Here’s a good way to make an easy client login system: AjaxExplorer. AjaxExplorer is designed to be an FTP/file management system; upload it to your server, run the install script, and you can browse files (screenshot) just like they’re on your computer, as if you were in some sort of windows-based file-exploring-software-program.
The thing that make this program great is that you can create individual users with their own user names and passwords, with their own limited access to certain folders. So, for example, you have a set of files you want to designate to a particular client (logos, photoshop mockups, etc). Create a directory for that client on your server, and create a user for the client in AjaxExplorer. When you create the new user, specify that the user’s starting directory is the client’s folder. When a client logs on to AjaxExplorer, she is taken straight to her directory, and is restricted from snooping around in higher directories. And each user can be given full upload and download privileges if you choose to do so.
When you install AjaxExplorer, you’ll probably want to put it in an obvious directory, so that it can be accessed from yourdomain.com/client or something similar.
Make it look like the rest of your site
Here’s the other cool thing about AjaxExplorer. The entire look of the interface is controlled by a single style.css file, so you can completely makeover the colors, fonts, logos, etc. to match your existing site.
The downside
The had to be one. Really, the only bad thing seems to be that the interface is a little inconsistent. Sometimes I had a hard time getting it to recognize files I had uploaded, and sometimes, it saw files, but claimed they were 0 bytes, even though I could see in my FTP program (Dreamweaver) that the file was the right size. Also, I sometimes had a difficult time highlighting specific files–there was no way to click off of one file without clicking on another. All in all, though, these bugs were pretty rare, and I’m sure they’ll get taken care of in future updates (The current update, 1.5.1, just came out on Dec. 14, after all.)
So there it is. The price is right, and the installation is easy. What’s your preferred method of making secure login areas?
interesting, i’ll implement this and check it out, the bugs sound significant thought, at least significant enough to keep me from using this for clients.
thanks for the review, i have to try it
Dejan–Thanks for reading. Great blog, by the way.
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