From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri May 18 11:40:50 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B03D416A401 for ; Fri, 18 May 2007 11:40:50 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from gamato@users.sf.net) Received: from mail.pipni.cz (mail.pipni.cz [193.86.238.3]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4663D13C45A for ; Fri, 18 May 2007 11:40:50 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from gamato@users.sf.net) Received: from mail.pipni.cz ([193.86.238.3] helo=gamato.org) id 1Hp0pE-0004RV-CO; Fri, 18 May 2007 13:40:48 +0200 From: "mato" To: Steve Bertrand Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 13:40:48 +0200 Message-Id: <20070518111220.M71302@pobox.sk> In-Reply-To: <464D67E9.10601@ibctech.ca> References: <464D25DF.4090005@ibctech.ca> <20070518063153.M6541@users.sf.net> <464D67E9.10601@ibctech.ca> X-Mailer: OpenWebMail 2.52 20061019 X-OriginatingIP: 80.95.102.235 (m@gamato.org) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: configuring network connection via proxy X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 11:40:50 -0000 On Fri, 18 May 2007 04:46:33 -0400, Steve Bertrand wrote > > I appreciate your patience and diligence here. However, if I understand > correctly (please tell me if I'm wrong anybody), that configuring these > settings, whether it be in 'Control Panel' Internet Options, or via the > same within IE, you are only configuring a proxy server for any > applications/Internet connections that happen through the IE interface. > > Essentially, IE is a looking glass in this scenario. You type > ftp.freebsd.org in your IE browser, and it will tunnel through the proxy > set in the 'Control Panel' settings, because you are in IE. If you were > to fire up 'cmd' at the command line and run 'ftp', or run a third party > FTP application such as IIRC 'CuteFTP', it would not tunnel through what > you think it does. > > If I understand correctly what you are trying to do, then AFAIK, you > need to understand beyond the 'Internet Options' of IE, and get into > tunneling and proxying beyond the application layer you are sitting at. > I know no other way to say it. > > I have the exact same settings in a default Firefox install on FBSD, > and Windows, as I do IE. Just because you go through control panel, > it isn't any different. IE is so much part of Windows, it may as > well be hard coded in (as a matter of fact, it was, with IE7, they > are just starting to separate it). > I know what you are trying to explain. But you really get more with setting up proxy in Internet options in Windows (or via IE). As I said before many modern Windows applications, whether from MS or 3rd party, have option to use IE connection settings (or do it automatically). Thus you wouldn't need to change proxy settings in each application but it'd be enough to do it in one place (Internet options / IE). > > And this is precisely what I would like to achieve on FreeBSD. To have the > > ability to turn on using of proxy in one place and not to have go through > > each application (eg web browser, FTP client, portsnap, cvsup, etc.) and > > change their settings manually (if possible at all). > > What do you do in Windows that you 'think' is going via proxy, that > is done *outside* your Internet Explorer (or any other 'File > Manager' type window), that you can't do in FreeBSD? quote: > > - "web browser" ... Firefox (and all others) > - "FTP client" ... there isn't one I can't think of, including FireFTP > plugin for Firefox > - "portsnap" ... what is a Windows equivalent? (..hrm FTP?) > - "cvsup" ... same as above (..FTP?) > Yes, and this is the "issue". You need to change your proxy settings in many places instead of just one. So if you have a few applications and must change proxy settings often ... :-(( > Are you trying to bypass a corporate firewall? Are you trying to hide > information? > > With accurate information as to what you are trying to proxy around and > what protocols (applications) you need to put through the proxy, then > any number of solutions can be provided. I'd hate to think you are > relying on a few proxy settings within Windows for something they are > completely not intended for, especially with a misguided understanding. No. I'm not trying to bypass anything. Let's consider HTTP(S) and FTP for the beginning. I guess I would just need to run a local proxy and configure all apps to use this local proxy and then only change proxy settings in one place. Having some sort of transparent proxy would be even better as I wouldn't have to reconfigure all apps and I would have to run the proxy only if needed. I know there are some big proxies out there but I'm asking for something simple and functional and easy to set up. And this info should be part of the handbook, IMHO. TIA, Martin