We need to share the XAMPP installation over our LAN via web browsers. Let me explain:
We have Joomla 1.5 CMS installed on our XAMPP production server machine which is acting as the server for the Joomla web site. That part works fine locally. Others on the LAN that need to work on the Joomla files can enter the IP address of the localhost computer and get to the Joomla web site without problems. The difficulty comes when we try to "administer" the Joomla built web pages via an administrator web browser interface, which is naturally embedded within the Joomla file system.
On the localhost computer system, we can access and administer the files of the web site without problems by entering http://localhost/websitename/administrator into the web browser. We get the admin login screen and can gain access to the files and work with them normally.
However, on any other LAN computer, we can access the web site by entering the IP of the localhost computer into the browser. We enter http://192.168.5.199/websitename/administrator, and we get the login screen and can gain access to the admin files. But if we try to change anything and then save the changes, the browser automatically changes one part of the URL from 192.168.5.199 to localhost, and the browser loses its connection to the actual localhost computer and the session terminates.
If you can help, please tell us how do you tell the LAN computer's browser (which doesn't have XAMPP installed) that it should either stay connected to the 192.168.5.199 computer, or else that its localhost settings are assigned or pointing to 192.168.5.199 instead?
Please remember that our understanding is a basic level of networking and Apache.
Thanks Everyone!