Greetings! We run a members-only site that is going to be moving to a new host in the new year, and we need some advice.

At this point, we've used just our host's "protect folder" thing for usernames and passwords, but this has been very NOT user-friendly. For starters, members can't input their own usernames and passwords; they can't edit their information, either. Also, because Windows can be quirky sometimes, it often asks people to sign in two and three times, which can be VERY annoying. Lastly, the folders inside this members directory (such as the "forum" folder) can be accessed by direct url without even signing in.

I know we should probably move to database to clear these issues up, but we're NOT sure at all how to go about it; suggestions would be more than welcome!