# Http-request password - 401 error

**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/http-request-password-401-error/10313
**Category:** General
**Created:** [18 April 2019 01:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/http-request-password-401-error/10313 "2019-04-18T01:59:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 8

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### Author: ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)
#### Post date: [19 April 2019 21:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/http-request-password-401-error/10313/8 "2019-04-19T21:56:23Z")

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Mike,  
I'm not a security expert, but in this older [post](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/http-request-digest-auth/3854) there was a rather similar problem.

Could it be that your web switch also uses **digest authentication** instead of _basic authentication_? Both methods require a username and password. But the request library uses basic authentication, unless it is specified explicit that digest authentication is required.

If you update to the latest Node-RED version, then your http-request node will [support](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/pull/2061) Digest Authentication:

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/2/2aaec74f142d75769e684c7c38a142e30e46c3d2.png)

Would be nice if you could test whether that solves the problem!

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