Password Protect a Website

How can I password protect my entire website?

Applies to: Cloud Servers, Web Hosting

  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Time needed: 10 minutes
  • Required: cPanel, Your Ecenica Web Hosting details

Password Protect public_html

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Click Directory Privacy
    Directory Privacy button in cPanel
  3. Click public_html
    Directory Privacy password protect public html
  4. Select Password protect this directory
    Select Password protect this directory
  5. Enter a name, for example, website in the Enter a name for the protected directory field
    name for password protected directory
  6. Click Save
  7. Click Go back

Create a user

  1. Enter a username in the Username field under Create User
  2. Enter a password in the New Password field
  3. Click Save
    username and password for protected directory

Advanced Tips

Set a 401 Error Document

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Click File Manager
  3. Open public_html, select .htaccess and click edit
  4. Find the AuthType Basic code: 
         AuthType Basic
     AuthName "Dev Site"
     AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
     require valid-user

  5. Add ErrorDocument 401 “Unauthorized” as below:

        AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Dev Site"
    AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
    require valid-user
    ErrorDocument 401 "Unauthorized"

Allow server access to your protected website

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Click File Manager
  3. Open public_html, select .htaccess and click edit

  4. Find the AuthType Basic code:

        AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Dev Site"
    AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
    require valid-user
    ErrorDocument 401 "Unauthorized"

  5. Add RequireAny Require ip options as below:

        AuthType Basic
    AuthName "Dev Site"
    AuthUserFile "/home/user/.htpasswds/public_html/passwd"
    <RequireAny>
        Require ip 127.0.0.1
        Require valid-user
    </RequireAny>
    ErrorDocument 401 "Unauthorized"