Personal Web Sharing Resolution Problem

I'd been running personal web sharing for about 4 weeks without any problems...until now.
If I send someone a URL to my site using the public IP (i.e. http://xxx.xxx.xx.xxx/~MyAccout). When they click on the URL it tries to resolve http://www.MyComputerName.local/~MyAccount. Where "MyComuterName" is the actual host name of my Mac.
I've made no configuration changes, and I don't understand where "www.MyComputerName.local" is coming form, eventhough I've given the IP address for the URL.
I did reverse DSN lookup on my the IP address. Even if I use the host name associated with my ISP's DNS record, in the URL that I send to friends, it still tries to resolve "http://www.MyComputerName.local/~MyAccount".
Anyone know what's going on? Thanks.
Chuck

Problem fixed.
Set "ServerName" in /etc/httpd/httpd.conf to my public IP. Everying is now working. Why it worked before I still don't understand, but it's working now.

Similar Messages

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    With Personal Web Sharing, Leopard doesn't seem to bring the config files for individual user accounts over from the apache1 directory to the apache2 directory which is why sometimes when you visit http://localhost/~username you get a 403 error message.
    The solution is to Go To Folder, /etc, find the httpd -> users folder and copy all the files in there (should be one for each user account) into apache2 -> users and restart Personal Web Sharing.
    If you're still having problems, one of the issues is with Filevault. If you have Filevault turned on, Personal Web Sharing will still probably give you an error for your user account, but the system wide web server will be fine.

    Tried this but still does not work. Also from another computer I cannot access the user web share or the default one (locally I can access the default) without getting a 403. It just searches and searches. It recognises that there is a system there but not able to read anything. My firewall is off by the was so is Filevault.
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  • Personal Web Sharing doesn't want to start. (Apache problem)

    I have accidently deleted apache folders from my iBook. Then I reinstalled the apache, but when I tried to start my Personal Web Sharing, it just won't start. It says "Web Sharing Starting Up", but it stays that way for ages. Any idea? It worked before (I mean before the accident). I dunno if it's got to do with the mySQL coz I reinstalled another version of mySQL.
    iMac   Mac OS X (10.4.4)  

    I am experiencing the same problem: going through the System Preferences (in OSX 10.4.10), to the Sharing pane, then the Services Tab, and clicking Start Personal Web Sharing only gives me "Starting Web Sharing..." and never actually starts it.
    I have tried the following solutions:
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    • replacing the entire /private/etc/httpd directory with the one from the other Mac, whose Web Server will start up
    • when starting it via Terminal, i get "fopen: no such file or directory" so I created it... no dice.
    Can anybody give me any more suggestions?
    If not, I do have AppleCare on it - think they might help?

  • PERSONAL WEB SHARING - ANYONE HELP!!!

