Domain displayed on Virtualmin log-in screen

[craigh]

This post (Root password no longer works for Virtualmin, but works over SSH), started by me, raised an issue that occurred to me back when I started using Virtualmin years ago.

The Virtualmin log-in screen displays this text: “You must enter a username and password to login to the server on DOMAIN”, where DOMAIN is clearly retrieved from the web browser’s address bar. I know this because I experimented with different domains pointing to the same server, and in each case the DOMAIN displayed was the domain in my browser’s address bar, less the port number, the scheme, etc.

To save you from reading the whole post to which I linked, a client updated the DNS for their domain (which is hosted on another server with a different control panel) which pointed to their VPS on which I had installed Virtualmin. Somehow a default IP address for another Virtualmin server was put into their DNS – probably from using a template – and so when I was trying to log into what I thought was their server, I was actually trying to log into a different server with log-in credentials that were never going to work.

If the default text above was displaying something from a configuration setting – e.g., “ABC Hosting Company”, or (perhaps in this case), “XYZ Client Company” – I would have noticed and not needed to seek the help that I sought. As it was, the log-in screen displayed exactly what I expected it to, because the log-in screen is programmed to display exactly what I typed into the browser’s address bar.

The default text can remain what is in the browser’s address bar, but in this case I would have configured it to read, “XYZ Client Company”, and when I saw “ABC Hosting Company” (what I would configure my company’s Virtualmin log-in page to display), I would have known immediately I was on the wrong server, and acted accordingly.

I realise that the log-in page can be configured to display a logo or something like that, but it turns out that a logo is actually too subtle. I have the client’s logo on their Virtualmin log-in page, but I log into the company server far more often so I had essentially become blind to the logo, and didn’t even notice that what I thought was my client’s log-in page was displaying my company’s logo instead of my client’s logo.

Thanks.

Craig

[Ilia]

Hello Craig!

@craigh

As it was, the log-in screen displayed exactly what I expected it to, because the log-in screen is programmed to display exactly what I typed into the browser’s address bar.

Thanks for the heads up!

I think you’d be happy to utilize Show real hostname instead of name from URL? option Webmin ⇾ Webmin Configuration: Authentication in page.

[craigh]

@Ilia

I think you’d be happy to utilize Show real hostname instead of name from URL? option Webmin ⇾ Webmin Configuration: Authentication in page.

Yes, I remember that feature now. However, I didn’t/don’t use it because the hostname used didn’t match the simplified hostname given to our users – e.g., we tell our users to log in at web.example.com, yet the hostname displayed if I use this option is something-else-with-a-number.example.com, which is just going to be confusing and result in more support requests.

My suggestion above is better, I believe. I can then set it to web.example.com or “ABC Hosting Company”. I know the problem that caused this suggestion happened on a GPL installation, but I use Pro as well.

[jimr1]

why not add a theme logo, different for each server ?

and

2 different servers 2 different logo’s

[craigh]

Umm … I did …

@craigh

I realise that the log-in page can be configured to display a logo or something like that, but it turns out that a logo is actually too subtle. I have the client’s logo on their Virtualmin log-in page, but I log into the company server far more often so I had essentially become blind to the logo, and didn’t even notice that what I thought was my client’s log-in page was displaying my company’s logo instead of my client’s logo.

[shoulders]

newbie questions, where is this setting?

[jimr1]

Just about here

[jimr1]

If you notice also the one screen is in the light theme the other is in dark, this is also configurable, independent of the user selected theme
or change the background completely

[craigh]

Hmm, I’ve never noticed that the background could be changed like that. As for light vs. dark, I thought that only took effect once you were logged in.

I guess I’ll experiment. I still think my idea is a decent one, but maybe I can do something that will slap me upside the head a little harder next time.

[jimr1]

I’m just think of the load on the development staff of webmin to add new features.
to change the login screen from light to dark use this option

[craigh]

It’s a reasonable consideration. I do use a different colour scheme inside (once you’re logged in) on different servers, but I think that that log-in page option is relatively new. Theoretically I’ll run out of colours one day, and there are only two light/dark options.

It was a stupid mistake I made that led to this suggestion. Getting @Ilia to add my suggestion is work, but so was his trying to respond to the post that led to this suggestion.

But I do appreciate your suggestions. Thanks.

[Ilia]

@craigh

My suggestion above is better, I believe. I can then set it to web.example.com or “ABC Hosting Company”.

Alright, implemented here:

Add ability to set custom server name for login page

You can now add the settings_login_page_server_name option to the /etc/webmin/authentic-theme/settings.js file to display a custom string instead of a hostname or domain name.

[craigh]

@Ilia

You can now add the settings_login_page_server_name option to the /etc/webmin/authentic-theme/settings.js file to display a custom string instead of a hostname or domain name.

Thanks.