Fixing Incorrect Username Or Password Error Open Live Writer And WordPress
If you're encountering the frustrating "Incorrect Username or Password" error when trying to connect Open Live Writer (OLW) to your self-hosted WordPress site, especially after a rebuild or migration, you're not alone. This issue can arise due to various reasons, and this article delves into a specific scenario and solution that might help you resolve it. This detailed guide will help you understand the root cause of the issue and implement a fix to get Open Live Writer working seamlessly with your WordPress site.
Understanding the Problem: Open Live Writer and WordPress Authentication
The core of the issue lies in how Open Live Writer communicates with WordPress using the XML-RPC protocol. OLW uses XML-RPC to send requests to your WordPress site, such as retrieving blog information or posting new content. When authentication fails, it's often due to a mismatch in the expected parameters or how WordPress interprets these requests. To effectively troubleshoot this issue, it's crucial to understand the communication flow between OLW and WordPress. This involves examining the methods used for authentication and identifying any discrepancies in the parameters being passed. Let's discuss the specific problem encountered when using Open Live Writer (OLW) with WordPress, particularly in a multisite setup. The error message “Incorrect Username or Password” can be misleading, as it doesn't always indicate a simple typo. In many cases, it points to deeper compatibility issues between OLW and the WordPress XML-RPC server. This problem is exacerbated when using a multisite installation, where the authentication process can become more complex due to the structure of multiple blogs sharing a single WordPress instance.
The Multisite Factor and XML-RPC
Multisite installations introduce an additional layer of complexity because each site within the network has its own set of users and permissions. When OLW attempts to connect to a specific site within the network, it needs to provide the correct credentials and site identifier. XML-RPC, the communication protocol used by OLW, must correctly handle the multisite context to ensure proper authentication. If there are any discrepancies in how the site is identified or how the user credentials are passed, authentication can fail. Therefore, understanding how multisite setups interact with XML-RPC is essential for diagnosing and resolving the "Incorrect Username or Password" error. When Open Live Writer (OLW) attempts to connect to a WordPress site, it interacts with the WordPress XML-RPC server. This server acts as an intermediary, handling requests from external applications like OLW and translating them into actions within WordPress. The process involves several steps, including authenticating the user, verifying permissions, and executing the requested action. If any of these steps fail, the connection can be refused, leading to the dreaded error message. The XML-RPC server in WordPress uses specific methods to handle user authentication and blog retrieval. One crucial method is wp.getUsersBlogs, which OLW uses to fetch a list of blogs associated with the provided credentials. If this method receives incorrect parameters or encounters an issue during execution, authentication will fail. This is particularly relevant in the described scenario, where the parameters passed by OLW to the wp.getUsersBlogs method are not correctly interpreted by the server.
The Technical Deep Dive: Analyzing the Code and Identifying the Mismatch
The user's experience highlights a specific issue within the wp-includes/class-wp-xmlrpc-server.php file. The problem lies in the wp_getUsersBlogs method, which is responsible for authenticating users and retrieving their associated blogs. Understanding the technical details of this method and how it interacts with the parameters sent by OLW is crucial to grasping the solution. The core issue stems from how Open Live Writer (OLW) sends parameters to the WordPress XML-RPC server, specifically the wp_getUsersBlogs method. This method expects a certain number of parameters in a specific order. However, OLW, when using the blogger.getUsersBlogs method name, sends an extra parameter that disrupts the authentication process. This discrepancy causes WordPress to misinterpret the username and password, leading to the