Can't connect to Web Publishing Engine

[teschek]

I'm using FMP Server 7 Advanced on a Windows 2003 server and can't connect to the Web Publishing Engine. We use a netopia router on which I've opened the ports 5003 and 16010-16018.

When I try to connect to the web publishing engine using the address http://[localhost]:5003/fmi/config, I just get a page not displayed error.

We are using the same 2003 server to host our website on port 80.

What am I missing?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

First off, it's Ports 16008 thru 16018.

Second, try localhost/fmi/config.

Third, please be sure that you have entered an identifier and passcode into FMS SAT Tool.

Fourth, please review the Web Publishing Install Guide and the Qucickstart Guide for Web Publishing.

HTH

Steven

[Wim Decorte]

To expand on what Steven is saying:

5003 is the data port between FMS and FMP clients, and also between the Web Publishing Engine and FMS.

The way you have your URL constructed, you're hitting your *web server* on port 5003 and the web server doesn't know what to do with it.

The url that Steven gave you will hit the web server on regular port 80 (HTTP), the web server will know by the url that it is a request for FMSA, will hand it off to the FMSA web module who talks to the web publishing engine. That traffic is on ports 16008 to 16018 but if you have the web server, WPE and FMSA on the same machine these ports should be open already. If the web server is not the same machine as the WPE then ports 16008 to 16018 should be open on the route between the web server and the WPE (but that's likely inside your network, so don't open them on the perimeter router).

[teschek]

Okay, I'm still really lost. I've poured over the manuals, uninstalled and reinstalled the software (twice!) and haven't gotten much futher. I can now type http://localhost:16014 and get to the FMP databases screen, but if I add /fmi/config to the end of that it says that the requested file could not be found at this location. Without the port number 16014 in the URL I just get our regular webserver's error message page.

In your replies above I don't understand what you mean by: "Third, please be sure that you have entered an identifier and passcode into FMS SAT Tool." How is this done?

I just can't open the Web Publishing Engine admin console. How hard can this be?? I thought FMP was supposed to be a reasonably user-friendly program??

[teschek]

Followup: I figured out what you mean by the identifier and passcode in the FMS SAT. That has been configured, but I can't configure the other end in the WPE until I can get into the WPE. That's my sticking point. Does the fact that I'm running a regular webserver on port 80 cause this problem? Do I have to set up a Filemaker website under IIS first, using prot 16014 or some other port?

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Try not use the 16014 port. Just use localhost/fmi/config and see what that gets you. You might have to stop the other hosted site temporarily to get this going.

The alternate Port for web publishing for FMS is 591. You'd et that in IIS.

Steven

[Wim Decorte]

Not sure where your focus on port 16014 comes from but forget about it.

Here's how the flows goes:

http://localhost/fmi/iwp will hit your web server on the regular port (80). FMSA installed a web server module in IIS that will intercept the call and pass it on to the WPE. That internal communication between the web server module and the WPE happens on ports 16008 and 16018. If your FMSA is properly configured through the admin console (proper addresses, identifier/passcode) then the result of the url above will be the IWP home page.

if your web server is not configured on port 80 then (and only then) do you need to specify a port number in your URL. All communication with FMSA goes through your web server.

[teschek]

Obviously I'm missing something very simple, that everyone except me is taking for granted. I have tried both localhost/fmi/config and localhost/fmi/iwp (what's the difference?) to no avail. I've used IIS to stop our regular website that uses port 80 and tried again, but still nothing. FMP does not seem to be communicating with IIS. I've been through the Server Admin console and tabs over and over again and can't see what I'm missing. Is there something I have to do in IIS to get it to recognize the FMP server? I'm using FMP 7 on Windows 2003 server with IIS 6.

[Wim Decorte]

localhost/fmi/config will bring up the FMSA Admin console (where you set up the configuration)

localhost/fmi/ipw shows the Instant Web Publishing home page, listing all the hosted files that are available for IWP.

You're doing "localhost" on the web server machine right? If you're doing this from another machine use the IP address of the web server.

Are you hosting more than one website in IIS? FMSA installs a web server module but only for the default web site in IIS.

[teschek]

Yes, I'm hosting another website using IIS, as I stated above. Are you telling me that FileMaker Server won't work on a machine where IIS is hosting another website? That can't be right?:?

[Wim Decorte]

No, I'm saying the FMSA only installs its components for the default web site. If you're trying to access it through the other web site it wouldn't work.

There probably is a process to manually "bind" the FMSA components to any non-default web site but I haven't seen it yet.