setting up

If you want to save/backup your original .htaccess file or files then use the BPS Backup/Restore feature first. If you want to restore your original htaccess files that you backed up then you can restore them if needed. Or you can always download copies of your .htaccess files to your computer before activating BPS BulletProof Modes.

Yep, the AutoMagic buttons are the default.htaccess and secure.htaccess buttons.

These days you only need to select/click the Root folder BulletProof Mode and the wp-admin BulletProof Mode radio buttons and activate buttons. The Deny All .htaccess files are created automatically so you do not need to activate them.

BPS has a Custom Code feature that allows you to add any additional or custom .htaccess code that you already have in your root or wp-admin .htaccess files. You can use BPS Custom Code before you click the AutoMagic buttons and activate BulletProof Modes. What this does is combines your additional or custom .htaccess code into the new BPS .htaccess files that are created by clicking the AutoMagic buttons and activating BulletProof Modes.

Examples of additional or custom .htacces code would be these:
php/php.ini handler .htaccess code
custom .htaccess caching code
custom bot blocking .htaccess code
URL redirect .htaccess code

Sounds good. Typically most folks have not created any custom .htaccess code prior to installing BPS and will start adding some custom code like these links below for example once they setup BPS:

Brute Force Login protection code
http://forum.ait-pro.com/forums/topic/protect-login-page-from-brute-force-login-attacks/

Speed Boost .htaccess caching code
http://forum.ait-pro.com/forums/topic/where-is-the-log/page/2/#post-7436

Yep, but see the notes on what to test for on your particular Host/Server. The ETag best setting will most likely be different for different Hosts. The rest of the code is “a one size fits all” thing.

I recommend that each person test using no ETags by commenting out all the ETag lines of .htaccess code below and benchmark website performance, then benchmark test using Header unset and FileETag none and then benchmark test using FileETag MTime Size. Whichever one makes your website perform the fastest is the one you want to use. On Go Daddy it seems that using Header unset ETag and FileETag none is slightly faster in milliseconds.

not sure what you are asking?

I just added some step by step instructions directly under that caching code on how to add this Speed Boost code to Custom Code so that folks would not have to jump back in that Forum topic to figure the steps out. 😉

1. Copy the Speed Boost .htaccess code into this Custom Code text box: CUSTOM CODE TOP PHP/PHP.INI HANDLER/CACHE CODE: Add php.ini handler and/or plugin cache code here and click the Save Root Custom Code button.

2. Go to the BPS Security Modes page and click the Create secure.htaccess File AutoMagic button and then activate Root Folder BulletProof Mode.

NOTES: If you are using a php/php.ini handler in your root .htaccess file then be sure to copy that php/php.ini .htaccess code directly above this caching code. If you are using a caching plugin that creates .htaccess caching code then you can also add that plugin’s caching code directly above this Speed Boost caching code.

Yep, the logical order of testing would be something like this.

Test the existing code as is and then yep comment out and uncomment the code as shown below.

# Create the ETag (entity tag) response header field
FileETag MTime Size

# Remove the ETag (entity tag) response header field
#Header unset ETag
#FileETag none

LOL on the kids. “look at me now, look at me now,…” ha ha ha.