Password protected web page help please.

[grahambell]

Here's an easy one for all you IT experts in PH land.

I want to make a password protected web page (low level security only, nothing major) so how do you go about it?

My web authoring software does have a password box facility but I've no idea how to make it work. Think it needs some sort of script, which is way beyond my basic IT knowledge.

Thanks.

[zaktoo]

The best way is to use the built-in http auth mechanism of your web server. Usually, an htpasswd file and a .htaccess file are needed. These would provide you with a simple mechanism to provide username/password access to parts of the site. Do you know what web server you're running, and on what platform? What I've described will work for Apache at the very least; probably others.

Ciao

Zak

[ErnestM]

Webserver? Authoring tools? (which ones are you using...)

ErnestM

[simpo two]

I used a cut-and-paste bit of html as mentioned by a PHer. I looked at htaccess but what is easy to IT gurus was Greek to me

So I used the html way - only trouble is, if you view the source code and look in the right place, you can see the password, so not very secure!

[grahambell]

Thanks for the replies guys.

No idea about web server though could check with the hosting company (Compila).

As for the web authoring, that's an old version of HoTMetaL Pro that came free with a magazine CD-Rom some years back.

[trevorw]

You could try Bravenets password service, just intergrate it into your website

www.bravenet.com/webtools/passwd/index.php

[zaktoo]

IMHO anything trivially bypassed is not worth doing - even if it takes a mere second or two to implement. More than likely, you'll be ok with generating an htpasswd file and sticking a .htaccess file in the appropriate directory. If you're out of luck and your server doesn't support these mechanisms, then contact your hosting provider as they will most likely have a tailor-made drop-in solution for you.

HTH

Ciao

Zak

[JamieBeeston]

.htaccess will be the easiest way.

As mentioned, depends on whom you host with as to how you can go about it, With the VDS accounts its all simply controlled via a simple GUI, it may well be the same with your host.

Contact the support dept has to be the best advice.

[ErnestM]

grahambell said:

Thanks for the replies guys. No idea about web server though could check with the hosting company (Compila). As for the web authoring, that's an old version of HoTMetaL Pro that came free with a magazine CD-Rom some years back.

Everyone has already given you great advice if your service provider is *nix based. If he is running MS IIS then you are going to probably have to use something like FrontPage to create user accounts...

ErnestM

PS: The "password" facility in HotMetal (IIRC) is juts the ability to use a password field type in your forms (asterisks). It is not true access control.

[grahambell]

Thanks again guys.

The Bravenet option might be good enough for what I want.