Password protecting entire site???

[SiDiuS]

How would I password protect an entire site without using htaccess/htpasswd? I'm doing a website for a friend of mine that has a wholesale business and he wants a page that has directions on how to get a username and password for the site(prompts for the users name, address, phone number, and business license # and to contact him for it. ), and a login pass box on the page somewhere. He doesnt want his competition seeing his product.

 

[HorsePunchKid]

It would probably help us give suggestions if you told us why using Apache's Basic authentication is impossible. It's certainly the most obvious solution. If you're not using Apache, I imagine your web server still has Basic auth capabilities. What kind of server environment is it, anyway? Can you use PHP or something similar? Do you have access to a database (MySQL or the like) in which you can make new tables?

 

[lomn75]

PHP or other server-side scripting is what you'll want if not basic auth.

Here's code in a nutshell:

<?php 
if(!isset($_SESSION["user"])) // not logged in
{ ?>
Put your login / request access code here.
Once login is confirmed, set $_SESSION["user"]
<?php }
else
{ ?>
Logged in, put your info here.
<?php } ?>

Login itself is a basic user/password cross-reference with some form of database (even a text file that doesn't allow external access is fine). I recommend, at a minimum, using a nonce + MD5 hashing in Javascript to secure the login, though SSL is preferable if available.

 

[btownfreak]

yeah, with the php, you can just have your code on one file .. lets say .. "keepout.php", and on every website, you just need a one liner

<?PHP require_once("keepout.php") ?>

and it will include that code on your page.

catch is you might need a server that process .html as php files also.

 

[lomn75]

catch is you might need a server that process .html as php files also.

That can always be added by .htaccess if necessary.