I was trying to optimize the output of content on one of the sites I’m working on using mod_deflate but got the following error:

.htaccess: DeflateCompressionLevel not allowed here

The problem comes about when you add the mod_deflate to .htaccess and not in the VirtualHost or Server Config, if you check the Apache documentation page you’ll find that the context is ‘server config, virtual host’

So unless you have access to httpd.conf or the Virtual Host configuration then you’ll have to remove this line from .htaccess

thanks goes to noodl @ http://www.issociate.de/board/post/442482/mod_deflate_optimization.html

The tutorial I was following: http://www.g-loaded.eu/2008/05/10/use-mod_deflate-to-compress-web-content-delivered-by-apache/

And the Apache Docs for mod_deflate: http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_deflate.html