Created Prestashop Store Only Accessible From The Localhost

[jrahman]

This might not be a relevant issue to Prestashop, but I have a strange problem with viewing the store other than the web server host computer. My guess is, it might be an issue with Apache server. However, for testing purpose, I installed "Joomla" and created a sample web page which is accessible everywhere within my home network.

 

Here what I did:

1. In the process of creating a prototype of my e-store, I installed Prestashop 1.4.6.2 and added all relevant content using FREE Prestashop theme.

2. The web server (apache, mySQL) is hosted on my desktop (OS: SoapUI 11.3).

3. I can browse my prototype store and as well as admin back office from the same desktop (http://localhost/mystore).

 

Problem:

1. When I browse the store from other computers within my home network, I can't get access to the store, but I could get access to the admin back office.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Kranzler]

Hi jrahman,

If you've installed your site on localhost, you will not be able to access it on any other computer. In order to make it available across the web, you will need to transfer it to a webhost's server.

 

The purpose of localhost is to give you a test environment before your site goes live, but you must have hosting and a server in order for your site to go live.

 

I hope this helps.

 

-Mike

[jrahman]

Hi Mike:

I think, I couldn't explain properly my problem.

 

Here are more information:

1. I know, I have to webhost my store for viewing from other computers in the internet

2. The prototype I have created is hosted in a desktop within my home network (LAN), I have other computers inside my home network which could access to the admin back office, but not the store front

3. As I mentioned in my earlier posting, for test purpose, I created a CMS page using Joomla, that page is visible from any computer within my home network

4. Viewing Joomla page from other computers verifies that my Web Server and its components (PHP, mySQL, Apache etc.) which are running in that desktop are working fine

5. During installation process of Prestashop, I didn't see any issues and all configuration prerequisites were met while installing Prestashop

 

Please help me to understand if anything I am missing during or after the installation of Prestashop.

 

Thanks.

[Mike Kranzler]

I think I may still be slightly confused, but are all of these computers on your local network connected via the same IP or do they each have a unique IP?

 

-Mike

[jrahman]

Hi Mike:

This is a home network (LAN), all computers are connected through a router. Each computer has their own IP address. E.g. my OpenSuse desktop (where the web server is running) has an IP address: [removed], The laptop where Windows XP is running, has the IP address [removed] (this machine can't open the store front).

 

An important note that, Back office can be browsed from the laptop but not the store front.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Mike Kranzler
removed private information (see edit history)

[Mike Kranzler]

Hi jrahman,

First of all, please never share private information such as passwords, admin URLs or IP addresses on the PrestaShop forums. If you ever need to share this, please use the personal messaging function.

 

In your Back Office, please go to Preferences and let me know whether or not your shop is currently Enabled (should be the very first option). If it is not, you will need to add each IP address individually the line right below it "Maintenance IP Addresses" in order to view the Front Office from those machines. To simplify it, you can actually just open the Back Office on each of these computer's individually and click the "Add my IP address" button, and PrestaShop will actually add it for that computer automatically.

 

Please let me know if this works for you, or if your issue persists.

 

-Mike

[jrahman]

Hi Mike:

Thanks for the security matters that you have pointed. Just FYI, the IP address that I mentioned earlier are router generated default IP addresses. For instance, if you use a DLink router, the default address starts from 192.168.0.1, if it is LinkSys router, the address starts at 192.168.1.1. These are IP addresses of a LAN (Local Area Network), which could ONLY be accessed by allowing through firewall or breaking the firewall.

 

Anyway, sorry for a long lecture on IP address matter.

 

For your information, yes, my shop is enabled when I see from the back office. I have a question, why should I add the IP address from where I need to see the store front ? Doesn't it mean that if someone likes to see my store front she needs to register her IP address at back office ? Is not a strange feature ?

 

Thanks.

[Mike Kranzler]

Hi Mike:

Thanks for the security matters that you have pointed. Just FYI, the IP address that I mentioned earlier are router generated default IP addresses. For instance, if you use a DLink router, the default address starts from 192.168.0.1, if it is LinkSys router, the address starts at 192.168.1.1. These are IP addresses of a LAN (Local Area Network), which could ONLY be accessed by allowing through firewall or breaking the firewall.

 

Anyway, sorry for a long lecture on IP address matter.

 

For your information, yes, my shop is enabled when I see from the back office. I have a question, why should I add the IP address from where I need to see the store front ? Doesn't it mean that if someone likes to see my store front she needs to register her IP address at back office ? Is not a strange feature ?

 

Thanks.

 

Actually, those IPs are only for when your shop is not enabled, which would put it into what is called Maintenance Mode. If your shop is in Maintenance mode, the only computers that are permitted to view your Front Office are those that have their IP addresses cleared in your Back Office. Everyone else will see a message that your shop is temporarily down for maintenance, and will be back up shortly.

 

However, if your shop is enabled, this will not affect you at all, and your shop will be available to everyone (once it goes live, of course).

 

But since this is apparently not the root cause of your issue as I originally suspected, can you please PM me with your Back Office login credentials (username, password and admin login URL) so that I can look into this for you?

 

-Mike

[Mike Kranzler]

I just took a look at this for you, and I'm not having any issues accessing your Front Office on my end. It looks to me like this may be an issue with your local configuration between the computers. In this situation, I don't think I'll be able to help you out much because it appears to not be an issue with PrestaShop, specifically.

 

-Mike

[parancanini]

try this:

go to prestashop admin

preferences

SEO & URLs

Automatically redirect to Canonical url : no

 

after restart all Services on your server....

hope it works......