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What is a Proxy Server?
Configuring your browser for Auto Configuration
MSIE 4.x
MSIE 5.x
Netscape Navigator 4.5+
How to change your Proxy Server
MSIE4.x
MSIE5.x
Netscape Navigator 4.5+

What is a Proxy Server?   Top

A Proxy is a substitute, a fill in. A Proxy Server acts as a substitute for
your PC on the Internet.
In a company network or wide area network (WAN), a Proxy Server sits between
the company network and the Internet or World Wide Web. It is usually a network
server running a Proxy Server program, like Microsoft Proxy Server or Internet
Security and Acceleration Server.

Any Internet requests made by your PC or web browser go to the Proxy Server first.
If your Proxy Server is set up to, it will ask you for a user name and password.
Next, the Proxy Server retrieves the web page you requested from the Internet.
It then stores a copy of that web page in it's cache, and forwards the web page to your PC.
If you are requesting a web page from your company Intranet, your request doesn't
go through the Proxy Server.

What if your co-worker then requests that same web page from the Internet?  
That page, which is stored in the Proxy Server's cache, is returned to your co-worker's
PC much faster than if he had made a direct request to the Internet. In this way, the Proxy
Server speeds up web browsing.

The Proxy Server can also act as a protector for a company's network.
All Internet traffic (from the company network, and to the company
network) goes through the Proxy Server(s).
By blocking out certain protocols and IP addresses, with the Proxy Server software,
you can prevent undesirable material and activity from reaching your network,
as well as keep users away from web sites they shouldn't be at.


Configuring your browser for Auto Configuration    Top

MSIE4.x    Top

1.  Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
2.  Click the View Menu | Internet Options | Connection tab.
3.  Under Proxy Server click "Access the Internet using a proxy server".
4.  At the bottom of the tab, click the Configure button under
     Automatic Configuration.
5.  In the URL field enter an address to a configuration server.
     For example:

     ftp://cache1.mycompany.com/pub/proxy.ins   
    
6. OK all the way out. Close Internet Explorer, and reopen it.



MSIE5.x   Top

1.  Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
2.  Click the Tools Menu | Internet Options | Connection tab.
3.  At the bottom of the tab, click the LAN Settings button under
     LAN Settings.
4.  In the dialog box that opens, click "Use Automatic Configuration Script",
     and in the Address field enter an address to a configuration server.
     For example:

     ftp://cache1.mycompany.com/pub/proxy.ins  
    
5.  Under Proxy Server click "Use proxy server".
6. OK all the way out. Close Internet Explorer, and reopen it.



Netscape Navigator 4.5 and up    Top

1.  Open Netscape Navigator/Communicator.
2.  Click the Edit Menu | Preferences.
     Click the plus sign (+) next to Advanced (or the little arrow),
     then click Proxies.
3.  Click "Automatic proxy configuration", and in the
     Configuration location (URL) field enter an address to a
     configuration server.  For example:

     ftp://cache1.mycompany.com/pub/proxy.ins 
    
5. OK all the way out. Close Navigator, and reopen it.



Changing your Proxy Server    Top

There may be times when your Proxy Server is down, or slow, or may 
not be the closest one to your location. You can change the Proxy 
Server your browser is using:


MSIE4.x    Top

1.  Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
2.  Click the View Menu | Internet Options | Connection tab.
3.  Under Proxy Server, enter a Proxy Server address
     and a port number.
4.  If your browser is set up for automatic configuration, you will
     have to disable that, or your Proxy Server will not be changed.
     Click the Configure button and delete the Proxy Server
     name in the field.
5. OK all the way out. Close Internet Explorer, and reopen it.



MSIE5.x    Top

1.  Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
2.  Click the Tools Menu | Internet Options | Connection tab.
3.  At the bottom of the tab, click the LAN Settings button under
     LAN Settings.
4.  If your browser is set up for automatic configuration, you will
     have to disable that or your Proxy Server will not be changed.
     Under Automatic Configuration, uncheck "Use automatic configuration script".
     Under Proxy Server, click "Use proxy server".
     Enter a Proxy Server address and a port number.
     
You can also click the Advanced button and enter the information
     under HTTP: and FTP: .
5. OK all the way out. Close Internet Explorer, and reopen it.



Netscape Navigator 4.5 and up     Top

1.  Open Netscape Navigator/Communicator.
2.  Click the Edit Menu | Preferences.
     Click the plus sign (+) next to Advanced (or the little arrow),
     then click Proxies.
3.  Click "Manual Configuration", and then the View button
     (In Netscape 6.x there is no view button.  Just enter the information)
4.  Under HTTP:, Security: and FTP: enter a Proxy Server name
     (the same one for each) and a port number.
5. OK all the way out. Close Navigator, and reopen it.

 

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