unless you create a SSH tunnel:

[Tue Aug 06 04:56:32.599872 2019] [authz_core:error] [pid 2194:tid 139921192851200] [client 211.149.138.148:19978] AH01630: client denie
d by server configuration: /opt/bitnami/apps/phpmyadmin/htdocs/scripts
[Tue Aug 06 04:56:33.924517 2019] [authz_core:error] [pid 2194:tid 139921167673088] [client 211.149.138.148:20178] AH01630: client denie
d by server configuration: /opt/bitnami/apps/phpmyadmin/htdocs/scripts
[Tue Aug 06 05:12:45.527761 2019] [authz_core:error] [pid 2194:tid 139920781608704] [client 211.149.138.148:11940] AH01630: client denie
d by server configuration: /opt/bitnami/apps/phpmyadmin/htdocs/phpmyadmin

Please note that could be related with some hacker trying to take control over your server. I'd block the IPs (211.149.138.148) trying to access phpmyadmin unless it belongs to someone you recognise (see this guide for more information)

Now when I type in or ping the IP I get a request timeout error: ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT.
I tried changing the host location in wp-config.php and a variety of other suggestions I found online, but to no avail.

Could you please detail all the suggestions you tried? Did you update the WordPress Domain Name as explained in the guide below?

https://docs.bitnami.com/aws/apps/wordpress/administration/configure-domain

Best regards,

Juan Ariza

nolsman 2019-08-12 15:52:46 UTC #8

Hi Juan,

Thank you for clarifying those error messages!

I did try the suggestion in the link you sent, I just tried it again to be sure. I wanted to check the static IP first before associating the domain (the domain is currently pointing to our old site, and didn't want to mess with it until I was confident the new one is up and running), so I have added

define('WP_SITEURL','http://34.215.14.117/');
define('WP_HOME','http://34.215.14.117/');

to the wp-config.php file. I rebooted the server and it still gives me the same error when I try to access the IP from the browser. I do not believe I changed any other files on the server.

I'm not a web developer by training and am trying to set this site up as a favor, so there may be standard things to try that I am not aware of. Is it worth it to try to set up a second server instance and recopy the files/associate a static IP, just to see if the problem is reproducible?

jariza 2019-08-12 16:02:58 UTC #9

Hi @nolsman

I just opened your website at http://34.215.14.117/ and I was able to access your WP site. See the screenshot:

Could you try to open a tab in your browser (using incognito mode) and check if you can access to it?

Best regards,

Juan Ariza

nolsman 2019-08-12 17:27:00 UTC #10

Oh wow, yeah I think it was a caching issue on my end. Looks like the wp-config.php edit fixed things. Thanks so much, sorry for the wasted time!

jariza 2019-08-13 07:13:01 UTC #11

Hi @nolsman

Glad to hear it was just a cache issue!!

I proceed to close this thread as 'solved'. Please do not hesitate to open a new thread if you require further assistance.

Best Regards,

Juan Ariza

jariza 2019-08-13 07:13:09 UTC #12

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