Can't include file on remote server

Question

My problem is that I can't include a file on a remote server.

<?php
  echo "Including\n";
  require_once("http://xx.xxx.xxx.xx:8080/path/to/myfile.inc");
  echo "Done..\n";
?>

The script fails at the require_once function. I'm running the script with: php -d allow_url_include=On script.php but to make sure I have set allow_url_include and allow_url_fopen to On in php.ini

If I copy http://xx.xxx.xxx.xx:8080/path/to/myfile.inc to the browser I'm served the file. I have also tried to include other remote files (on standard port 80), but still no luck

Where I get really confused is that everything works from my local computers at my office (mac, ubuntu), but not from our servers. I have tested it on 2 different servers, a virtual and a dedicated. I can get the file with fopen().

Answer 1

Require_Once should be used for local files only. If you want to get a remote file use file_get_contents. Remember if you are trying to include php from a remote server like that, it will be really insecure or the php will be executed on the remote server.

Answer 2

This can be done by setting allow_url_include to on on php.ini.

But, as mentioned in comments, this opens a

huge

security hole on your application.