Fullworks Active Users Monitor

Automatic Installation

1. 01Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress admin
2. 02Search for “Fullworks Active Users Monitor”
3. 03Click “Install Now” and then “Activate”
4. 04Configure settings under Settings > Active Users Monitor

Manual Installation

1. 05Download the plugin ZIP file
2. 06Upload to /wp-content/plugins/ directory
3. 07Extract the ZIP file
4. 08Activate through the Plugins menu in WordPress
5. 09Configure under Settings > Active Users Monitor

After Activation

1. 10Visit Settings > Active Users Monitor to configure options
2. 11Check the admin bar for the online users counter
3. 12View the Users page to see enhanced status indicators
4. 13Optional: Add the dashboard widget for quick monitoring

How does the plugin determine if a user is online?

The plugin uses WordPress’s built-in WP_Session_Tokens class to check for active session tokens. This ensures accurate detection regardless of the authentication method used (standard login, SSO, 2FA, etc.).

A user counts as online from the moment they log in until they log out or their session expires. WordPress sessions last 2 days, or 14 days with “Remember Me”, so a user who closes the browser without logging out stays online until then.

Does this plugin create custom database tables?

Yes, one table (wp_fwaum_audit_log) for the audit trail, created on activation. Nothing is written to it unless you enable the audit trail. The online-status monitoring uses WordPress’s existing session data and needs no custom tables. The table is removed when the plugin is deleted.

Can I customize which roles can see online status?

Yes. In the plugin settings, you can choose which user roles can see online status in the admin bar and dashboard widget. Administrators always can. The status column on the Users page additionally needs the ability to list users. Developers can override the check with the fwaum_current_user_can_view filter.

How often does the plugin update the online status?

The refresh interval is configurable from 15 to 300 seconds. The default is 30 seconds. You can adjust this in Settings > Active Users Monitor.

My site is behind a proxy or CDN and the audit log shows the proxy’s IP address

By default only the connecting address (REMOTE_ADDR) is trusted, because headers such as X-Forwarded-For can be forged by anyone. If your site sits behind a proxy you control, list the header it sets with the fwaum_client_ip_headers filter, for example array( 'HTTP_CF_CONNECTING_IP', 'REMOTE_ADDR' ) behind Cloudflare.

Is this plugin compatible with caching plugins?

Yes. The plugin uses AJAX for real-time updates, which works independently of page caching. The plugin also implements its own transient caching for optimal performance.

Can I use this with multisite?

Yes. On multisite each site shows its own members who are online, and each site keeps its own audit trail.

Does it work with custom user roles?

Yes. The plugin automatically detects and supports all custom user roles in addition to WordPress default roles.

How can I style the online indicators differently?

Every element has its own CSS class, so you can override the styles in your theme’s CSS.

Is WP-CLI support included?

Yes. The plugin includes comprehensive WP-CLI support with commands for monitoring, automation, and scripting. See the WP-CLI Commands section below for details.

Will this slow down my site?

No. The plugin is optimized for performance with smart caching, efficient queries, and optional features you can disable if needed.