HTTP to HTTPS redirect advice

**theremotedr** · 01-29-2019, 03:01 PM

Hi,
I have move my site from HTTP to HTTPS and 99% happy when moving to another host.
I am currently still with the old host but havent advised them yet that ive gone with another.

The 1% is the following.
Here is the new HTTPS index page https://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/index.html & from here you can navigate no problem where links & photos etc work as they should.

If you visit the old url index page http://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/index.html with a htaccess in place clicking on a drop down or link etc downloads the file as opposed to opening the html page.

If i remove the htaccess file & then click a drop down etc it then opens up the correct item BUT with the HTTPS in the url which is great.

So my issue is the htaccess file causes an issue.
Looking on google etc for items that i sell or services i provide then clicking on an old link etc downloads the file as opposed to opening the page where the redirect should then be doing its job.

Thanks

**theremotedr** · 01-29-2019, 04:30 PM

Hi,
I didnt know but for me it automatically downloads but for others you see a message box like so

Click image for larger version.

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Views: 1034
Size: 72.0 KB
ID: 6333

**BLiZZaRD** · 01-29-2019, 09:08 PM

Can you post the .htaccess file you are using?

I couldn't reproduce the problem. You should just be forcing HTTPS through .htaccess, no need to worry if a visitor clicks an old link or doesn't add the "s" to the protocol.

**theremotedr** · 01-29-2019, 09:44 PM

Hi,
Since i did this post ive done the following which has now worked.

Code:

RewriteEngine On 
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?theremotedoctor\.co.uk
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/$1 [R,L]

This was my original code file when i was using the http version.
Im not to sure how to add it to this new code without breaking something.

Code:

## EXPIRES CACHING ##
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
ExpiresActive On
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/gif "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/png "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType text/css "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/html "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/pdf "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/x-javascript "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/x-shockwave-flash "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType image/x-icon "access 1 year"
ExpiresDefault "access 1 month"
</IfModule>
## EXPIRES CACHING ##
<Files ~ "^\.(htaccess|htpasswd)$">
deny from all
</Files>
Options Indexes
order deny,allow
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
  <FilesMatch "\.(js|css|xml|gz)$">
    Header append Vary: Accept-Encoding
  </FilesMatch>
</IfModule>
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
AddType application/x-httpd-php .htm .html
AddType video/ogg  .ogv
AddType video/mp4  .mp4

**BLiZZaRD** · 01-30-2019, 07:30 PM

Your most likely culprit is this line:

Code:

AddType application/x-httpd-php .htm .html

Since you switched hosts, they are probably running a different version. This line tells the server to treat html and htm pages as php pages. What is actually happening though, is the php is trying to be served client-side, resulting in a download instead of an execution.

The AddType is the preferred method, however, some servers run PHP as CGI and the AddType doesn't work, instead you will need AddHandler:

Code:

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html .htm

The same will go for your video codecs as well. Also note: Some hosts require the AddHandler to specify which version of PHP is being run, so you may need to do something like:

Code:

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php5 .html .htm

The best thing to do here is to Google ".htaccess run html as php on {your hosting provider}" It will most likely bring up their knowledge base or a forum that will tell you the exact AddHandler type to use.

The first code you use there forces HTTPS, which is always good. Just throw it at the very top of the rest of the code.

~BLiZZ

**theremotedr** · 01-30-2019, 08:45 PM

So yesterday before i added those 4 lines that allowed it to work it was doing this below.

Click image for larger version.

Name: 335.jpg
Views: 1039
Size: 70.5 KB
ID: 6334

**BLiZZaRD** · 01-31-2019, 12:40 AM

Yeah. That sounds like a problem with the AddType vs AddHandler I mentioned. Switch your AddType lines to AddHandler and it should be fine.

**theremotedr** · 01-31-2019, 01:02 AM

Well im struggling with this,
Going by my original code that was is use with the last host,
Then the code in use at present just to have it working,
Then trying to merge them ive come up with this.

Code:

AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html .htm
RewriteEngine On 
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?theremotedoctor\.co.uk
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/$1 [R,L]
## EXPIRES CACHING ##
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
ExpiresActive On
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/gif "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/png "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType text/css "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/html "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/pdf "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/x-javascript "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/x-shockwave-flash "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType image/x-icon "access 1 year"
ExpiresDefault "access 1 month"
</IfModule>
## EXPIRES CACHING ##
<Files ~ "^\.(htaccess|htpasswd)$">
deny from all
</Files>
Options Indexes
order deny,allow
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
  <FilesMatch "\.(js|css|xml|gz)$">
    Header append Vary: Accept-Encoding
  </FilesMatch>
</IfModule>
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
AddHandler video/ogg  .ogv
AddHandler video/mp4  .mp4

Having said that i still get a 403 error advising me i do not have permission to look/edit etc the index file.
The only way at present for me to have it working is this,

Code:

RewriteEngine On 
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?theremotedoctor\.co.uk
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/$1 [R,L]

I dont even know what the old code does but like to put it in and have it there.
The videos etc work fine with it but not sure about other browsers etc.

**BLiZZaRD** · 01-31-2019, 08:40 AM

Save your old htaccess file to your computer and then delete it from your server. Create a brand new one and put this inside:

Code:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

## EXPIRES CACHING ##
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
ExpiresActive On
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/gif "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/png "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType text/css "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/html "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/pdf "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/x-javascript "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/x-shockwave-flash "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType image/x-icon "access 1 year"
ExpiresDefault "access 1 month"
</IfModule>
## EXPIRES CACHING ##

<Files ~ "^\.(htaccess|htpasswd)$">
deny from all
</Files>
Options Indexes
order deny,allow
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
  <FilesMatch "\.(js|css|xml|gz)$">
    Header append Vary: Accept-Encoding
  </FilesMatch>
</IfModule>

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html .htm
AddType audio/ogg .oga
AddType video/ogg .ogv
AddType application/ogg .ogg
AddHandler application-ogg .ogg .ogv .oga

Save and upload to your server and test. It should be fine. If not, upload the saved one and then let me know.

**theremotedr** · 01-31-2019, 09:58 AM

Morning,
I have left the site so you can see whats going on.

The .htaccess file that was in use was using this code of which i have saved on the pc.
My host is Godaddy

Code:

RewriteEngine On 
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?theremotedoctor\.co.uk
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/$1 [R,L]

The code that has been uploaded is what you have advised above.

Code:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

## EXPIRES CACHING ##
<IfModule mod_expires.c>
ExpiresActive On
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/gif "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/png "access 1 year"
ExpiresByType text/css "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/html "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/pdf "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/x-javascript "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/x-shockwave-flash "access 1 month"
ExpiresByType image/x-icon "access 1 year"
ExpiresDefault "access 1 month"
</IfModule>
## EXPIRES CACHING ##

<Files ~ "^\.(htaccess|htpasswd)$">
deny from all
</Files>
Options Indexes
order deny,allow
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
  <FilesMatch "\.(js|css|xml|gz)$">
    Header append Vary: Accept-Encoding
  </FilesMatch>
</IfModule>

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html .htm
AddType audio/ogg .oga
AddType video/ogg .ogv
AddType application/ogg .ogg
AddHandler application-ogg .ogg .ogv .oga

Here is the link for my site https://www.theremotedoctor.co.uk/index.html

With that code i see the following error message.