Limit the number of connections on a Apache web server

Hi !

I would like to limit the number of connection open by browsers on a
apache web server. I mean, I would like that only 5 (for example...)
browser can access to my web server. The others would receive an error
message until a browser "leave" my web server.

Does anybody knows a way to do that ?

I heardt about MaxClients but it doesn't work :'(

Thanks for your help

Etienne Roux

Etienne <zebreroux@free.fr> wrote:
> I heardt about MaxClients but it doesn't work :'(

From the Apache documentation:
The MaxClients directive sets the limit on the number of simultaneous
requests that can be supported; not more than this number of child server
processes will be created. To configure more than 256 clients, you must
edit the HARD_SERVER_LIMIT entry in httpd.h and recompile.

Any connection attempts over the MaxClients limit will normally be queued,
up to a number based on the ListenBacklog directive. Once a child process
is freed at the end of a different request, the connection will then be
serviced.

The MaxRequestsPerChild directive sets the limit on the number of requests
that an individual child server process will handle. After
MaxRequestsPerChild requests, the child process will die. If
MaxRequestsPerChild is 0, then the process will never expire.

Davide

Can you do this without hardcoding the limit? There must be a way to change
this parameter externally.

"Davide Bianchi" <davideyeahsure@onlyforfun.net> wrote in message
news:bgajvm$mvai1$3@ID-18487.news.uni-berlin.de...
> Etienne <zebreroux@free.fr> wrote:
> > I heardt about MaxClients but it doesn't work :'(
>
> From the Apache documentation:
> The MaxClients directive sets the limit on the number of simultaneous
> requests that can be supported; not more than this number of child server
> processes will be created. To configure more than 256 clients, you must
> edit the HARD_SERVER_LIMIT entry in httpd.h and recompile.
>
> Any connection attempts over the MaxClients limit will normally be queued,
> up to a number based on the ListenBacklog directive. Once a child process
> is freed at the end of a different request, the connection will then be
> serviced.
>
> The MaxRequestsPerChild directive sets the limit on the number of requests
> that an individual child server process will handle. After
> MaxRequestsPerChild requests, the child process will die. If
> MaxRequestsPerChild is 0, then the process will never expire.
>
> Davide

Benedictum <nospam@dominus.com> wrote:
> Can you do this without hardcoding the limit? There must be a way to change
> this parameter externally.

Well... besides the fact that I won't do this... you could use
an external firewall for this...

Davide