Skip to main content

Basic Authentication

Configure HTTP Basic Authentication for monitoring sites that are password-protected.

Overview​

Many staging and development environments use HTTP Basic Authentication to restrict access. Pulsar supports Basic Auth credentials so you can monitor these protected sites.

When to Use Basic Auth​

  • Staging environments with password protection
  • Development sites behind HTTP authentication
  • Pre-launch sites with restricted access
  • Password-protected admin areas

Configuration​

Setting Up Basic Auth for a Site​

  1. Go to Sites in the left-hand menu
  2. Click on the site you want to configure
  3. Find the Basic Auth section in site settings
  4. Enter your credentials:
    • Username - The Basic Auth username
    • Password - The Basic Auth password
  5. Click Save

Pulsar will include these credentials in all HTTP requests to your site.

Testing the Configuration​

After saving:

  1. Pulsar will attempt a check with the new credentials
  2. If successful, the site status will update
  3. If credentials are incorrect, you'll see a 401 Unauthorized error

Security​

warning

Basic Auth credentials are stored securely but transmitted with every request. Only use this for sites you own and trust.

Best Practices​

  1. Use unique credentials - Don't reuse passwords from production
  2. Rotate regularly - Update credentials periodically
  3. Limit scope - Only add Basic Auth to sites that require it
  4. Remove when not needed - Clear credentials when protection is removed

Troubleshooting​

401 Unauthorized Errors​

If you see 401 errors after configuring Basic Auth:

  • Verify the username and password are correct
  • Check for typos or extra whitespace
  • Confirm the site actually uses Basic Auth (not form-based login)
  • Try the credentials in a browser to verify they work

Still Getting Blocked​

Some servers have additional security:

  • IP allowlisting may be blocking Pulsar's servers
  • The site may use a different authentication method
  • Check if there's a WAF or CDN blocking requests

Limitations​

  • Basic Auth only - Form-based logins are not supported
  • Credentials apply to the entire site (all monitored pages)
  • Cannot use different credentials for different pages on the same site