Hi everyone, I have a few sites running on my server and manage them with ISPConfig. When moving from my old server, I either overlooked/changed something or a configuration was lost. I have the following problem: In the server config I entered the placeholder [website_domain] as the website auto alias. Now when I browse to myIP/[website_domain] in the browser, I get the default error page from ISPConfig. I also tried [client_id]/[website_id] and it didn't work. On my old server it was working fine. Somewhere I must have missed/forgotten something, do you guys have any hint for me? Thanks for your support and best regards Manuel
Start with this: https://forum.howtoforge.com/threads/please-read-before-posting.58408/ I may not understand, but using IP-number when accessing websites on an ISPConfig server should not work. Websites are name based so need domain name in URL to work. If you have not yet set up name service to point to your new server, use this method for testing: https://www.faqforge.com/windows/how-to-access-a-namebased-website-without-a-dns-record/
Hi Taleman, thank you for your answer! I have multiple domains pointing to my server. Also, the IP address forwards the user/browser to my "main" domain (maybe that's part of the problem). But for one website, there's no domain yet that points to my server. The question is – and I understood that the website auto alias is used for that – how can I access the page via browser? I've read till's post, but the problem is rather that I don't even know if it is a problem (or feature ). And if it is a problem, I don't know if it's caused by ISPConfig at all. Cheers Manuel
I use the method described in the article about namebased access, I provided a link in #2. I have never used website auto alias, I did not even know ISPConfig had such a feature. From what I now read about it in the manual, it seems it should work. But looks like it is possible to have only one website auto alias at a time? So if creating two websites simultaneously, this method would work for only one of them? The way of the article with name based access works for several.
The domain auto alias adds an alias domain to every website. Example: 1) You must add a wildcard DNS record for *.somedomain.tld in DNS pointing to your server IP. somedomain.tld is a domain you own, not one of your customer's domains. 2) Then you set a website auto alias, e.g. "site[website_id].somedomain.tld", now you can access that site (assume the site has site ID 5) with: site5.somedomain.tld Btw. Accessing a name-based site in Apache or Nginx over an IP was never possible and does not makes much sense as it won't work with most modern cms anyway.
Thank you both! I have the wildcard entry for my domain set up already: * A [myIP] I tried the pattern that you used in your example. But site31.myDomain.tld shows the page from myDomain.tld . Sidenote: When I update the website auto alias setting in ISPConfig, I can't use it anymore. After a reload I get "This site can’t be reached". I have to update my ispconfig.conf in sites-available, restart apache and it works again. But that's a different topic for another time .
Just an idea: myDomain is HTTPS and site31 is not (obviously, because there's no certificate). Could it be caused by forwarding to HTTPS?
Sure, but that's not related to auto alias in any way, its always the case that when you access a site that has no https, the first site with https must be shown by the web server.
Ok, another update: I also had to set auto-subdomain to None. It's working now! Thank you for your help!
Your browser might have saved the redirect or you use a cms in that website like WordPress, which redirects on its own too. As mentioned by @Taleman above, the only reliable way to test a website upfront of publishing is using the hosts file on your desktop, any kind of auto alias or access via IP does not work well. That's why I always use hosts file (which works on Windows, Mac and Linux) and not any kind of auto alias or Ip access hack.
I would prefer to use a hosts file as well, but for my client(s) that is not a solution. Anyway, it seems to work now, thanks!
