Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

by Clare Smith -
Number of replies: 5

Hello,

I am new to the world of Moodle and I have searched and searched for the answer to this question, so forgive me if it has already been answered elsewhere. I managed to install EasyPHP and then Moodle, and now have a working Moodle site to 'play' with on my own PC (took me half a day - I impressed myself!)

I would like to give remote access to it to a few colleagues so that I can have a play around with the student-related features; but am not sure if that's possible and how to do it. I think it requires me to allow access by certain users in the Apache httpd.conf file, but being no expert I looked at various online help guides regarding Apache and started to struggle. Am I on the right lines or is it something much simpler?

Many Thanks,

Clare

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In reply to Clare Smith

Re: Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

by Bob Boufford -

Clare,

First, you do not have to modify Apache's httpd.conf file. All you need to to is create standard Moolde user accounts.

Giving access to your "standalone" Moodle system will depend on the following:

1. How it's connected to the Internet, direct or via a router

2. Static or dynamic IP address on your system and maybe router

3. Any host.domain web address

4. Initial Moodle configuration

Let us know how your computer is connected to the Internet and the "address" you use to access Moodle ("localhost" or an IP number). We can then give more specific details on how to set up access.

Cheers,

bob

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In reply to Bob Boufford

Re: Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

by Clare Smith -

Dear Bob,

Thank you for your reply, I hope the following info helps:

  • Easy PHP 1.8 installed with Moodle 1.4.4+
  • Internet accessed via router with internal dynamic IP addresses
  • Access via 'localhost', so http://localhost/moodle
  • Am on Windows XP if that is a factor

So my PC is acting as a webserver? I think I've worked out how to create a user account in Moodle, but it would be nice for colleagues to access the front page!

Many Thanks,

Clare

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In reply to Clare Smith

Re: Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

by Dave Bethany -

Go to www.no-ip.com and create a free URL (like testsite.myftp.com) and download the no-ip client (it is all free). Install the client onto your computer, it will then update the No-ip database with your dynamic IP. Your friends will access your site by entering your free URL. The No-IP system keeps up with your changing IP.

By the way, a real easy site setup is to use Xampp, it has Apache, PHP and lots of other things built in.

http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html

You can let your friends create their own moodle accounts or you can create them. Remember, if you have a router you will have to give port 80 access to your server computer. This may require that you assign an address to that computer. And yes, your computer is now a webserver.

Dave

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In reply to Clare Smith

Re: Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

by Bob Boufford -

Clare,

Thanks for David for jumping in as I got caught up in other work.

1. As David suggested, get a host.domain address for your router (not your internal system). I personally use DynDNS.org (http://www.dyndns.org). Make sure your router can be configured to update as the public dynamic IP address of the router changes. My Dlink 614+ has such a feature. The DynDNS.org site has suggestions for other utilties.

2. Configure your internal server running Moodle to have a static IP address. For example, mine is 192.168.0.15 and I reconfigured the router's DHCP server to give out dynamic IP addresses above 192.168.0.100

3. Setup your router to pass port 80 to the IP address of your internal server running Moodle. On my Dlink 614+, it part of the "Virtual Servers".

4. Go into the Moodle config.php and change

     $CFG->wwwroot   = 'http://localhost/moodle';
    to
    $CFG->wwwroot   = 'http://<host.domain>/moodle';

5. On any system you have on your internal network, add the new host.domain name to your HOSTS file, ususally in C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

Working example can be seen at http://elearninggames.dyndns.org

I would also suggest changing to XAMPP as it's more up-to-date than EasyPHP and comes with extra goodies. It takes a tiny bit more work to setup but it's worth it.

Cheers,

Bob

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In reply to Bob Boufford

Re: Other User Access to a Standalone Moodle Install?

by Clare Smith -

Many thanks to both Bob & Dave for your detailed replies. I will have a go at sorting this out using your suggestions and hope to report back with positive news!

Thank you

Clare

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