How To openID Enable Your Blog

In a follow up from my previous post here, I want to quickly outline how to openID enable your WordPress blog.  I know it isn’t Linux / Ubuntu related, but we can stretch and say that your server is running on Linux / Ubuntu so it’s close enough, right? 🙂

Register For an OpenID

The first thing you need to do, if you haven’t already, is setup an openID.  You can find a provider (openID provider list), or use the server I used at myOpenID.

Register at one of the providers for free, and you should end up with something similar to:

username.myopenid.com

Install the Plugins

Download the openID WordPress plugin

Download the openID Delegation plugin

Install both of these to your /wp-content/plugins/ folder, and activate them within your blog Dashboard > Plugins menu.  (details for installing each plugin are on each link above, but this is the general idea.)

Once the plugins are installed and activated you’ll need to enter a few details in the settings for each.  Navigate your way to Options and select the OpenID submenu.  There you’ll need to enter the trusted root of your site, which is generally the full domain, ie; http://ubuntu-tutorials.com.  The other settings on that page are up to you, but you’ll probably want the last three checked at least.

Once you have these settings updated make sure to Save, and then navigate to the OpenID Delegation submenu.  On this tab you’ll need to fill in three fields.  These are pretty simple.  In my case, with an openID address of http://zelut.myopenid.com the three fields are:

http://zelut.myopenid.com

http://zelut.myopenid.com

http://zelut.myopenid.com/xrds

Match those to your openID registered address (if not registered at myopenID.com your address will be different).

At this point your site should be OpenID enabled.  Anyone with an OpenID can then comment or register on your site, without having to actually register on your site.  It’s perfect.  Enjoy.