mod_auth_pam: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

# mod_auth_pam Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. I want to use other authentication modules, how do I turn mod_auth_pam off for one directory?

   Use

       AuthPAM_Enabled off

   in your `.htaccess`

2. I configured mod_auth_pam in the `.htaccess` as shown above, but Apache doesn't ask for username/password. Why?

   Most likely, per-directory authorization configuration is disabled. Use

       AllowOverride AuthConfig

   in your `access.conf`

3. I get lots of "undefined references" when compiling Apache with your module, why?

   You are using Apache 1.3 and an old version of mod_auth_pam.c. Get v0.7 from the downloadables section.

4. I get "`500 server error`" instead of a password prompt when trying to access a password protected page. Why?

   You are probably using an incorrect `.htaccess` configuration. Please check your servers `error_log` for details.

5. I get "500 server error" after entering the password for a password protected page

   The username you entered is probably not in the system database. In that case, mod_auth_pam falls through to mod_auth and mod_auth needs more configuration than mod_auth_pam. Solution: Either disable fall-through or configure `AuthUserFile` and `AuthGroupFile` for mod_auth

6. Does mod_auth_pam work with shadow passwords?

   Yes, but you have to make some changes to the shadow password file. See Using Shadow with PAM for details.