[Solved] Protocols Or Ways To Add Https To A Url

[leegold1]

Hi,

 

So I noticed at my local library there's some kind of firewall action. If I go to http://lgpchelp.heliohost.org it will block the site by what seems to be a local firewall. But if I do https://lgpchelp.heliohost.org it goes to the site OK. it's adding the HTTPS that makes the difference. I assumed this is a configuration issue with the library.

 

But on the other hand, other sites I've tried that use/enforce only HTTPS will work at the library, so even if you used eff.org it will go to the site OK and it will auto-magically convert to HTTPS prefix. So is there a configuration that heliohost can do to work like that?

 

So when my site shows in a google search at the library it gets blocked because maybe I registered w/google the lgpchelp.heliohost.org. I suppose I can nix that and register it with https. But with other sites like I said it does not make a difference.

 

I don't know enough about Apache and server protocols so I don't know what the fix is. I see 301 redirects and I see something called HSTS that might be applicable server side. Kind of lost here.

 

Lee G.

 

[wolstech]

Krydos might have some insight on this since I'm not sure our normal recommendation to use .htaccess would work in your scenario. I do know we can't do this through Apache configs because cPanel manages the configuration and doesn't support it.

 

[Krydos]

If you use something like this in your .htaccess

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

then google, and all the other search engines will eventually change all their links to https. I'm not sure how your library only allows https though. If they blocked port 80 entirely then typing something like heliohost.org would get blocked even though it would immediately forward to port 443. I've seen some bizarre browsers that behaved the way you're describing though. Basically any url you type in even if you specify http:// would automatically tack https:// onto everything. So if the site didn't provide https it would just say that site couldn't be found. Perhaps that is what your library is doing. Another thing that could be possible is maybe your library is willing to communicate on port 80 ONLY to find redirects to https. If the first response on port 80 isn't a 301 redirect to port 443 then it blocks the connection. Very weird either way.

[leegold1]

.htaccess file, I checked "show hidden files" but I don't see this file either in cPanel or when I sftp into the site. Where is it? Or do I just create it? Sorry I never used it...can't find it.

[wolstech]

If it doesn't exist, just create it. It needs to be named exactly .htaccess with the leading period, in all lower case.

 

Please be aware that it's difficult to create such a file on Windows, so if you're using a Windows PC and plan to upload via FTP, you may need to name it something else and rename the file once you've uploaded it. Alternately, just use the file manager in cPanel to create it (you will need the hidden files option turned on).