Getting the UserName in MVC3 "internet" application using User.Identity.Name - asp.net

Question

I've been getting an empty string whenever I try to retrieve the logged in username in my controller. When I first created the app, I selected 'Internet application' template. I also deleted the default account controller, account models and _logon views as I didn't need them. I'm using my own styling, so I removed site.css from the project as well.
After playing around with the web.config for a while, I figured out that "User.Identity.Name" actually works if I change the authentication mode in web.config to windows. If I leave it on 'forms' authentication mode, I only get an empty string whenever I try to get the username.
Recently, I changed the authentication mode to Windows and used User.Identity.Name in one of my controllers to get the user name, but whenever I run the app, I get an error on the browser, stating "localhost/Account/LogOn/..." is not found. (not directing to my usual view) ( I didn't make any changes in Global.asax either.)
If I change the authentication mode back to forms, my view works fine, but I don't get to see the user name (just an empty string). Is there anyway I can find a way around this problem. Is there anything wrong with routing or something ? I can't afford to start over again using "intranet Application" template.
I'm a beginner in MVC, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Answer 1

If you are using asp.net mvc, try System.Environment.UserName
inside your web.config, use
<authentication mode="Windows" />
<identity impersonate="true" />
The error you are getting is because you removed a logon view it still must be refered to somewhere within your application, so if you don't need the logon view, make sure you remove all refences to it from you code.

Answer 2

Internet applications works per default with forms authentication. The purpose of Windows authentication is for intranets, where the web application runs under a windows user. Then the authentication works "automatically".
If you want to have an internet application with registered users, you should put the following configuration in web.config:
<authentication mode="Forms">
<forms loginUrl="~/Account/LogOn" timeout="2880" />
</authentication>
Then you need an AccountController (was there in the default template and you have probably deleted) and a Logon action within the controller. You also need all the views of the account controller (logon, register, change password etc.). The best would be you create a new internet application and check everything that's there. Just copy the stuff you need into your application.
You also need a user database. The default uses an express database with standard tables and stored procedures. If needed, you can use your own tables, then you have to rewrite the methods in the account controller or write your own membership provider.
The reason why you don't see a user name is because you have no login.
EDIT: If you want to display the Windows user name, you should set the authentication mode to windows (or just delete the authentication section, as it is the default). Then you can access the user name. But you will have to delete the tag.
<authentication mode="Windows" />

Answer 3

Sounds like you aren't even authenticating first, so there is no username:
#if (Request.IsAuthenticated) {
<span>#User.Identity.Name</span>
}
else {
<span>You aren't authenticated</span>
}