    My goal is to setup personal web sharing for my mac mini. My intent was to check out my web page design from the internet (just because I could), but now it's changed to wanting to prove that I can conquer this (for my own pride).
    Here's my setup: Cable internet (Cox Communications), Airport Express, Mac Mini.
    I have put the web page into the /library/webserver/documents folder. I have forwarded port 80 on my router to my local IP address. I don't have my firewall up at this point.
    The scenario is as follows: I can access my webpage using my public IP address only on my local area network. If I go to work, I cannot access the page. If I go to my friend's house, I cannot access my page.
    I've read countless forums in search of an answer to this dilema. I have talked to Cox about blocking port 80 (which they don't). I have now spent the better part of the day talking to Apple about this problem. They concluded that I was smart enough to set up everything correctly, but were just as stumped as I was in trying to solve the problem.
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    I know it may seem like this issue has been answered, but this forum seems to be the closest place for me to report on my very similar situation and see if there is a solution, if not the same one offered by Charlie, above, perhaps some other insight into the nature of this problem, and its resolution.
    BACKGROUND and OBJECTIVE:
    Like MacDaddy, I am trying to set up a personal web sharer on my iMac G5. I started out yesterday with the goal of setting up an FTP server, because I want others to be able to download very large video files (500 MB to 2 GB). I subscribed to .Mac and I tried this on an iDisk, but I soon learned that the upload times were so "painfully slow," as others have also reported, that I decided to try to let people grab the files directly from my own hard disk. In theory, the Mac is equipped to allow this to occur, right?
    I couldn't get the FTP server setup to work, because access was denied, so I decided to shift my effort to creating a personal web server and create pages to files that could be downloaded.
    SET-UP:
    I use Adelphia Communications as my Internet Service Provider, and I get a dynamic Internet address, which has not changed since I began this process and which, says Adelphia tech support, is not designed to change until and unless I disconnect from their system. I have a small home network, hard-wired and connected through LinkSys BESFR41 router. I created a test home page with a couple of links; the web pages are located in the default ~username/Sites folder.
    I know the difference between the 192.168.x.x addresses generated by the router to identify the computers on the network from the 24.49.xxx.xx IP address provided by Adelphia. I learned how to do the port forwarding for the router so that the iMac, which is identified as 192.168.1.102 on the network, should get the HTTP incoming traffic on port 80.
    Here is a web page containing links to the screen captures that will illustrate what I've selected in regards to:
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    • Firewall Preferences
    • Router status setup
    • Router Port Forwarding setup
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    Also, I understand that the correct format for the URL to be given to my friends goes like this:
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    So, this is how I have used it in my situation:
    http://24.49.xxx.xx/~JohnMichaeliMacG5/
    Also, I've learned that, for one computer on the network to bring up the personal web server pages in its browser, I should use this format:
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    I think I've got everything right, but I'm willing to be corrected in order to get this thing to work properly.
    RESULTS:
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    However, no one else from the outside world can see my pages! That's the problem which MacDaddy reported, and that's the mystery I cannot understand.
    Spurred by the insights of this forum, I contacted Adelphia and I asked them if the HTTP port (80) and the FTP port (21) was blocked. The tech support insisted with absolute certainty that those ports were open and that all ports (up to a very high number) were open. I pushed him hard on it, and he consulted an internal Adelphia document which listed the closed ports, and the ones I am interested in were not closed.
    He referred me to Apple, which wanted me to either to upgrade my service warranty contract, or pay $49 to ask a question that they would not guarantee they could answer. I passed on that option, and decided to post my question here, where there may be some resolution on a problem that may be preventing many of us from realizing the full potential of our machines.
    SOLUTIONS:
    I have not tried to implement the solution that Charlie offered to MacDaddy, which apparently made him a happy camper , because I have no reason to doubt the Adelphia tech support person who resolutely assured me that port 80 is not blocked. If no one can offer any alternative insight into this problem, then perhaps I will have to try Charlie's suggestion out.
    But I just thought I'd post my situation, in case someone else can explain what the heck is going on here and suggest an easier fix. It is unfortunate that something which should have taken a few clicks of the mouse to set up has turned out to be a complicated technical adventure over a twisting, winded path lasting over two days, but that's what's happened. Can anybody straighten this path out? Thanks.
    jmb
    PowerMac G4 Mirrored Doors. iMac G5.   Mac OS X (10.4.6)   2 GB RAM. 2 hard drives. SuperDrive; ComboDrive. LaCie FW DVD. LaCie FW 250GB.

  • Personal Web sharing not installed HOW - do I install?

    Hi - I have had an extremely frustrating 4 hours or so between trying to google a solution to the problem and examining the contents of the installation disk with pacifist - I am still none the wiser.
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  • MacoBook Pro connecting wirelessly via Personal Web Sharing from iMac G5

    Subject line says it all... more specifically my problem is that some things seem "blocked" on the MBP when i'm connecting wirelessly via my iMac network, but then are 100% functional when I use other wireless networks.
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    iMac G5 2GHz • 15" MacBook Pro 2GHz   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

    Personal Web Sharing can be a bit tricky and yes, it's because of the firewall on the Mac that's sharing its connection.
    The actual firewall software in the Mac is completely configurable, but the friendly user interface doesn't support the more sophisticated configurations. Fancier setups would require the use of commandline scripts run from Terminal.
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  • Personal Web Sharing or equivalent?

