What are proxy servers and how to use them. How to set up a proxy: manual and programmatic methods What is a proxy and how to use it
A proxy is a special server that acts as an intermediary between the client’s browser and the network resource it requests. It has its own IP address, which allows it to be used for various additional purposes.
A proxy server can be used by an Internet service provider or the owner of a corporate network to speed up the loading of web pages for clients with a slow connection and save Internet traffic. In this case, its main task is to cache data from the most popular pages and send them to client computers from its storage. The user does not need to make special settings on his computer. Proxy can also be used for anonymity internet surfing
Many people have heard about the concept of a proxy server. This term is quite common in the computer environment. Now we will look at what it is and how to use a proxy server depending on its type. In addition, a basic understanding of preferred settings will be given.
What is a proxy server?
In general, the concept of a proxy server for an uninitiated user, especially in terms of operating principles, may seem quite complicated. Let's try to describe all this in the simplest language.
At its core, a proxy server is a service that acts as an intermediary between the user's computer terminal and resources located on the Internet. Unlike a direct connection to resources, in this case an indirect connection is made, so to speak. First, the user request is transmitted to the proxy, then the information is searched in the cache, and only then the request is transmitted to the appropriate resource with subsequent loading of the information.
However, the question of how to use a proxy server is quite simple, because all operations occur without the participation of the user. Another thing is the correct setting. This is what we will talk about now.
Standard proxy server settings in Windows
Let's start with the simplest settings that are made when the computer terminal is first connected to a local network or the Internet.
In the browser settings, you enter the connections menu, where you select the “Network Settings” button. At the bottom there are two fields related to the proxy server. In most cases, these options are disabled, since many providers today simply do not use such servers.
If there is a problem with how to use the proxy server in terms of settings, you first need to enable it, and then enter the preferred address provided by the provider. The default port value is “80”, but it can be easily changed.
In most cases, there is no need to use proxies for local addresses, since they all belong to the same network environment. It goes without saying that all these actions must be performed with automatic configuration disabled. Otherwise, the specified fields will simply be inactive. In addition, almost the same procedure is provided for those cases in which there is only a modem connection. Only here you will have to specify the name of the connection: for example, the name of the operator servicing the USB modem.
Again, after entering the name, you will need to enter the server address, port, login and password, if provided by the operator.
How to set up and use an Internet proxy server?
On the other hand, in any browser, not just Internet Explorer or its new modification called Edge (Windows 10), you can make similar settings.
For example, in the Mozilla Firefox browser, to access such functions, you use the network connections settings in the tools menu. First, it is indicated that the proxy will be configured manually, after which the above procedures are repeated. In the Opera browser, everything is done by changing the network settings in the general settings menu.
As is already clear, this applies mainly to free servers, of which you can find a huge number on the Internet. Before you start using it directly from the site, you just need to write down all the configuration data, and then apply them in any Internet browser.
The situation is interesting when you need to know how to use an anonymous proxy server. Such services are capable of changing the external IP address of any computer, which allows you to remain “unrecognized” on the Internet, as well as hide traces of your presence there from prying eyes.
As a rule, in most cases there is no need to configure anything here. You just need to go to such a server and that’s it. True, in some cases registration and subsequent authorization may be required, but even if such a procedure is provided, it only takes a few minutes. Most anonymous proxy servers do not set such conditions, except for servers with increased anonymity. You can also apply standard settings in browsers indicating all parameters.
Problems and errors
As for situations where a proxy server error occurs, this can mainly only be due to incorrect settings. Here you will have to re-check all the entered parameters, and if necessary, simply change them. And the server itself may, for example, temporarily not work.
Separately, it is worth saying that if the provider does not provide services for using proxy settings, there is nothing to try to change anything, anyway, nothing will get better, or even the connection will be interrupted altogether.
A proxy server is a computer that is connected as an intermediate link between your computer and the Internet. As a rule, powerful stationary computers equipped with a reliable security system and independent power supply are used as proxy servers.
Areas of application of proxy servers
To understand why a proxy is needed, you need to simulate several common situations. The first is speeding up work with the Internet. For example, your computer is quite old and cannot work quickly. To speed up the search, just contact an intermediary (proxy-intermediary), who, at your request, will quickly find the required information and transfer it to your computer. In a few seconds it will “shovel” many sites, and all you have to do is go to the required one.
The second situation is that your account is blocked by a certain site on which you need to work. You need to go to the proxy, and it will open the page using its IP address. This ability to work anonymously can also be useful for surfing the Internet, especially if you are not using a personal computer.
It wouldn't hurt to know why a proxy is needed for heads of companies and departments. If you use one of the computers on the internal network as a proxy server with exclusive access to the Internet, and connect the rest to it, then it is very easy to control the use of the World Wide Web by employees. If you receive some corporate information from the central office or partner offices, it is enough to register the IP address of your proxy there. All employees will be able to receive the necessary data without straining the security system of the storage medium.
