Setup a Proxy in Ubuntu
Some networks in offices require that you use a web proxy (often referred to as an HTTP proxy). A proxy is a server computer that provides additional security by providing a single portal to all web pages. It also helps speed up Internet access by storing frequently accessed pages. This means that if ten people request the same web page, there's no need to get the same ten pieces of data from the Internet. The proxy computer can send them its own copies.
You'll need to speak to your system administrator to see if your office uses a proxy. If it does, your administrator will most likely give you an address, which may take the form of a web address (a URL) or an IP address. Once you have this information, follow these steps to configure the proxy:
1) Open Network Proxy Preferences (System → Preferences → Network Proxy).
2) On the Proxy Configuration tab, choose one of the three types of proxy configuration:
- Direct Internet Connection is basically not using a proxy at all when accessing the Internet.
- Manual Proxy Configuration enables you to set the proxy servers and respective ports for HTTP proxy, Secure HTTP proxy, FTP proxy, and Socks host. You can fill in this information based on the settings you received from your system administrator. If you were provided with one proxy for Internet access, check Use the Same Proxy for All Protocols and fill in the details for the HTTP proxy and port. If your proxy uses authentication, click the Details button. In the HTTP Proxy Details dialog box, check Use Authentication, and then supply the username and password. Click the Close button.
- Automatic Proxy Configuration allows you to enter the link (URL) to discover the proxy settings in your office.
3) On the Advanced Configuration tab, you can set the list of sites that will bypass the proxy. By default, any site hosted on your computer is bypassed. You can add and remove sites as well. You normally add intranet (internal) web sites to this list.
4) Click the Close button after you're finished making changes to the proxy settings.
TIP: Some ISPs run proxy servers, too. However, unlike proxies in offices, it's normally up to you whether you choose to use them. You might find that using a proxy speeds up your connection, especially when you access popular sites, so it's worth trying out. To find out if your ISP offers a proxy, visit its technical support web pages or phone its technical support line.
Tags: ftp,http,proxy,network,security
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