Manually configure the server to host Sitefinity CMS projects

If you are using Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) to host your Sitefinity CMS projects, you must configure the server in the following way, depending on your operating system:

1. Install ASP.NET 4.8.
2. Open your Control Panel and click Programs and Features » Turn Windows features on or off.
3. Go to Server Roles and select Web Server (IIS).
4. Under Features, make sure you select .NET Framework 4.8.
5. Under WCF Services, select HTTP Activation.
6. Select Windows Identity Foundation 3.5.
7. In the wizard, under Web Server, select the following:
   1. Common HTTP Features:
      • Default Document
      • Directory Browsing
      • HTTP Errors
      • Static Content
      • HTTP Redirection
   2. Security:
      • Request Filtering
      • Basic Authentication
      • Windows Authentication
   3. Application Development:
      • .NET Extensibility 3.5
      • .NET Extensibility 4.8
      • Application Initialization
      • ASP
      • ASP.NET 3.5
      • ASP.NET 4.8
      • CGI
      • ISAPI Extensions
      • ISAPI Filters
      • Server Side includes
8. Under Management Tools turn on the following:
   1. IIS Management Console
   2. IIS 6 Management Compatibility
   3. IIS Management Scripts and Tools
   4. Management Service
   5. Install the features you selected.
9. Install URL Rewrite.
10. After you have Run projects on IIS, open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
11. Expand your server node and then the Sites node and click on your website.
12. In the IIS section on the right, open Authentication.
13. Perform one of the following:
    • If you are using forms authentication, make sure Anonymous Authentication and Forms Authentication are enabled and that all other authentication options are disabled.
    • If you are using claims-based authentication, make sure only Anonymous Authentication is enabled and all other authentication options are disabled.
14. Close the IIS Manager.