    I'm working on a server running Mac OS X Server version 10.4.5. I'm trying to set up personal web sharing, or whatever server equivalent there is, but I'm running into a major problem. Everything I've read tells me that I should be able to go to System Preferences->Sharing and there should be a checkbox to turn on personal web sharing. However the only options there are:
    Remote Login
    Apple Remote Desktop
    Remote Apple Events
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    The sharing thing in system preferences works on regular OS X, but not in server.
    Whatever you want to share, you have to put in the sites folder of your home directory. There's a fairly detailed explanation of it on pages 53-54 in the web technologies admin pdf (I downloaded it from the apple site somewhere, but I can't remember exactly where - probably in manuals or downloads. I'd be happy to email it to you if you like). Good luck.

  • Pixelpost and Personal Web Sharing in Tiger

    Dear Friends:
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    if I type this:
    http://my.computer.address/~username/
    It brings me to the generic OS X page in place. But when I type:
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    it opens to the pixelpost directory which I placed in the Sites folder. What I'd like to do is figure out what address will call up this blog so that others can access it.
    The blog comes up fine under this URL:
    http://localhost:8888/pixelpost/
    But that's not a proper address for external viewing. So, what address should I provide others? I've tried various configurations with the address provided in the Sharing tab of System Preferences, but no luck so far.
    Thanks!
    N

    I changed the Document Root in MAMP so that now it looks to the Personal Web Sharing folder in the Mac (the Sites folder in the /usr/ space
    I think you mean /Users/ space. /usr is something completely different.
    http://my.computer.address/ (just brings me to the regular Apache Server notice that it is running)
    Then it means you didn't change the DocumentRoot like you think you did. If you did, and assuming you restarted Apache after changing the DocumentRoot, then this URL would point to whatever directory you specified (/Users/whoever/Sites) and not /Library/WebServer/Documents.
    But [http://localhost:8888/pixelpost> is not a proper address for external viewing.
    but it can be. If all you're using this for is PixelPost then just setup the port forwarding on your router to forward to port 8888 rather than port 80 and you're done.
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    You can also fix it via a simple Alias in the standard Apache configuration - just alias /pixelpost to /Users/whoever/sites/pixelpost - that way users who hit /pixelpost on your server will get the User-specific directory, while all other URLs continue to be served via /Library/WebServer/Documents. This might improve security and avoid the possibility of leaking other content from your home directory that you don't want to make available.

  • Unable to start up Personal Web Sharing (OS X 10.3.9)

    I have been trying to start up Personal Web Sharing since yesterday. It keeps saying "Web Sharing starting up...", but nothing ever happens.
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    Processing config file: /private/etc/httpd/users/+entropy-php.conf
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    powerbook g3 firewire   Mac OS X (10.3.9)   XLR8 G4 upgraded

    Thank you~ FifthWheel & Karl~!
    Even if you're on an open network, or on no network at all,
    Apache should start if it is properly configured (even with
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    Thank you for the answer! This has been very confusing to me!
    I still haven't been able to find out whether PHP 5.1.4 is compatible with Panther's Apache or not (couldn't even find which version of Apache Panther has...) But a guy from another Mac forum (www.oikos.com.tw) seems to be very certain that Entropy's PHP 5.x package is not compatible with Panther. I guess I will just take what he said. I've already sent my complaint to Sams Publishing.
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  • Personal web sharing will not start

    my personal web sharing will not start up.
    i tried to start it up at work on my laptop and i got a message that said anther computer on the network was using the same name. since then the personal web sharing can be clicked on but, never starts up.
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    my personal web sharing will not start up.
    i tried to start it up at work on my laptop and i got
    a message that said anther computer on the network
    was using the same name. since then the personal web
    sharing can be clicked on but, never starts up.
    anyone have any ideas how i can fix this? i am trying
    to learn PHP and i need to have it working so i can
    sync up with apache.
    The solution to your problem is most likely contained within your question.
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  • Personal Web Sharing - Don't have permission to access...

    Hi,
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    I have changed permissions on all files in the (user)/Sites folder (the one I'm sharing) so that "Others" can "Read Only" but still I cannot access these pages from another computer via the internet. I can access them fine from my home computer.
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    braintrino,
    I'm not sure how to make sense of your statements.
    The situation with FileVault is conceptually simple. The contents of a FileVault user's home directory are on an encrypted disk image. When the user logs in from the login window, that image is mounted (using their home directory path as the mount point); when they log out, the image is unmounted. Note that logging in via ssh doesn't cause the system to mount their home directory...
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  • Personal Web Sharing Works on One Mac, Not on Other

    I can't get Personal Web Sharing to work with my MacBook Pro. It does work with my iMac. Yes, I can turn it on just fine on the MacBook, by means of System Preferences->Sharing, but I can't successfully use the Personal Web http:// link I see there as a URL in my iMac's browser. When I try, it tells me it can't connect to the host, i.e., the MacBook. When I do the same in reverse, from my MacBook browser with my iMac as target (though the local IP address and the short-user-name are of course different), the connection works fine. 
    I don't think I'm using an incorrect local IP address to try to get to my MacBook. I've checked that. And I do have an index.html file in the appropriate Sites folder on each machine. 
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    I wonder if it's a Bonjour problem? I don't exactly know if Bonjour is running on the MacBook, or how to tell if it is, or how to activate it if it isn't running.
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    Doug,
    'sudo apachectl start' asked for my password and seemed to have no complaints after getting it. But it didn't tell me anything, and it didn't make a difference.
    After checking out some FAQs at
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    Unable to open logs
    It made no difference whether Personal Web Sharing was on or off in System Preferences when I did that.
    I do know that the Apache log file is apparently not there where apachectl expects it. I don't understand the other stuff it said, but it looks like maybe it was trying to use an IP address of 0.0.0.0 instead of 10.0.1.16.
    10.0.1.16 is the local IP address of my MacBook.
    I tried 'apachectl configtest' and got 'Syntax OK'.
    I tried moving index.html to /Library/WebServer/Documents -- no help.
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    No matter what I try, I get:
    Unable to connect
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  • Accessing separate drive with Personal Web Sharing

    Is it possible to simply use Personal Web Sharing to access an external Firewire hard drive?
    I have zero experience with Apache or most server operations. I can set up pretty basic sites with Dreamweaver and/or simple HTML. So if it is possible but difficult, I may need step by step instructions.
    I would really like to access this drive because it is easier to keep the large video files on it, but I would like to transfer them to my PS3 on a semi-regular basis. My PS3 has no problem accessing my sites folder (other than not showing the directory so I have to code an index file for it).
    Any way I can redirect my PS3 to my external drive using the Web sharing feature? Or is it exclusive to my users drive?
    Sorry to ask a simple question, but I can't seem to find the answer anywhere.
    Help is greatly appreciated to either of my problems. Accessing an external drive or figuring out why I get 403 Forbidden messages unless I code an index file.

    Is this drive connected to your computer? Are you trying to access the computer remotely? If so then you need to turn on file sharing and remote access.

  • Personal Web Sharing

    So I fire up ol' Personal Web Sharing, and it works fine for localhost. When I try to access it from the ip & name string I get a 403 forbidden error. I've done the "Get Info" and verified my permissions are correct. Still happens. According to Apple Tech Support, "...we can't help you fix it. There's nothing in our database about that."
    I've also used the disk utility to rebuild permissions, and restarted the server via the terminal interface - both to no avail.
    Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
    BTW...I'm new to Mac, so if suggesting I investigated files such as .ini. or .conf, please include their paths. I can't seem to find the native install - apache folder.
    Thanks in advance for the help.
    SAM

