* Website Host problem

[Arthur45]

I have searched the Knowledge Base and previous answers, so please excuse if I have missed earlier suggestions on this point. It relates to putting my website (essentially, just the full list of Individual Records) on line. I am fully aware that I can delete, or limit data for Living People, but my preference is to leave all the information but make it visible only to family or other trusted researchers.

Until recently, this was perfectly possible with my web host supplier Strato. The FH site was uploaded to a specific sub-directory on my general site, and access to that sub-directory was restricted by User/Password which I supplied directly to selected individuals. Strato has recently withdrawn this functionality (although bizarrely it is still fully documented on their American site but not their French one) and say they have no plans to reinstate it.

Does anyone know of a web site host company, reasonably priced and still offering this possibility?

Arthur

[Jane]

I am not sure what you have been paying. We host FHUG on Krystal and they have been very good and allow folder protection.

Their base packages start at £4.99 per month.

If you decide you like the look use de3e33b5 to get £10 discount at the checkout.

[Valkrider]

You can possibly enable something similar yourself.

Take a look at https://www.thesitewizard.com/apache/pa ... tory.shtml it runs you through creating a password protected directory on a webserver.

[davepacey]

I used simplewebhosting.co.uk until a couple of years ago, it offered password protections where users would email me from my website and ask for a username and password, but I stopped using it when I found several users passing my work off as their own. They did offer a good service at the time, no idea what its like now.
This is one reason why I refuse to now publish my work anywhere other than my own computer.

[Arthur45]

Thanks for these suggestions. I will certainly take a look at Krystal with such a reliable recommendation. I have been paying 9€ a month, but in fairness to Strato that was for a 3-domain contract, two of which are no longer needed. I suspected there might well be do-it-yourself solutions for password protection and it might be fun to try, but if the host is prepared to do the work for you there is less point - I'll still have a look. Arthur

[HanniganResearch]

Arthur - what are your needs for a website? Do you need both front-end and back-end (CPanel) access? Do you have a domain name already? Can you load text into WordPress that can be 'password controlled' for access? Do you want to keep past information visible (with password) or replace it?

Let me briefly explain. I might be able to help by providing you some space so you would control through WordPress (or some other program/application) for a very low annual cost? I currently pay for unlimited space, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited domains, so those issues are not a problem.

Please contact me at: admin@hanniganfamilytree.us to begin a discussion.

Thank you, John

[alexstorm]

Arthur,

You can setup password protected subdirectories using .htaccess. You need a host that offers shell access. You put a .htaccess file in the subdirectory you want to protect and point to a password file that is above the Web directory root on your host.

This is a solution for static websites that do not use PHP or CSM WordPress. The are pros and cons to choosing this option. It's very solid and as secure as you need. Basic setting uses MD5 hash encryption. Shell hosting is the best deal around at probably about $25 / year including the domain renewal. I use https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net. The host does not automate any installs, you have to do it yourself or have a web developer do it.

More info on this option, just do a search: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=authUserFile+ ... tup&ia=web

Here is a quick comparison:

Password access
.htaccess
Static website no Wordpress or other CMS needed. No CPanel required. Once setup, it continues to work at no cost.

- You create a custom .htaccess file and upload it to a subdirectory in your website.
The file will look something like this:

Code: Select all

 AuthUserFile /fs2a/mywebsitename/protected/.famtreepasswords
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Family Stewart Tree site"
Require valid-user

Then you take a user and assigned password and encrypt it with MD5 has or something more advanced. There are tools online to take a username and password and convert it for you. https://www.htaccessredirect.net/htpasswd-generator

You add this line to the .famtreepasswords file. (The file name can be anything you like.)
jstewart:$apr1$qhwx4cyl$V6drVkyrGjTmbdrPD1KE0.

Upload all new .famtreepasswords file.
Now anyone arriving on any page in this sub-directory gets a pop-up request for login. A member, jstewart, can now enter his user name and his password and get past the pop-up enter your password for "Family Stewart Tree site".

Pros:

• It's free to use and does not change your hosting fees.

• Even if someone knows the full link to your family tree area. They still need to login to get through.

• It's very solid, nothing to break and nothing to hack. It only stops working if you make some mistake.

• You can use one or a few group logins, or individual logins and you can turn anyone off easily.

• Any content within the subdirectory or further down is not accessible to the public or to search engines.

• Browsers can remember the password if the user clicks remember me for this site.

Cons:

• Library computer browsers can remember the password, if the user accidentally clicks remember me on a public computer.

• You have to set everything up. It takes perhaps 30 minutes for a web developer to setup and test with a dozen usernames.

• You as the admin are the only person who can add a user. There is no online automated way to do this.

• Either you or your web support person is support. This is DIY.

====

By comparison, WordPress plugins do offer all sorts of nice, interactive membership versions, where the user can create their own login, the admin can make access invitation only, approve members, or other features. Management varies per the plugins.

The user usually just deals with email that have custom confirmation links to setup their membership. Logout is also more automated so if the user leaves access on a public computer, it will time out.

However, WordPress membership features are probably hackable. WordPress certainly has security issues. A WordPress site cost varies. If you set up WP yourself on a host with a shell account, then running WordPress is either part of the monthly fee you are already paying, or with the host I use, mentioned above, they add $1/ month for running LAMP stack PHP with MySql. Then you can run whatever you like. Wordpress, Joomla, Druple or a custom site with any backend. Unless you host your own server, converting to Wordpress for membership feature is the either DIY or paying a web engineer and then about $15 to $60 per year extra host fees.

Hope this is interesting and not too confusing. I know it's very techy. Ha!

[Arthur45]

Thanks John - Hannigan Research - I will reply direct to your email address.

[Arthur45]

Thank you Alexstorm for taking the time to write out such a helpful and detailed reply. Although it is indeed a bit advanced for my level of knowledge, I was able to follow it, which says much for your clarity. I will print and keep the full detail, but for the moment I will stick to my plan of using a host company which offers the much simpler solution of allowing one or more sub-directories to be accessible only to those to whom I have supplied an individual User Name and Password. This worked perfectly well until my existing Host decided to withdraw the option. I have checked out Krystal since highly recommended on this Forum and they seem perfect - I will be switching when my current contract expires. Thanks again for your interest and helpfulness. Arthur

[ColeValleyGirl]

If you decide you like the look of Krystal use de3e33b5 to get £10 discount at the checkout.

Just reminding you of what Jane said earlier.