You can also configure the proxy server to restrict access to certain sites. This is especially true in schools or computer clubs. If your family uses multiple computers, you can also use a proxy system.
Setting up a proxy in different browsers
Not everyone, even a fairly experienced user, knows how to use a proxy in a particular computer or laptop. One thing you need to remember is that the setting does not depend on the type or brand of computer. You need to focus on the browser that the user is using. If you managed to set up one browser, you will immediately understand how to use proxies with the help of others. The settings are not too different, but some can be considered separately.
One of the popular browsers, Mozilla Firefox, is configured using the “Tools” button. You need to select “manual proxy settings” in the “connection settings” item, enter the proxy port number and server name in the required fields and click “OK”. Then restart the browser by turning it off and on again.
In the equally well-known browser Opera 5.X - 7.x, work on setting up a proxy begins with the “File” button. Then select “settings” - “categories” - “connections”. In the window that appears, click on the “proxy servers” button. Then indicate the appropriate protocols for using the proxy (HTTP, HTTPS...) by checking the appropriate boxes. "OK" and reboot.
You can specify English proxy servers in the address bars, thus gaining access to many English-language sites in Europe and America.
Most of all, you need to know how to set up a proxy in the Internet Explorer browser, which is standard on almost all computers. Even when working on someone else's computer with an unfamiliar browser installed, you can safely switch to Internet Explorer and take advantage of the necessary functions.
First, in the “service” menu, select “internet options” and the “connection” tab. Then “set up a local network” and select the desired connection. In the box in front of the “use a proxy server” option, put a checkmark. Enter the port number and server name in the required fields. Next, we indicate the parameters for various protocols. After closing the windows, restart the browser.
The article was written based on materials from the site https://proxyelite.ru
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Internet users often have a desire to hide their IP address. This raises the question: “proxy?” This can be done “manually”, i.e. you can set up a proxy server in your browser yourself or use special Proxy programs that can independently find a working proxy server and integrate it into your browser.
If you choose the first method, you are likely to encounter a number of problems that complicate your work when searching for proxy lists and checking their performance, because many proxies are not working.
The second way to solve the problem “how to set up a proxy” is much simpler for a beginner, but it should be taken into account that some programs are paid and they are most often in English.
Setting up a proxy manually
To configure a proxy manually, you need to go through three steps:
find proxy lists (lists of proxy servers on websites);
integrate them into a proxy on your browser);
check the proxy for functionality (using special sites).
Proxy lists are posted publicly on the network, which can be easily found by a search engine by requesting a search for free proxy lists or “free proxy”.
The proposed list does not always contain only working proxy servers, so the site with the found list always offers a function for checking them, which helps to weed out the “dead” ones, but this is also not a 100% guarantee.
Checking such servers on the site ends with the formation of a table with the results of the check.
Analyzing it allows you to choose a suitable proxy server. When viewing the table, you should pay attention to whether the proxy is also hiding the IP. If not, then we discard this option.
Now we need to install a proxy server in our browser. There are differences in setting up proxy servers for different browsers.
Setting up proxy servers in Internet Explorer
Select the first working proxy from the list.
1. Having opened Internet Explorer, through the “Tools” panel (at the top) go to “Internet Options”.
2. Going to the “Connections” tab and selecting ours (in this case “internet”), go to “Settings”.
3. In the new window, select “Use a proxy server for this connection” by checking the box. After this, the “Port” and “Address” fields are activated. From the selected proxy, insert the last 4 digits into the “Port”, and all the rest, respectively, into the “Address”.
Setting up proxy servers in Mozilla FireFox
1. Open and go to “Tools” (top panel), select the “Settings...” tab.
2. Then select the “Network” tab and click “Configure...”.
3. After the “Connection Settings” window opens, check the “Manual configuration of the Proxy service” checkbox. Clicking activates the “HTTP Proxy” field and the “Port” field. We enter “HTTP and Port” from the selected proxy.
All changes have been completed, including leaving the “Do not use proxy for:” column as default.
After clicking “Ok”, the proxy setup will be completed.
Setting up proxy servers in Opera
1. Open Opera, go through the “Tools” panel to “Settings...”.
2. Then go to “Advanced”, after which a menu will appear on the left, where you need to select the “Network” section and click “Proxies…”
3. In the new “Proxy Servers” window, check the box next to “HTTP” and enter “HTTP” and “Port”.
Checking the functionality of the selected proxy server
After the proxy setup in the selected browser is completed, save the change and go to any site for checking location and IP address.
If the page does not load, it means the proxy is not working. We configure the next proxy from the proxy list.
If the page displays your city, it means something was done wrong or the proxy is “dead”.
If the page does not display your city, it means that you did an excellent job with the task of setting up a proxy.
To disable the proxy, you need to uncheck the box in the settings of the selected browser about choosing a proxy server.
