HttpWebRequest pass credentials to next HttpWebRequest

Question

I am logging into a page using HttpWebRequest and getting some information. I then use that information to create a new HttpWebRequest to get some more information. I do not want to use WebClient.

How can I pass the credentials I obtained from logging in using the first HttpWebRequest to the second one?

EDIT: If I use a CookieCollection then this is coming back as empty. I just tried using WebClient as a last resort and even for that it is not working, the second request takes me back to the login screen. I noticed that in a WebBrowser there is a cookie.

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 26 '11 at 16:52

6

Add a CookieContainer to each request before you send it. Add the cookies you get from the first response to the second request. Assuming they use cookies for authentication, this should authenticate the second request.

 HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(urlWithParameters);
 request.CookieContainer = new CookieContainer();

 HttpWebResponse response = (HttpWebResponse) request.GetResponse();

 var cookies = new CookieContainer();
 cookies.Add( response.Cookies );

 request = (HttpWebRequest)WebRequest.Create(secondUrlWithParameters);
 request.CookieContainer = cookies;

 ...

answered Mar 26 '11 at 16:52

tvanfosson

524,688
99
697
795

cookies.Add( response.Cookies ); actually takes a Uri as well. What do I pass in for that. cookies.Add(Uri?????, response.Cookies ); – anon Mar 26 '11 at 17:06
@anon - there should be a method that takes a single CookieCollection parameter: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6kyy4w9y.aspx . Use that one. – tvanfosson Mar 26 '11 at 17:11
It turns out the cooky collection is empty. What do I do in this case? – anon Mar 26 '11 at 17:32
Great, i am adding my sample code based on that idea, I guess it may illustrate somebody. – pabloelustondo Apr 22 '14 at 20:19

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 22 '14 at 20:22

this is just a sample running code based on answer 2. Maybe be redundant maybe illustrate somebody.

            string url = "http://servername/place-where-data-is.extension"
            string loginUrl = "https://servername/sampleLogin?email=eeeeee&passwd=xxxxxxx";


            HttpWebRequest loginRequest = (HttpWebRequest)HttpWebRequest.Create(loginUrl);
            loginRequest.CookieContainer = new CookieContainer();
            loginRequest.Method = WebRequestMethods.Http.Get;
            HttpWebResponse loginResponse = (HttpWebResponse)loginRequest.GetResponse();
            var cookies = new CookieContainer();
            cookies.Add(loginResponse.Cookies);


            HttpWebRequest request = (HttpWebRequest)HttpWebRequest.Create(url);
            request.CookieContainer = cookies;
            request.Method = WebRequestMethods.Http.Get;

            WebResponse response = (WebResponse)request.GetResponse();

            Stream responseStream = response.GetResponseStream();

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 16 '14 at 14:45

This is a really old question and I know it states no WebClient but I will post here for everyone who comes across this from Google. The original concept is not my code. I do not know where I originally found it.

using (WebClientEx client = new WebClientEx())
{
  client.IntTimeout = intTimeout;
  client.DownloadString(strReportUrlPrefix + strReportUrlQuery);

  NameValueCollection auth = new NameValueCollection
  {
    { "j_username", strReportUsername},
    { "j_password", strReportPassword}
  };

  byte[] data = client.UploadValues(strReportUrlPrefix + "j_security_check", auth);

  // LOGIC HERE WITH DATA
}

WebClientEx Class:

public class WebClientEx : WebClient
{
  private CookieContainer _cookieContainer = new CookieContainer();
  public int IntTimeout { get; set; }

  protected override WebRequest GetWebRequest(Uri address)
  {
    WebRequest request = base.GetWebRequest(address);
    if (request != null)
      request.Timeout = IntTimeout;

    if (request is HttpWebRequest)
      (request as HttpWebRequest).CookieContainer = _cookieContainer;

    return request;
  }
}

HttpWebRequest pass credentials to next HttpWebRequest

3 Answers3

Linked