title: Can you share the session variables between two .net 2.0+ applications?
body: <p>I was told this works, but...</p>
  
  <p>I guess I'm just not getting this, it seems there's a hidden step I may be missing, can anyone correct this or point out my mistake? Thanks.</p>
  
  <p>I have a blank solution:<br>
  - inside is two .net 2.0 web applications<br>
  1) webapp1<br>
  2) webapp2</p>
  
  <p>I want them to share the same session data.</p>
  
  <p>My page setups:</p>
  
  <p>Application 1:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Session("value") = "this is the value"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Application 2:</p>
  
  <pre><code>If Not (Session("value") Is Nothing) Then
      value = Session("value").ToString()
  End If
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My thought process:</p>
  
  <p>1) go to services, turn on the asp.net state service<br>
  2) open the web configs in both projects: set the</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt; machineKey 
  validationKey="BFE2909A81903BB303D738555FEBC0C63EB39636F6FEFBF8005936CBF5FEB88CE327BDBD56AD70749F502FF9D5DECF575C13FA2D17CA8870ED21AD935635D4CC" 
  decryptionKey="2A86BF77049EBA3A2FA786325592D640D5ACD17AF8FFAC04" validation="SHA1" /&gt;
  &lt; sessionState mode="StateServer" stateConnectionString="tcpip=localhost:42424" 
  cookieless="false" timeout="20"/&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>in both sites.<br>
  3) compile and test the site<br>
  4) become disappointed because it does not work. I never see the session from the second webapp.</p>