[jcifs] Davenport authentication via web folders

[Michael B Allen]

Paul Scott said:
> Hi,
>
> I am a new user of Davenport, trying out version 0.9.10. I am hoping to
> be able use it to provide internet access to over 10,000 student home
> directories which are currently not otherwise accessible outside of our
> library network.
>
> I have some encountered some unexpected behaviour when trying to view a
> directory as a web folder.
>
> I can authenticate successfully using NTLM against our domain controller
> and see my directory displayed as a web page. When I click on the header
> link to view the page as a web folder, I get a dialog box asking for my
> username and password again.

This sounds like the Filter is failing to negotiate. By default IE pops up
the Network Password Dialog whenever the server returns an error. Look at
the HTTP Filter documentation for possible reasons.

> If I re-type the username and password it simply brings up the dialog
> box again and again (is if I'd typed in the wrong details).
>
> In order to see the directory displayed as a web folder in IE, I have to
> click on Cancel. Then it displays the contents as a web folder correctly
> and I access my files without been prompted for my credentials again.
>
> This problem is not reproducible 100% of the time. Mostly it behaves
> like I've described, but occasionally it works and simply displays the
> web folder.
>
> If I disable NTLM (enableNTLM=false) and use basic authentication (over
> SSL), then it seems to work properly all the time.
>
> I have only specified a domain and domain controller in the
> authentication settings section of the configuration file.

You do not set both unless you're using domain,user,pass as
preauthentication credentials. Again, see the NTLM HTTP Authentication
documentation on the jcifs website.

> The server running Davenport is not on the same subnet as the domain
> controller and the file server to which it is connecting.

That's fine.

Also, you should really try to get Davenport to work with the latest
version of JCIFS if you have not already.

Mike