Programs for accessing a proxy server
Programs have been developed for anonymous surfing. The most popular programs for solving the problem “How to set up a proxy” are Mask Surf, Proxyassistant, ProxySwitcherStandard. Their use greatly facilitates the search for a list of proxy lists, reduces the time spent on checking and integrating the found proxy into the browser.
The Internet on the local network of any organization is a double-edged weapon: as they say, you want it and you don’t want it. On the one hand, it is now almost impossible to work without “connection with the outside world,” and there is a lot of useful information on the global network; on the other hand, connecting to the office Internet network sharply reduces its information security, and careless employees will not fail to immediately take advantage of “ freebie."
Therefore, the decision to include a proxy server in the enterprise’s local network remains the only correct and most economical one - it will act as a kind of security on the way to the global information web.
Practice has shown that free proxies are very slow and are not suitable for such purposes. Therefore, we decided to buy a couple of elite proxies on, where the Internet channel speed is 100 Mbit/s.
And in this article we will look at the proxy server settings on a computer with Windows 7 OS, and also touch on the question of how to connect the Internet through a local network proxy server.
Let’s make a reservation right away that we’re talking about installing a proxy yourself, and using all kinds of software for these purposes is the topic of a separate, very informative article.
Why do you need a proxy server?
First, let's briefly look at how a proxy server works, and why this device is needed on a simple local network
So, a proxy server is a set of software that regulates access settings to external resources (in the general case, to the global Internet).
Essentially, a proxy server indicates that one of its network connections is external and the other is internal.
At the same time, for the internal connection, it assigns certain access rules to the external connection.
The reverse function of a proxy server is also important for an office: to prevent overly curious hackers from the “outside world” (from the vast expanses of the Internet) from accessing information stored on the local network.
How to use a proxy server?
The use of a proxy server is available for static IP addresses (i.e., manually specified in the network card settings) from the selected range.
So, if the external network has the address 192.168.X.X, then the internal network should not overlap with it in addressing (for example, 172.16.X.X).
The settings of the end devices are set from the appropriate range: that is, 172.16.0.16 or 172.16.230.175 - the main thing is that the first two pairs of digits match (when using the network mask 255.255.0.0).
How to set up a proxy server address?
It is better to immediately determine what the IP address of your proxy server will be (usually 172.16.0.1 is used).
It should be noted here that both the address of the end device and the address of the server itself depend on the selected network mask.
So, the mask 255.255.255.0 will give you only 256 addresses of type 172.16.0.X, the mask 255.255.0.0 already provides 65536 addresses of type 172.16.X.X, and the mask 255.0.0.0 gives 16777216 addresses. And the proxy server address can be any from the selected range.
How to set up a proxy server?
Let’s say right away that using all kinds of programs developed for the MS Windows family that partially or fully perform server functions is not the best solution for the office. Ideally, the server is a separate computer and exclusively on a Unix system.
However, here we will look at the “classic” option: setting up a proxy server based on standard Windows functions.
So, to install a local proxy server on your computer (all parameters are considered for Windows 7):
1. Go to: “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Network and Sharing Center” ->
2. In the list that appears, select the Internet connection shortcut, right-click on it once and select “Properties”
3. Here in the “Access” tab:
Check the box next to “Allow other network users to use this computer’s Internet connection.”
- Next, a system warning may appear that the settings will change - confirm this action;
4. In the “Network” tab, select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP)” and click the “Properties” button
- - Select “Use the following IP address”;
- - Specify the IP address of the proxy server;
- - Specify the selected network mask;
- - Leave the “Default gateway” field empty;
- - Click “OK” and “OK” again
At this point, the minimum proxy server settings have been completed; then, if desired, you can separately set authorization (login/password), content filtering, usage monitoring, etc. (this is additional software).
How to connect to a proxy server?
After setting up the server itself, you must also configure the connection to it on all computers on the local network.
So, to log into the proxy server on a computer running Windows 7:
1. Go to: “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Network and Sharing Center” -> “Change adapter settings.”
2. In the list that appears, select your connection, right-click on it and select “Properties”:
In the Network tab, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button.
- Select “Use the following IP address”.
- Specify the IP address of this computer from the selected range.
- Specify the selected netmask
- In the “Default gateway” field, enter the IP address of our proxy server
Click "OK" and "OK" again
3. Go to your browser settings.
Here you need to set the following data:
Go to: “Connections” -> “Network settings” -> “Use a proxy server for local connections”;
Enter the address of your proxy server (leave port 80)
You can also set these parameters through the Windows 7 control panel:
Can't connect to the proxy server: what to do?
Often, when connecting through a proxy server, a connection error occurs (the server refuses to accept the connection).
As a rule, the reason lies either in the communication line itself or in the installed settings.
The “ping” command will help you check the connection with the server at the physical level. If the line is OK, reboot the server (still on MS Windows) and check the settings of both the server itself and the client.
