Install the Help4 CDN plugin

Use plugin-first setup when you want Help4 CDN asset rewriting, cache refresh, POP selection, and virtual-patching intelligence without moving the whole DNS zone immediately.

Download: help4-cdn-plugin.zip. The ZIP installs as the help4-cdn WordPress plugin folder.

WordPress plugin upload screen showing the Help4 CDN plugin ZIP selected — Upload the ZIP from WordPress admin under Plugins, Add New, Upload Plugin.

Before you start

You need

WordPress admin access.
A Help4 CDN/WAF service or onboarding invite.
Help4 API key and Help4 API secret.
Permission to upload plugins.

Install the plugin

Download the ZIP.
Use the Help4 CDN plugin download and keep it zipped.
Open WordPress admin.
Go to Plugins, then Add New.
Choose Upload Plugin.
Select help4-cdn-plugin.zip, then click Install Now.
Activate Help4 CDN.
After install, click Activate Plugin. A Help4 CDN menu item appears in the admin sidebar.

Configure Help4 CDN

Open Help4 CDN in WordPress admin and fill in the connection fields.

Help4 CDN plugin settings showing enable rewriting, API key, secret, hostname, POP, cache, and WAF options — The Help4 CDN settings screen groups connection, hostname, POP, browser cache, content targeting, and WAF controls.

Enable CDN rewriting.
Check Enable CDN rewriting when you are ready for approved assets to use the Help4 delivery hostname.
Confirm the API base URL.
Use the Help4 control-plane URL from your service handoff. If Help4 gave you a managed value, leave it as provided.
Add API key and secret.
Paste Help4 API key and Help4 API secret. Leave the legacy bearer token blank unless Help4 specifically tells you to use it.
Review the delivery hostname.
Free accounts use assigned Help4 city hostnames. Pro and Enterprise can validate a custom hostname.
Select coverage.
Choose pages, posts, products, asset classes, and any available POP city coverage for your plan.
Save Changes.
The plugin syncs the site profile, cache policy, and routing preference back to Help4.

Asset rewriting Cache refresh POP selection Browser cache policy Full proxy + WAF on Enterprise

Test after saving

Load the home page in a private browser window.
Open browser developer tools and check an image, CSS, or JS request.
Confirm approved assets use the Help4 delivery hostname.
Check that admin pages still load normally.
Run a cache refresh after publishing a small test change.
Check Help4 network status if a POP appears unavailable.

Optional command-line check

curl -I https://example.com/wp-content/uploads/example-image.jpg

Look for Help4/CDN headers and the expected delivery hostname. Header names can vary by plan and proxy mode.

Clear cache with JSON

The plugin supports JSON-first cache refresh calls for W3 Total Cache and custom deploy tools.

curl -sS -X POST "https://example.com/wp-json/help4-cdn/v1/cache/refresh" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-Help4-Api-Key: YOUR_HELP4_KEY" \
  -H "X-Help4-Api-Secret: YOUR_HELP4_SECRET" \
  -d '{"scope":"paths","paths":["/"],"reason":"content-update"}'

For full details, use the JSON cache refresh tutorial.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Upload fails.	WordPress upload limit or wrong ZIP structure.	Use the Help4 ZIP download and increase the WordPress/PHP upload limit if needed.
Help4 CDN menu does not appear.	Plugin was installed but not activated, or the account lacks admin permission.	Activate the plugin and confirm the logged-in user can manage options.
Delivery hostname is blank.	The site has not synced with Help4 yet.	Check API key/secret, save again, then ask Help4 to verify the service profile.
Assets still load from origin.	Rewriting is disabled or no content/asset classes are selected.	Enable rewriting and select the pages/posts/products or asset classes that should use CDN.
WAF controls are disabled.	The site is not on an Enterprise full-proxy plan or custom hostname validation has not passed.	Use static CDN mode or upgrade/validate before enabling full proxy + WAF.

Ready for full DNS coverage?

After plugin-first testing, you can move the whole domain to Help4 nameservers for DNS-managed CDN routing, full-site proxying, WAF coverage, and virtual patching.

Follow the DNS cutover tutorial.