About Apache Rewrite Function to Shorten URL - apache

Question

I have an URL "http://10.21.50.66:8123/test/file/index.htm" which hosted in Apache server. I would like to shorten the URL to just "http://10.21.50.66:8123/" and I managed to do it by using Rewrite function in httpd.conf. However, when I type "http://10.21.50.66:8123/" in browser, it will redirect and the URL of the browser will change back to the long url "http://10.21.50.66:8123/test/file/index.htm". What I would like to archive is that when every time I type "http://10.21.50.66:8123" in browser, the browser will open "http://10.21.50.66:8123/test/file/index.htm" but the URL on the browser will still showing "http://10.21.50.66:8123/". Below is the currecnt setting:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^/$ http://10.21.50.66:8123/test/file/index.htm [R,L]
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

If you use [R], the Apache will return response code 302 to the browser (with the new Location), which will cause that new URL to appear in address bar.
try:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^/$ /test/file/index.htm [L]

Answer 2

You need to create a virtual host in httpd.conf. You might find it in extras folder too as httpd.vhosts.conf Its something like this:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin admin#test.com
ServerName test.com
ServerAlias www.test.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/test.com/public_html
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
you need to write something like:
<VirtualHost 10.21.50.66:8123>
ServerAdmin admin#test.com
ServerName test.com
ServerAlias www.test.com
DocumentRoot [path to your test/file folder]
ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>