ASP.net Form Authentication cookie is missing

Question

Background: I am using javascript to communicate with my WCF service. The session of the service is in asp compatible mode. I call /publicService.svc/ajax/logon to logon, and try to retreive /User/Home.aspx by ajax.

Problem: On local dev machine (win7), and my test server (2003 + IIS6 + .net4), it works with no problem. But on the production server, the logon request will succeed but authentication will not work.

The web.config:

<authentication mode="Forms">
    <forms loginUrl="~/Account/Login.aspx" timeout="2880" name="party"  />
</authentication>

Some finding: I found the authentication cookie is missing if I access the production server.

On a working server:

logon: 
   Request Cookies: ASP.NET_SessionId: xxxxx
   Response Cookies: party: xxxxx
Home.aspx:
   Request Cookies: ASP.NET_SessionId: xxxxx
                    party: xxxxx

So far so good, but on the problemetic server:

logon: 
   Request Cookies: ASP.NET_SessionId: xxxxx
   Response Cookies: party: xxxxx
Home.aspx:
   Request Cookies: ASP.NET_SessionId: xxxxx

The authentication cookie is missing here. Therefore the authentication is not working.

What's the possible reason of this? All the requests are under same domain so no cross-domain issue here

Answer 1

This is really stupid! The server time is configured as one year ago and when I correct it everything starts to work

Answer 2

try adding this:

ticketCompatibilityMode="Framework40"

to make it

<authentication mode="Forms">
    <forms loginUrl="~/Account/Login.aspx" timeout="2880" name="party"  
    ticketCompatibilityMode="Framework40"/>
</authentication>

according to msdn "A value that indicates whether to use Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or local time for the ticket expiration date."