authenticating users with php&mysql

Hi All, I am trying to create a page with 2 text boxes a name and a password with a submit button.The user must enter his username and password that is stored in mysql to access the site. With the following code i get a successfull connection with a blank username and password but when i enter a wrong username and password i get a error that is correct. <html> <head><title>MySQL Connection</title></head> <body> <div align="centre"> <form action="<?php echo $_SERVER[PHP_SELF]; ?>" method="POST"> Name: <input type="text" name="txt_name">&nbsp; Password: <input type="text" name="txt_password">&nbsp; <br /><input type="submit" value="Submit"> </div> </form> </body> </html> <?php $db_host = "localhost"; $db_user = $_POST["txt_name"]; $db_password = $_POST["txt_password"]; $db_name = "data"; $connection = @mysql_connect ($db_host, $db_user, $db_password) or die ("error connecting"); echo "connection successful!"; ?> What is the best way to authenticate users against mysql for login? Regards ______________________________________________________________ http://www.webmail.co.za the South African FREE email service