asp.net FormsAuthentication.Authenticate() is not working

Question

I have created a user by using CreateUserWizard - control.

My web.config file is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<configuration>

    <appSettings/>
  <connectionStrings>
    <remove name="LocalSqlServer"/>
    <add name="ConnString1" connectionString="Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=IceWebPortal_SQL2K5;user=sa;password=;integrated security=true;" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"/>
    <add name="LocalSqlServer" connectionString="Data Source=localhost;Initial Catalog=aspnet_membership_test;Integrated Security=True" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"/>
  </connectionStrings>

    <system.web>
        <!-- 
            Set compilation debug="true" to insert debugging 
            symbols into the compiled page. Because this 
            affects performance, set this value to true only 
            during development.
        -->
        <compilation debug="true" />
        <!--
            The <authentication> section enables configuration 
            of the security authentication mode used by 
            ASP.NET to identify an incoming user. 
        -->
      <authentication mode="Forms">
        <forms
          name="CookieDemo"
          loginUrl="Default.aspx"
          protection="All"
          timeout="30"
          path="/"
        />
      </authentication>
      <!--<authorization>
        <deny users="?"/>
      </authorization>-->
      </system.web>

  <location path="Default.aspx">
    <system.web>
      <authorization>
        <allow users="*"></allow>
      </authorization>
    </system.web>
  </location>
</configuration>

I am finding that, FormsAuthentication.Authenticate(username, password); is always returning false.

        string username = this.usernameTextBox.Text;
        string password = this.passwordTextBox.Text;

        bool success = FormsAuthentication.Authenticate(username, password);

        if (success)
        {
        }

What can be the problem?

Answer 1

You need to add e.g. a MembershipProvider configuration or add users directly to web.config (which is probably not a good idea)-

Example:

<membership>
    <providers>
        <clear />
        <add name="AspNetSqlMembershipProvider"
             type="System.Web.Security.SqlMembershipProvider, System.Web, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"
             connectionStringName="ApplicationServices"
             enablePasswordRetrieval="false"
             enablePasswordReset="true"
             requiresQuestionAndAnswer="false"
             requiresUniqueEmail="false"
             passwordFormat="Hashed"
             maxInvalidPasswordAttempts="5"
             minRequiredPasswordLength="6"
             minRequiredNonalphanumericCharacters="0"
             passwordAttemptWindow="10"
             passwordStrengthRegularExpression=""
             applicationName="/" />
    </providers>
</membership>