htaccess Password

Hi,

I have just set up htaccess.

i have spcified the username and encrypted password but for some reason the server seems unaible to decrypt it. For example;

pompalomp:ZGnbI5k7W9VAw

the unencypted version of this is

pompalomp:dog

However when i enter the above into the username and password box, it refuses to accept it. For some reason though it does accept the username and the encrypted password (ZGnbI5k7W9VAw).

Here is my htaccess file;

AuthName "Restricted Area"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile ../../../.htpasswd
AuthGroupFile /dev/null
require user cathy

here is my htpasswd file;

pompalomp:ZGnbI5k7W9VAw

Any help would be appericiated

Regards,

Pompalomp