Enable URL Rewriting in Windows server

yandr · Post by **yandr** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:19 am

I am new to phpBB and have set it up recetly with a fresh install (no content - planning to migrate).

I am trying to set-up URL rewrites, however I am not running Apache.

I have 2 issues:

1. Even after enabling the option 'Enable URL Rewriting' and flushing the cache, the URL's remain the same
2. If I just translate .htaccess file to web.config, will I be able to have this up and running? Is there a guide somewhere on the my issue I can follow?

Post by **Mick** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:03 am

Whilst we try our best we are not server gurus especially with IIS. Does the server have URL rewriting enabled? I’ve just Google searched the issue and there seems to be plenty of information on the subject such as adding rewrite modules etc, you should try that avenue first. These are the first two I saw: https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite and https://tecadmin.net/enable-url-rewrite-iis/ etc.

Out of curiosity is there any particular reason you’re using IIS? There are plenty of personal server packages out there using Apache etc, see: Knowledge Base - Installing and Setting Up Your Own Web Server.

rockedge · Post by **rockedge** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 2:54 pm

I have run phpBB sites using the web server Hiawatha. It uses it's own native URL Toolbox in it's configuration file to perform the URL rewrites which works with "translated" Apache2 URL rewrite syntax. Meaning I was able to duplicate the necessary rewrites by converting the Apache .htaccess and what it does to fit the Hiawatha method.

I would guess that by duplicating what the Apache URL rewrite is doing in the .htaccess file in the correct corresponding configuration locations for the web server you are running will do the trick.

yandr · Post by **yandr** » Sat Nov 06, 2021 3:22 pm

Mick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:03 am Whilst we try our best we are not server gurus especially with IIS. Does the server have URL rewriting enabled? I’ve just Google searched the issue and there seems to be plenty of information on the subject such as adding rewrite modules etc, you should try that avenue first. These are the first two I saw: https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite and https://tecadmin.net/enable-url-rewrite-iis/ etc.

Out of curiosity is there any particular reason you’re using IIS? There are plenty of personal server packages out there using Apache etc, see: Knowledge Base - Installing and Setting Up Your Own Web Server.

The server has indeed URL rewrite already enabled.

The rest of the site is in ASP and currently the forum is in that technology as well.

My first issue is that after enabling the URL rewrite in phpBB, it still generates the old URL format with the parameters (e.g. viewforum.php?f=5)

Johnny Mctash · Post by **Johnny Mctash** » Sat Nov 06, 2021 5:04 pm

yandr wrote: ↑Sat Nov 06, 2021 3:22 pm My first issue is that after enabling the URL rewrite in phpBB, it still generates the old URL format with the parameters (e.g. viewforum.php?f=5)

Perhaps you should read the description of that option more carefully, as it doesn't do what you think it does.

Post by **Kailey** » Sat Nov 06, 2021 11:07 pm

Johnny Mctash wrote: ↑Sat Nov 06, 2021 5:04 pm
yandr wrote: ↑Sat Nov 06, 2021 3:22 pm My first issue is that after enabling the URL rewrite in phpBB, it still generates the old URL format with the parameters (e.g. viewforum.php?f=5)
Perhaps you should read the description of that option more carefully, as it doesn't do what you think it does.

Indeed.

When enabled, URLs containing ’app.php’ will be rewritten to remove the filename (i.e. app.php/foo will become /foo).

yandr · Post by **yandr** » Sun Nov 07, 2021 2:32 pm

Hmmm, and what is the purpose of that?