[smooth]

Hello again,

I want to use an htaccess file and htpassword file on a site, to authorize users to visit a site.

Now, my .htaccess file has this in it:

AuthName EnterPassword
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /server/directory/subdirectory/.htpassword
Require valid-user

The actual names being different than server, directory, and subdirectory.

Now, this is what I have in my .htpassword file:

username:TJdd28.XTOGM2

Just using username as a test one, and the password encoded using a form I found online.

Now, I put the .htaccess file within the directory that I want protected, and the .htpassword file is a step above that directory, because I've been told to put this in a directory that cannot be accessed using www.

I can't get it to work however. Just isn't doing anything, except going straight to my index file in that directory, without asking for a username or password. Any ideas?

[Squashman]

Are you doing this on a webhost or is this your server?
Are you sure your webhost is an Apache server and do they allow you to use .htaccess files?
What are the permissions on the .htaccess and .htpassword files.

I take it you have read this tutorial.
http://www.javascriptkit.com/howto/htaccess3.shtml

[smooth]

Hey Squashman,

I'm doing it on a webhost. I'm pretty sure they support it, since when i called tech support, he said I would have to set up .htaccess in order to do what I want to do.

I'm not sure how to set the permissions on the files. I read through that tutorial before, and it doesn't seem to tell how to do that.

[Squashman]

How did you create the .htaccess and .htpasswd files. A common mistake people make is when they create them in notepad, they don't name the file correctly. They end up naming .htaccess.txt or they dont upload it as a ascii text file.

What ftp application are you using to upload the files to your webhost. It should have the capability to show you the file permissions? Do they allow you to have Secure Shell access?

[smooth]

I created them both in Notepad, and changed the setting to All Files. Also, when I upload them, they are shown as HTACCESS file type and HTPASSWORD file type.

When I view there permissions in my ftp program (Filezilla) it shows -rwxrwxrwx for both, so it has every persmission for both of them. Not sure about the Secure Shell Access, nor what that is.

I had been advised to use a PHP one, but my host does not use php. So I've also been looking for some ASP scripts that are good, since my host does support ASP. I figured the .htaccess would be a quick fix, as I would have to learn how to configure everything in the ASP ones.

[Squashman]

I can't believe they support ASP on a unix/linux server. That costs money for the web host. Doesn't cost them anything to support Perl or PHP.

Could you give me a link to your webhost or the link to your website.

[Squashman]

Now that I think of it. If it is a linux or unix server, the file and path names are case sensitive. If your file name is uppercase, I would change it to lower case. Did you make sure you uploaded them as ascii text.

[smooth]

The web host is 1and1.

I'm not sure how to upload it as ASCII text. Is there usually a setting in the ftp program for that?

[smooth]

Ok, under filezilla, it says if I Auto-Detect, then it will automatically transfer certain files as ASCII. So I added .htaccess and .htpasswd as the file types. Then I re-uploaded the files. Still didn't work though.

[Squashman]

You have .htpassword above but now you have it has .htpasswd?
Did you make sure everything is in lower case?

Since they offer both Microsoft and Linux hosting, we really need to know which one you are using as well. If you can tell me this or give me what your website is I can check this really easy with a utility I have.

[smooth]

IFG Agent Recruit is one of our domains with the host. We have 3 total.

I want to implement the htaccess to IFG Agents if I can. Right now it is just a protected directory, that has 1 username and password that is universal for all agents. I want to use the htaccess so that I can have a username and password for multiple users, so if someone leaves the company, they can't still get in.

Oh, and I had the file named .htpassword, but changed it to .htpasswd, since I saw on the sites I've looked at, most of them have it named that way. I wasn't sure if the longer than 8 letters after '.' would effect that.

The file names are in all lowercase as well. It must have something to do with where I am placing the files at.

Right now, I am testing it at the IFG Agent Recruit site, since I don't want to mess with the protected directory of our agents site, until I get this to working correctly. You can see where I am testing it at, right here.

The .htpasswd is above the /test directory. The .htaccess file is in the /test directory, with the index.html.

[Squashman]

Your .htpasswd file is in a web accessible directory.

[Squashman]

It is an IIS server. .htaccess is only available with Apache.
I know there are a few ASP password scripts but can't remember any of them off hand.

[smooth]

Oops, I think that will only be true in the test site, however.

When I actually implement it, I am going to put it in the folder above my agents site. When I login to my ftp, I have it laid out where I have 3 folders, one for each site. agents, main_site, and recruiting.

I am going to put the .htpasswd file in the root, above all of those folders. I don't think it will be accessible via www then, since the my agents site would be in the folder.

[Squashman]

I doubt they would install this for you.
http://www.troxo.com/products/iispassword/