Okay So I have purchased Sitelok through the Rapidweave community site. Is this just the Sitelok Stack or is it the entire Sitelok package? This is what I took that as, but if I access the developers website it says that I need to download Sitelok first. I thought that I was purchasing the entire Sitelok package. This is all that I got:
So do I now need to download Sitelok from the developer now in order to get some security on my site? I thought that this was supposed to be easy and it does not appear that way.
So I cannot add Sitelok to my existing website it seems. The only way to even get Sitelok to pop up anywhere is starting all over with a Sitelok website and even then it will not work with the older version of Stacks (ver 3) and it wants be to payout another $39 for Stacks 4.
I use Netsolutions for my host and have acquired SSL certificates (Sitelock) but they tell me after charging me for it that it is supposed to be automatically added on the servers but every time the site is accessed it says it is not secure (www.great100nursesnefljax.org). It is a non-profit site and I need to be able to show it more secure in order to have people donate and apply for scholarships. This SSL thing has me aggravated to no end and I just re-subscribed with Netsolutions for another year. A previous person was running the site and passed away so I thought I would take over and update the site with RW 8. Security so far has been my big problem and I cannot keep spending their money and not coming through with a solution.
Sitelok is (among other things) a way to create a membership website (or private area of a website). It’s made by Vibralogix and is well-reviewed
Sitelock is a service offered by many hosts meant to offer security and website protection. I have not heard lots of good reviews about it.
The set of Sitelok stacks that you purchased is a set of stacks made by Joe Workman that is meant to offer a user-friendly way of implementing Sitelok (by Vibralogix) into your website.
So, yes, you’d need to purchase the Sitelok software (https://www.vibralogix.com/sitelokpw/). The stacks will just help you implement it more easily.
Then reason you’re getting the not secure warning is your not forcing the visitors to use https by doing redirects.
It sounds like you didn’t need the sitelok stacks, that’s for the membership product called sitelok.
To redirect all traffic to use the secure connection you probably need to add an htaccess file. RW8 allows you to create this in the publishing settings.
Just add this
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
So I attempted (I know you’re going say “Rookie”) to change it back to the original settings; that did not work; I then attempted to add the original domain in place of the “HOST”, of course that did not work either. Now when you attempt to access the site there are now to many redirects. Hence the “RewriteEngine On” command. That much I figured out.
Without seeing what’s in the htaccess file it’s difficult to say what’s going on.
The code above should work perfectly “as is”, it’s working fine on numerous sites on multiple hosting companies. You shouldn’t have changed anything, it’s setup to be just copied and pasted (as plain text) without changing a thing.
The parameters, thing’s like %{HTTP_HOST} are variables being past from the Web Server (Apache) to a regular expression (special formula) to create the redirect needed.
Try deleting everything from the htaccess file, copy the text above and paste as plain text (from the edit menu in RapidWeaver or opt+cmd+v).
I personally haven’t used the built in htaccess file editor other than to try it out. I use a regular text editor (not text edit or a word processor) and publish the file separately.
But if you do have issues then I’d delete the htaccess file manually on the server and start over. The file manager from the hosting company or an ftp app like transmit or FileZilla would do that. Keep in mind that the htaccess file name actually starts with a dot(period) .htaccess So its hidden.
If you’re on Network Solutions, you might need to use this solution instead of the one Doug recommended (I have Doug’s method deployed on dozens of sites with three different providers…so, it was/is solid advice).
Wow,
So if I understand this correctly not only does Network Solutions charge their customers for an SSL Certificate that’s available from most hosting companies for free but they don’t even give you your own certificate.
Network Solutions® uses a proxy SSL
I haven’t used Network Solutions since you had to use them for domain name registrations. For those of you who haven’t been around the Internet since the 90’s, NS used to have a complete monopoly on domain name registrations. You had no choice, you had to use them and pay ridiculous fee’s.
I remember in the late 90’s paying $100 for a two year domain name registration. Luckily for anti-trust law suits and the formation of ICANN broke up that monopoly.
I can see that their “money before the customer” corporate mission still stands now. Glad I always avoided using them even decades later.
Likewise. I registered my first domains with them back in 1996 (when they were literally the only game in town) - and moved them elsewhere a few years later. It was an incredible hassle to move them - and the experience left a very, very bad taste in my mouth. IMO, Network Solutions should be avoided at all costs (do yourself a favor and move to DreamHost, instead).
Same with me Joe, I lost ThatTakesTheCake.com - but, thankfully I did not lose any others, including TTTC.com which is what I began using on the site because it was so much easier to type four letters instead of 16.
I second everything that the other posters have stated above.
If you’re looking for SSL on your site, check with your host and make sure that they support https://letsencrypt.org/ Let’s encrypt is a free SSL certificate for all to use. If your host supports automatically renewing SSL through Lets Encrypt, then you’re good to go. If they do not support them you can still utilize let’s encrypt, but you need to renew it every three months manually.
If you want to set up a subscription or membership based area of your site you need Sitelok by vibralogix which is $40 per domain. The stacks you purchased from Joe a workman can be utilized to manage your sitelock much easier on your own. I actually purchased Joe Workman’s Sitelok stacks as they are currently on sale, anticipating the need in the near future.
Just wanna say the code teeters gave is standard, rubbing that in, works for me, I use GoDaddy for hosting, and am on one of their linux machines, so all goes well… it is important that you use either the RW editor for the .htaccess file to get the dot in front of it, or upload it to your server from a text editor without the dot, so you can work with it without it disappearing on you, as the dot makes it invisible… then put the dot on it once it’s on your server, by renaming it… that’s what I do… Mike (duffymp), you are almost there… you will have a secure site soon, once you figure out how to make it so with Network Solutions weird SSL certificate setup… Sitelock is for membership… for signing in, having accounts on your website… if you need accounts then you need site lock and joes stacks to make implementing it easier…
