How to Password Protect a Website

A DecoNetwork website can be quickly transformed into a secure ordering portal by restricting access to logged-in users. This setup is commonly used for internal ordering sites, team stores, schools, or corporate programs where only approved customers should be able to view products, prices, and place orders.

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why use a password-protected ordering portal?
• Step 1: Open customer access settings
• Step 2: Require customers to log in
• Step 3: Choose how customers log in
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Prerequisites

Why use a password-protected ordering portal?

• Restrict access so only approved customers can place orders
• Hide pricing and products from the public
• Create internal ordering sites for teams, staff, or organizations
• Control who can register and log in to the site

In DecoNetwork, the key difference between a public website and an ordering portal is simple: an ordering portal is password-protected.

Step 1: Open customer access settings

1. Go to Store Configuration → Customer Options for the website.
2. Locate the section where you can override the default customer access settings.

Step 2: Require customers to log in

You can control what actions require a customer to be logged in:

• View the website
• View prices
• Add items to the cart

If you require customers to be logged in to view the site, this automatically prevents them from seeing prices or adding products to the cart unless they log in. This setting establishes the overall access rule for the ordering portal.

Step 3: Choose how customers log in

When a site is password-protected, customers can gain access in one of two ways:

Option 1: Customer username and password

Customers log in using their own account credentials. If online registration is enabled, anyone can create an account and gain access.

Option 2: Generic site password (recommended)

Customers must enter a shared password to access the site – similar to a private club password. Once they enter the correct password, they can proceed to register or log in and place orders.

For example, if the generic password is t-shirts, entering that password unlocks the ordering portal and allows approved users to continue.

Best-practice tips

• Disable public account registration if you want full control over who can access the site
• Use a generic password for team, school, or internal ordering portals
• Share the password securely (email, internal docs, or direct communication)
• Update the generic password periodically for added security

Troubleshooting

• Customers can still see the site: Confirm that login is required to view the website, not just prices or cart actions.
• Anyone can register: Disable online registration if you want accounts created manually.
• Password not working: Check for spelling, spaces, or capitalization in the generic password.

FAQs

• Is an ordering portal different from a website?
  Functionally, no – the key difference is that an ordering portal is password-protected.
• Can I switch between public and private later?
  Yes, you can change the customer access settings at any time.
• Do customers still need an account?
  Yes, customers will still have an account created once they proceed through the ordering process.

Additional Resources

• Customers List
• Prevent Access to My Website