FP: Unable to Complete Transaction on Server with NTLM

• Microsoft FrontPage 98 for Windows
• Microsoft FrontPage 97 for Windows with Bonus Pack

SYMPTOMS

When you use FrontPage Explorer to connect to a Web server, you may receive the following message:

   Unable to complete transaction--the server requested authentication
   information (userid/password) using an authentication scheme (ntlm)
   that is unsupported by FrontPage.

CAUSE

This problem will occur if you have not installed the Client for Microsoft Networks in your Network control panel. Without the client, FrontPage cannot process the request for NTLM authentication.

NOTE: This same error message appears in FrontPage, version 1.1, if you request authentication from a Web server that is not requesting Basic authentication.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q152197
   TITLE     : FP1: Authentication Scheme (NTLM) Not Supported Error

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Install the Client

If you want to log in to a server that is using NTLM authentication, use the following steps to install the client for Microsoft Networks:

1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Network control panel icon.

3. If the Client for Microsoft Networks is not one of the installed components, click Add.

4. Click the Client type of network component, and then click Add.

5. In the Manufacturer column, click Microsoft. In the Network Clients column, click Client For Microsoft Networks. Click Add.

6. If you are prompted to do so, insert the Windows 95 compact disc or floppy disk in the appropriate disk (disc) drive. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

Method 2: Use Basic Authentication

Disable NTLM authentication on the Web server and use Basic authentication instead. Note, however, that Basic authentication is easier to decipher than NTLM, and so makes your Web less secure.

Use the IIS Service Manager to disable NTLM authentication on IIS 2.0 and 3.0 running on a Windows NT server. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the Windows Start menu, point to Programs, point to "Microsoft Internet Server (Common)," and then click Internet Service Manager.

2. Double-click the WWW Service icon.

3. Click the Service tab.

4. Click to clear the "Windows NT Challenge/Response" check box. Click to select the "Basic (Clear Text)" check box.

5. Click OK.

6. Stop the WWW Service by clicking the Stop button on the toolbar.

7. Restart the WWW Service by clicking the Play button on the toolbar.

8. On the File menu, click Exit.

MORE INFORMATION

NTLM is the authentication scheme used by Windows NT. It can also be used by the Microsoft Internet Information Server, Microsoft Peer Web Services for Windows NT Workstation, version 4.0, and the Microsoft Personal Web Server for Windows 95. Basic authentication is the standard authentication scheme for the Internet.