    This posting on another thread has some good suggestions that might tell us more about what's going on. The first suggestion is to check the Console for error messages, which might show what's happening when you try to bring up your website either locally or from another computer. The other thing is to check apache's configuration using a Terminal command. Read this posting for more details:
    http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=1956252#1956252
    If the problem comes down to an Apache configuration issue, I found this free app that might make configuring Apache easier than using a text editor. It's called WebControl 1.0.7 and you can download it from here:
    http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/17003

  • Personal Web Sharing Questions

    I have started Personal Web Sharing in the Sharing System Preferences. I have used a PC off site and entered the address shown in the Preference window. I get an error window and cannot access the index.html file in the Sites folder.
    My computer is on the internet via a cable modem to Airport Express and access to Airport requires a password (Wep key).
    Does that have anything to do with the problem?
    What are the variables I might be overlooking?
    thanx

    I have quoted from an article by PChuck, I think he wrote it in very understandable terms.
    In general, only open ports when necessary. When an application, running on a client computer on your LAN, wants to communicate with a server outside the LAN, it sends a packet out. The NAT router does, in sequence:
    1. Open a port which points back to the client computer that sent the packet.
    2. Sends the packet to the distant computer, giving its IP address, and the port that was just opened.
    3. Waits for a return packet from the distant computer.
    4. Forwards the return packet from the distant computer to the client computer that started the whole thing.
    NAT is stateful. This is a reason why a NAT router is said to provide protection like a firewall, but it is not. The port that is opened, from the outgoing packet, only responds to the address of the distant server. Thus when a port is opened, only replies from the distant server will be returned to the client computer on the LAN. Packets from any other computer, to that port, simply get dropped by the NAT router.
    NAT, in its purest form, only supports client computers. Unless a client computer opens a port with an outgoing packet, no incoming traffic gets passed, by a NAT router, to any LAN computer.
    So how do you use a server (a computer that waits for unsolicited incoming packets) behind a NAT router? Before UPnP, you would use either port forwarding, or port triggering.
    • With Port Forwarding, you define fixed ports, to be forwarded to a fixed IP address. Those ports are opened when they are defined, and stay opened forever. The ports must be defined, and opened, before they are needed.
    • With Port Triggering, you define fixed ports, to be forwarded, when specific other ports are opened, by any application on any computer. Those ports are opened when triggered, and stay open forever. The ports must be defined before the triggered port is needed.
    • With UPnP, the UPnP capable application tells the router, precisely when needed, what ports are to be opened, and fowarded to what (potentially dynamic) IP address. And properly written UPnP applications will also tell the router when to close those ports.
    Many well meaning security experts see UPnP as a security risk. If you have uncontrolled applications running on your computer, they can control your router, have it open ports at will, and create security risks.
    If your computer has uncontrolled applications running on it, you've already lost that battle. You need to learn about how to get rid of any existing untrustable software, and then you need to learn about keeping any future untrustable software off your computer.
    UPnP is just as reliable, and as safe, as any applications running on your computer. If you control your computers properly, and ONLY trusted applications run on them, UPnP is perfectly safe. If you don't control your computers properly, applications hijacking UPnP to open holes in your router will be the least of your worries.
    UPnP is actually more secure when your computers can be trusted. UPnP, as I state above, will dynamically instruct the router to close specific ports when they are not needed. Port forwarding, and port triggering, leave ports open forever.
    The other advantage of UPnP is that it allows you to have servers on your LAN, using dynamic IP addressing. Port forwarding requires a server to have a fixed IP address. Port triggering, depending upon the NAT router, may or may not require a server to have a fixed IP address.
    • With port forwarding, or port triggering, you can have only a single computer on the LAN running a given server application. A pre defined port can be forwarded to only one server.
    • With UPnP forwarding, multiple computers can run the same UPnP compliant application, such as an IM program. The server application can negotiate with the router, as necessary, and have the port forwarded.
    Bottom line? A properly written UPnP capable application is more functional, and no less secure, than an equivalent non-UPnP capable application. On a LAN with a properly designed layered security strategy, it will not create a security risk.
    MacBook Pro 2.33 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo   Mac OS X (10.4.9)   3 GB 667 Mhz 8R2205

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