Topic: no i-bay web access

[matini]

Hi there,

I have a problem accessing my i-bay using public HTTP.

My primairy domain is called "domain.local".
I created a virtual domain called "domain.nl" which has a public DNS entry.
DNS for this virtual domain is resolved using public DNS servers.

ping www.domain.nl gives the public IP address.
ping www.domain.local gives the local server address.

I also created a i-bay called "test".
(group write, read everyone, public access without password).

http://www.domain.nl works fine.
http://www.domain.nl/test gives a "404 Not found" error.  
http://www.domain.local/test however does work.  

I really do not understand what is going on.
Can someone help me out here?

[raem]

matini

> My primairy domain is called "domain.local".
> I created a virtual domain called "domain.nl" which has a public DNS entry

External DNS records for domain.nl should point to the public IP of your main server domain ie the external IP for domain.local
The sme server only supports one public IP


> I also created a i-bay called "test".
> http://www.domain.local/test however does work

The server will resolve any URL of the form
http://www.primarydomain/ibayname


> http://www.domain.nl works fine.
> http://www.domain.nl/test gives a "404 Not found" error.

If your virtual domain is configured to point at an ibay called say nibay, then the only way this will work is if there is a folder called .../nibay/html/test, with a suitable index file in it.
It will not resolve to other ibays, as it is already pointing at an ibay.

[raem]

deleted, accidental double post

[matini]

Hi Ray,

Thanks for your response!
I still have some questions though.

First, if I understand you correctly than I can only choose a primairy domain name for SME that has a public DNS entry?
So, in my situation, I must remove the virtual domain "domain.nl" and alter my primary domein to "domain.nl"?
(Because the public IP of "domain.nl" points to the external IP for "domain.local", but that does not work).

Secondly, the "content" property of virtual domain "domain.nl" points to my primary site, not to a specific ibay. I expected that I could reach any ibay created. As it seems I can reach none (using "domain.nl").
This also indicates for me that using a domain name without a public IP DNS entry as a primary domain name is not a smart idea.
Is this correct?

[raem]

matini

>... remove the virtual domain "domain.nl" and alter my primary domain > to "domain.nl"?

Based on what you say that sounds right.

>...the "content" property of virtual domain "domain.nl" points to my primary site, not to a specific ibay.

The web content for the main domain is by default in /primary/html
You can change that in the Domains panel to point to an ibay instead

You can add additional virtual domains in the Domains panel and point them to different ibays.
External records should point all of those virtual domains at your main server IP. When the sme server receives requests for those domains it forwards them to the appropriate ibay (or wherever you configured).


> This also indicates for me that using a domain name without a public IP > DNS entry as a primary domain name is not a smart idea.

Yes

PS Did you read the manual particularly about Virtual Domains ?

[matini]

Thanks again Ray.

I changed the primary domain to "domain.nl" and that did the trick!

The manual did not help me. I'm not an network expert but I thought with the straightforward SME I did not need to be.

The text below from the manual for example is confusing to me.

Be aware that you can point the virtual domain to either the primary web site or to one of the i-bays. You cannot point a virtual domain to a subdirectory that you simply create inside of the primary web site file area. You need to use an i-bay instead.

This did not suggest to me that you have to choose. Either you point the virtual domain to the primary site, or to an ibay, you can not point it to the primary site AND use ibays on that site. In my opinion an ibay is not the same as a subdirectory of the primary site, though the URL may suggest so. Furthermore, I did not found a restriction in the manual in naming the primary domain to a domain with a public IP address.

Also, I can not test an ibay using the public IP address in the current configuration without temporarely adjusting my clients TCP/IP properties. That is the reason why I initially created a "domain.local" in stead of "domain.nl", but I can live with that.  

[NickCritten]

Hi Matini,

If no-one has said it yet, welcome!

Your best bet is to not use the domain.local at all,
Just configure your domain.nl, create your DNS record to point at your public IP and you are done.

The trend towards setting up a seperate .local domain for your internal network is a windows thing... You don't need to do it here.


With regards to your 'test' ibay If you wanted the contents to appear in domain.local/test AND domain.nl/test then you should put it in primary/test instead of it's own ibay.

As Ray said, the server won't resolve <ibay-pointing-at-primary>/<other-ibay>
but it will resolve <ibay-pointing-at-primary>/<directory-in-primary>

Hope that made sense!