This is long, but I need help

[paradiseinvegas]

Ok first I am new here so dont hold that against me.

Second up until a few months ago I was lucky to send an email so I am sure I do things wrong so please do not talk over my head.

I taught myself to build a web site using blue voda software which was hard when you know nothing about computers. I am happy with my site but I know I have done things wrong and cant figure it out.

If I use a ftp to download files into my cpanel and store everything neatly in a folder I get nothing as far as being published. I have had to download everything on every page manually one at a time for it to show up online. Yes it is a huge pain but when you dont know what you are really doing and cant pay anyone to help you it happens.

I have no complaint with that as it works which is all that is required for now.

What I need help with is I need to password protect some pages on my site so only members can view them. I have watched the video over and over on how to do this and It doesnt work that way for me. BTW Having someone talking you through it instead of no sound would be helpful I am sure.

All my files and pages are stored in the Webroot public section. I have created a new folder and like any folder it does not show up online. I created a sub domain and it wont show up either..

I know very well I am doing something wrong that many people will think I am stupid for not knowing, but I cant figure it out and need too. Once you figure something out it seems so easy but I an stuck. I am currently using bravenet to password protect those pages but I would rather do it myself from my own site.

Can someone please help me????

[Infopro]

Your host can assist you with setting up a password protected directory. They are the people you should be asking.

Not sure if this is helpful to you or not:

All files you want to be available to the world go inside the /public_html/ directory.

If you created a subdomain, it should be located here: /public_html/subdomainname/

When you first login to your account with your FTP client, you are in the root of your account. You find the public_html directory there with other directories, but you are outside of the public_html directory. This area is not accessible from the web/your browser.

If you create a directory inside the public_html/ directory called vegas, the path to that in your browser of course is yourdomain.com/vegas/
Uploading a simple file in there called index.html and then opening it in your browser to yourdomain.com/vegas/index.html you'll see your page.

If you wanted to pass protect it, You'd click the Password Protect Directories icon in your cPanel, once there you'd "select the folder you wish to protect by clicking on its name" as it states. But on the next page, you have no user for this so you must set that up first.

At bottom of that page find the create user section.

Type in username you want to use, can be anything, but don't use your cPanel username.
Click Generate password (or type in your own), click use password write down the password then click save.

Now you have a user, go back to the folder mentioned above, click its name, and then tick the Password protect this directory box.

Type in a message or whatever you like in the space provided below and click save.

Now, yourdomain.com will work for all traffic, yourdomain.com/vegas/ is pass protected. To disable it, simply go back and untick the box and save.

Never place anything inside the public_html you do not want to be seen by the world. That is, unless you plan on password protecting it.

When you first login to your account via your FTP client, you are in the root of your account which is outside the public_html. If you wanted to store files on your account but not accessible from the web, create a directory in there to store files, for example /vegasfiles/.
That would be located at: /yourusername/vegasfiles/

No need to password protect, this area is not available from your browser.

HTH, good luck with your new site.

(if your host is not able to assist you with this sort of thing, find another. You'll find many suggestions for that here http://www.webhostingtalk.com )

[paradiseinvegas]

Thanks, but still doesnt work for me that way. If I do that my web pages are not on the net.

My web host cant help me or wont and directed me here. It is easy to say get another but its not that easy. I am using them because they offer true anonymous hosting which I wanted because it is an adult site.

Thanks for the information. Though I am confused how this would be the wrong place since it is who makes the product I am having problems with.

When I load files I click on file manager. A box pops up that says file manager directory selection. I check the web root option and click go. It takes me to where all my files are stored on its own. When I load a page or file or pictures or whatever I click upload at the top of the page. That takes me to where I can load files. When I do it this way my pages are published online. Now I have created files before in this section and used a FPD to fill the folder. If anything is in a file folder where all my other stuff is it will NOT show up online. The folder is stored where all my other files are and can have a million things in it but it will not show up online.

Like I said I know I am doing something wrong but it seems until I can pay someone to do it for me it will be that way.

[paradiseinvegas]

Ok first I am new here so dont hold that against me.

Second up until a few months ago I was lucky to send an email so I am sure I do things wrong so please do not talk over my head.

I taught myself to build a web site using blue voda software which was hard when you know nothing about computers. I am happy with my site but I know I have done things wrong and cant figure it out.

If I use a ftp to download files into my cpanel and store everything neatly in a folder I get nothing as far as being published. I have had to download everything on every page manually one at a time for it to show up online. Yes it is a huge pain but when you dont know what you are really doing and cant pay anyone to help you it happens.

I have no complaint with that as it works which is all that is required for now.

What I need help with is I need to password protect some pages on my site so only members can view them. I have watched the video over and over on how to do this and It doesnt work that way for me. BTW Having someone talking you through it instead of no sound would be helpful I am sure.

All my files and pages are stored in the Webroot public section. I have created a new folder and like any folder it does not show up online. I created a sub domain and it wont show up either..

I know very well I am doing something wrong that many people will think I am stupid for not knowing, but I cant figure it out and need too. Once you figure something out it seems so easy but I an stuck. I am currently using bravenet to password protect those pages but I would rather do it myself from my own site.

Can someone please help me????

Thank Thank Thank you....I read your post again and went and played. I did figure out how to password protect the page I needed to protect. Now with a little more thought I think I can clean up my control panel files now. You helped make the lite come on and I do thank you.

[Infopro]

That's great, glad I could help.

Thanks, but still doesnt work for me that way. If I do that my web pages are not on the net.

My web host cant help me or wont and directed me here. It is easy to say get another but its not that easy. I am using them because they offer true anonymous hosting which I wanted because it is an adult site.

IIRC, he's not supposed to send you here by his agreement with cPanel. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong there.

Thanks for the information. Though I am confused how this would be the wrong place since it is who makes the product I am having problems with.

You pay your host, he comes here if there's an issue with the product. As you now know it just needed some explaination to help get a new user going. This is his job. If his install of cPanel that you're on has issues, he can come here or put in a ticket to cPanel support.

This forum isn't for website issues or management of them.

When I load files I click on file manager. A box pops up that says file manager directory selection. I check the web root option and click go. It takes me to where all my files are stored on its own. When I load a page or file or pictures or whatever I click upload at the top of the page. That takes me to where I can load files. When I do it this way my pages are published online. Now I have created files before in this section and used a FPD to fill the folder. If anything is in a file folder where all my other stuff is it will NOT show up online. The folder is stored where all my other files are and can have a million things in it but it will not show up online.

Like I said I know I am doing something wrong but it seems until I can pay someone to do it for me it will be that way.

Anyway, best of luck.

[paradiseinvegas]

Ok you helped before so maybe you can again. Is there a way now that I have pasword protected my pages to hide the URL using cpanel? I dont want a person to simply be able to bookmark the page or write down the URL and then be able to skip the sign in process.

Thanks in advance.

[Infopro]

Not sure I understand you. You have (example) yourdomain.com/vegas/index.html password protected. A user can sign up and you set them a password to get into yourdomain.com/vegas/

Once they get in, they bookmark the page so they can come back.

When they close the browser the connection is lost. So, the next time they click the bookmark they saved, they will have to sign in again on the htaccess popup.

The URL IS "hidden" behind the password protection in this case. Searchbots can't get to it, removed users cannot get to it.