Question for the forum admin(s)

[Jailer]

Obviously a change was made to the configuration of the forum recently. I've noticed that there is no more mixed content warning from linked images and everything is now served over a secure connection. What was changed to accomplish this?

 

[gpsguy]

I was active on the forum today - took a day of vacation.

When trying to visit the forum tonight, my AV program (Vipre) has the site blocked.

Was there a problem this evening?


Sent from my phone

 

[gpsguy]

So, it looks like http://forums.freenas.org is blocked by my AV program. But, https://forums.freenas.org is okay.

 

[dlavigne]

Not exactly sure, but the log shows that the sysadmin did update the system template.

 

[Jailer]

I'd love to know what was changed to accomplish this. My google fu seems to be lacking in providing an answer.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I've noticed that there is no more mixed content warning from linked images and everything is now served over a secure connection.

I'm not sure if I'm stating the obvious, but ... there must have been at least one resource being served over HTTP before, and that has been corrected so that all resources are now served over HTTPS. This would include all images, javascript, CSS etc., including any served from external domains. It's one of the challenges of converting any site to HTTPS, especially if you rely on external resources that aren't available over HTTPS (you have to find an alternative).

 

[Jailer]

It was the externally linked images and avatars. I'm trying to research how that was accomplished since I want to do this to a small private discussion forum I host.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

OIC.

EDIT: can you be more specific? I'm curious too.

 

[Jailer]

Images that are served from external links such as embedded photobucket images create a mixed content warning when viewed from a site that is served via https. The site content is delivered via https but the images themselves are served via http.

My internet connection is enough to serve a small private discussion forum but I don't have enough bandwidth to serve images so only external links are allowed. I would love to be able to serve all the content via https, even the external links. I understand it's not a big deal but it would be nice to be able to do it. The obvious easy solution would be to host all the content but again I can't...because bandwidth.

I did find a few references to image caching services but I'm not willing to pay for a service that isn't really necessary.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

The site content is delivered via https but the images themselves are served via http.

On these forums, or on your site?

Have you considered CloudFlare?

 

[Ericloewe]

On these forums, or on your site?

Have you considered CloudFlare?

Generally speaking, with most external content.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Yes, I understand what causes mixed content browser warnings, I'm just trying to understand if there's something unusual about how these forums are set up for HTTPS.

I mention CloudFlare because it might enable @Jailer to host all the content.

 

[Jailer]

On these forums, or on your site?

Have you considered CloudFlare?

There used to be a mixed content warning on this forum until very recently. Everything seems to be served over https now.

On my forum, much like many others, there is still a mixed content warning when image links from external sources are used.

Never heard of CloudFlare, I'll have to check it out.

Generally speaking, with most external content.

Correct.

 

[Jailer]

Ok never mind. Just tried adding a link to a pic and it still gives the mixed content warning with an embedded pic.

Still makes me wonder what changed to get rid of the warning that was usually displayed here.

 

[gpsguy]

email test - sorry for spam

 

[JRG]

Make sure that all your references to images on your own website use https. It is not enough to simply have the image files on your web server, all the references to them must specify https.

 

[Tigersharke]

I can take a look at whether the issue of images in the templates have http or https in their URL.

Update: I tried a few searches for image links in the templates of forums.freenas.org but could not find any, none that lacked https:// so I am unsure how/where these mixed protocol images are.

 

[gpsguy]

I wouldn't worry about it. jrg replied to a 10 month old thread.

I can take a look at whether the issue of images in the templates have http or https in their URL.