WordPress.org

Author: Charlene Barina

A plugin that allows the use of an external MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MSSQL database for authentication into wordpress. It requires you know the encryption method for the passwords stored in the external database and allows you to use MD5, SHA1, plaintext, or enter the hash/salt method yourself. It also allows you to enter a custom message for users concerning logins, and it disables password reset/retrieval within the wordpress system on the user-end.

This plugin also now supports user role checks from the external database: you can set the plugin to check from a specific role field and compare to a value to allow login to wordpress.

For WP-MU 2.6.5, use 3.05 3.1+ is now compatible with WP-MU 2.7 or higher.

If you want to connect to a PostgreSQL or MSSQL database, you will need to install the MDB2 PEAR database abstraction package and relevant database drivers. MySQL continues to use the built-in PHP functions.

This plugin is particularly useful if you want users to login to do groupblogging, but want some control over who can login due to previous records. To do this, you'll also need to change new user default role in Settings->General to something other than merely a subscriber.