I have a large collection of files to make publicly available from a Windows 2003 Web server running Internet Information Server 6. I would like to just put the files in a directory and have the Web server show visitors the directory listing, but the server insists on asking for a user name and password. How do I adjust the IIS settings to allow people to see the directory listing without requiring a logon?
In Windows 2003 you can manage the IIS settings through the Internet Information Services Manager. Open the Administrative Tools menu and select the Internet Information Services Manager choice.
When the IIS Manager window opens, double-click on the local computer Web server icon in either the right or left pane of the dialog and then double-click on the Web Sites icon to open up your list of Web sites.
Drill down by double-clicking on the appropriate site, which is probably the Default Web Site entry.
Once you can see the directory you want to make publicly available, highlight that directory and right-click to bring up the context menu. Choose Properties. In the Properties dialog, first check the Directory Browsing box and then click on the Directory Security tab. Click the Edit button in the Authentication and Access Control section of the Directory Security dialog, check the Enable Anonymous Access box, and click OK. Your visitors should then be able to see the directory listing.
