How to specify root (/) location in web.config?

Question

How does one specify root location in web.config to allow unauthenticated users access it?

The root location is served by default.aspx, but users normally don't see default.aspx, they just see http://mysite.com/.

So I've added

  <location path="~/default.aspx">
    <system.web>
      <authorization>
        <allow users="*"/>
      </authorization>
    </system.web>
  </location>

Which works if user hits mysite.com/default.aspx, but if user hits mysite.com/ - he is still redirected to login page.

I've tried <location path="~"> (does not help) and also <location path="~/">, <location path=""> (site fails completely) and could not make it work.

Any ideas?

Conductive

can they access at least access the url: http://mysite.com/default.aspx ? – Herriot

why you are not using IIRF to redirect the user from default.aspx by writing a rewrite and redirect rule.? – Fossilize

Can you post all of the authentication related web.config code? I am assuming there is more where you are denying users, where you define the location of the login. I'd like to see it all, and in the order that you have it specified in your web.config – Prittleprattle

Try <location path="default.aspx"> in your web config – Fuzzy

Look for lulhuh answer below - it helped me in exact the same situation (mark as answer if it helped you too). – Duodenal

Answer by lulhuh should be the accepted answer https://mcmap.net/q/328594/-how-to-specify-root-location-in-web-config – Jacquesjacquet

Answer 1

Try this one:

<system.web>
    <urlMappings enabled="true">
        <add url="~/" mappedUrl="~/default.aspx" />
    </urlMappings>
    <authorization>
        <allow roles="admin"/>
        <deny users="*" />
    </authorization>
</system.web>
<location path="Default.aspx">
    <system.web>
        <authorization>
            <allow users="*" />
        </authorization>
    </system.web>
</location>

Ronda

path can be a folder ? ~/subfolder ? – Arbor

I haven't bothered to actually log in to SO in years, but I reset my pw just so I could upvote this answer. I do not want to confess how much time I've burned trying to solve this problem, but urlMappings did the trick. The only distinction between my scenario and the OP's is that I am using routes, and sticking ~/MyRoute in the mappedUrl worked just fine. (I have also found that I require location authorizations for both the route and the target file.) – Doe

Answer 2

only use

<location path=".">
<system.web>
  <authorization>
    <allow users="*"/>
  </authorization>
</system.web>

or don't write path,because the default path is root(.)

Sucre

You can't write with only dot ".", you get an error! :D – Topper

are you sure? this msdn resource say that default path is dot! msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/… – Sucre

I can confirm dot (and no path at all) is valid for pointing at root, but if anything you put under this location is specified elsewhere (outside the location) in the web config, it will throw an error for duplicate config sections. One would have to remove the "global" definition to make this work. – Dimorphism

Oh, also important: Root in this case actually means "Root and everything below it" so this solution effectively means you have granted anonymous access to the whole site. – Dimorphism

Answer 3

You can achieve by 2 method

Method 1:

You can set redirect path to http://mysite.com/default.aspx in IIS if any user directly comes to your site.in IIS7 you can do that by clicking on Default Document. Here i attached image for your reference

Method 2

You can go through this URL ASp.NET Membership to set your web config settings.

Let me know if you need more detail on this.

Arthro

Answer 4

The way we done it in the past was to create a folder for all functionality that requires login and set require auth for that folder. All aspx go to that folder. The root of the site stays open.

Jab

Well, our situation is the opposite, we only have a handful of pages that don't require authentication. It doesn't really makes sense to use your approach now. – Pearsall

Answer 5

You probably use a forms authentification no?

<authentication mode="Forms">
   <forms loginUrl="~/Default.aspx" />
</authentication>

This will solve your problem. An alternative is:

  <location path="~/Default.aspx">
    <system.web>
      <authorization>
        <allow users="*"/>
      </authorization>
    </system.web>
  </location>

Ferrara

Authorization doesn't happen on the main page, I have a separate form for user login, so the first advice doesn't work in my case. I have the location directive similar to what you posted, but it doesn't help. example.com/MainPage.aspx works while just example.com doesn't. – Pearsall

Answer 6

If you only want to let unauthenticated users to access default.aspx you can use

  <location path="Default.aspx">
    <system.web>
      <authorization>
        <allow users="*"/>
      </authorization>
    </system.web>
  </location>

before <system.web> and set that page as default in your web server.
In Visual Studio you can select the page and "Set As Start Page".

If you want to allow access to all the files in the root you have to create folders where you put your pages which need to be accessed by authenticated users.

You can create a Secure folder where you can put all your protected pages and change your web.config this way:

  <location path="Secure">
    <system.web>
      <authorization>
        <deny users="?"/>
      </authorization>
    </system.web>
  </location>

removing

    <authorization>
        <deny users="?"/>
    </authorization>

Deliladelilah

this is exact the configuration I've posted in the question, and as I indicated - it is not working. the request for root directory (mysite.com/) is treated different than request to mysite.com/default.aspx - the rule for default.aspx does not apply – Conductive

Answer 7

To specify root directory you have to set it outside the location block.

<configuration> 
  <system.web>
    <authorization>
      <allow users=“*“/>
    </authorization>
  </system.web>
</configuration>

and then secure your other folder using location block

<location path=“AccessDenied.aspx“>
    <system.web>
        <authorization>
            <deny users=“?“/>
        </authorization>
    </system.web>
</location>

Outbalance

Answer 8

Use this :

<location path="Default.aspx">
  <system.web>
    <authorization>
      <allow users="*"/>
    </authorization>
  </system.web>
</location>
<location path="~">
  <system.web>
    <authorization>
      <allow users="*"/>
    </authorization>
  </system.web>
</location>

It works for me.

Ineslta

Answer 9

Merk was right!

I used

<location path="">
            <system.webServer>
                <httpRedirect enabled="true" destination="http://www.newpathdestination.com" exactDestination="true" httpResponseStatus="Permanent" />
            </system.webServer>
        </location>

on Windows netserver (don't ask), making sure to put nothing in between the quotes for location path. Redirects a request for the old home page to the new home page.

Lynden

Answer 10

If you want to specify the root of the directory, use <location path="" >

Genetic