Open and Closed Access modes are two options for managing the level of security for participants of questionnaires on the LimeSurvey software package.
Closed Access Mode (recommended)
Closed Access Mode adds a level of security and control to your questionnaire. A participant must provide a valid token (password) in order to submit responses to a questionnaire in Closed Access mode. Closed Access mode is similar to a password protected questionnaire without requiring that you create full user accounts for each questionnaire participant. Closed Access mode is recommended for all questionnaires available on the Internet. Questionnaires hosted on a private, local network may not need Closed Access mode enabled, but ultimately the decision should be dependent upon your unique requirements.
Steps 10-15 in CONFIGURATION detail one method of enabling Closed Access Mode and enabling Tokens.
Open Access Mode
Open Access Mode allows anyone who knows the URL of questionnaire to submit responses. In controlled environments or private networks, open access mode may be sufficient security to ensure responses originate from the intended participants. Open Access mode does not require additional configuration. Open Access mode is generally not recommended for questionnaires hosted on the Internet as contrasted to questionnaires hosted on a private, local network.
Because Open Access Mode is not recommended for the purposes of conducting studies, no instructions exist in this wiki for using Open Access Mode. Use Open Access Mode at your own risk and refer to LimeSurvey documentation for more information.