How to redirect all requests for a Web site to a page that exists within the Web site in IIS 6.0

When you configure site level redirection for a Web site in Internet Information Services 6.0, all client requests for resources in the Web site are redirected to another resource. However, if you redirect incoming client requests for a Web site to a page that exists within the Web site, you may experience unexpected issues. For example, if you configure IIS to redirect client requests to a page that is named Redirect.html, IIS may redirect your requests in an endless loop when you request the Redirect.html page. This article describes how to correctly redirect all requests for a Web site to a page that exists within the Web site.

To redirect all requests for resources in a Web site to a page that exists within that Web site, follow these steps:

1. Configure the HTTPRedirect property for the Web site. To configure the HTTPRedirect property for the Web site, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type Inetmgr.exe, and then click OK.
   2. Expand the server that you want, and then expand Web Sites.
   3. Right-click Default Web Site, and then click Properties.
   4. On the Home Directory tab, click A redirection to a URL.
   5. In the Redirect to box, type the URL for the Redirect.html page.
   6. Select the The exact URL entered above check box, click Apply, and then click OK.
2. Override the HTTPRedirect property for the Redirect.html page. To override the HTTPRedirect property for the Redirect.html page, follow these steps:
   
   Note You must be running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) to follow these steps. In earlier versions of Windows Server 2003, you must programmatically override the HTTPRedirect property when you use a wildcard character.
   1. In IIS Manager, right-click Redirect.html, and then click Properties.
   2. On the File tab, delete the URL for the Redirect.html page.
   3. On the File tab, type *;! in the Redirect to box.
   4. Click Apply, and then click OK.

For more information about the HTTPRedirect property, visit the following Microsoft MSDN Web site: For more information about how to configure IIS Manager to accept wildcard characters when you redirect incoming client requests, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: