URL Rewrite not working on .htaccess - php

Question

I have implemented my small website on a live server, however I want to use url-rewrite for some links to make it clean. I try this on my localhost server:
http://localhost/cb/2/login.php to http://localhost/cb/2/login
I manage to make it work on my localhost server by editing the httpd.conf of apache and enable url-rewrite. Here's the rule I added to apache:
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteRule ^/cb/2/login$ /cb/2/login.php
</IfModule>
However, when I upload my files to a live server, obviously I do not have privilege to edit httpd.conf of that server, so I just put my rewrite rule on .htaccess file and here's the content of it:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteRule ^/login$ /login.php [L,QSA,NC]
But when I try to test it, 404 not found is the response of server. I also try to implement in on my localhost server assuming I cannot edit the apache config and same error occurs, Object not found!
I have no idea what will I do next. I'm new to this url rewrite rule so any help will be much appreciated :)

Answer 1

UPDATE
After a lengthy discussion with the OP it seems there is a lot more going on behind the scenes.
The end result is no matter what is placed in the .htaccess file... it doesn't function.
OP was advised to contact the web host, but I will leave my original answer below for others on the site.
Remove the forward slashes from your rewrite rule
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteRule ^cb/2/login$ cb/2/login.php [L,QSA,NC]
You changed your rewrite rule used on localhost when you put it on a live server. Assuming your directory structure is the same you should keep your rewrite rule the same (minus the forward slashes).
Remember in rewrite rules...
The text between ^ and $ is what the visitor will input into the url bar, is what your link will be and is what the visitor will see in the url bar.
The next block is the location where the actual file exists.
UPDATE
If you want your visitor to go to www.examplewebsite.com/login.php and you want the url to look like www.example.com/login... your rewrite rule would be simply...
RewriteRule ^login$ login.php [L,QSA,NC] # Handle log-in
Now... let's say that your login.php is inside another directory called admin...
RewriteRule ^login$ admin/login.php [L,QSA,NC] # Handle log-in
These two lines mean...
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
If the url is not a "real" directory or the url is not a "real" file... then process the rule.
That's why using RewriteRule ^login$ index.php causes your url to be rewritten as www.examplesite.com/login.php because the rewrite rule cannot be processed (index.php could not be found), BUT login.php is a "real" file.... so it goes to it.

Answer 2

please try:
Options All -Indexes
Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} !(\.png|\.jpg|\.gif|\.jpeg|\.bmp)$
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*) /index.php