Web server with only https port

[seaport]

For some technical problems my web server has only https (443) port open. Any request to http (80) port got a "Page cannot display" error. My question is:

Can I just leave the server like that? Or I have to fix the problem so a visitor can visit the server thorough both http and https ports.

If the server only have the https port, the obvious problems to me are:
1. I have to fix all links to my server that uses "http" protocol.
2. If a user bookmarked my page, then the bookmark will lead to an error page.
3. To visit my page through a url, a user has to type "https".
4. All Google indexes to my pages, if any, will not work.

Any other potential problems that I missed?

 

[mrdenny]

What version of Windows are you using?

Denny
MVP
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[seaport]

They are old systems. The web server is iis6 on a Windows 2003 server, and the ISA is windows 2000 server.

I think more detailed discussion about those ports belong to a Firewall forum. Right now I only need to know the impact on the web site.

I think the most negative impact is that, when people go to a site via an url, they normally just type an url. A normal secured web site will take this http request and then redirect it to an https address. However, my site will show a "Page cannot dispaly" error and looks like it does not work at all.

 

[mrdenny]

That's correct they will get the error. What you can do is open port 80, and configure IIS to require SSL (just edit the default page so its a little more useful).

Denny
MVP
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / SQL 2005 BI / SQL 2008 DBA / SQL 2008 DBD / SQL 2008 BI / MWSS 3.0: Configuration / MOSS 2007: Configuration)
MCITP (SQL 2005 DBA / SQL 2008 DBA / SQL 2005 DBD / SQL 2008 DBD / SQL 2005 BI / SQL 2008 BI)

My Blog

 

[seaport]

Thanks. That's what I've been trying to do but could not figure it out. It is the time for me to upgrade the firewall. Currently my only option is to leave only https port open.