Version 4.0

User's Guide

4. Configuring NetProxy Services

4.1. Introduction

NetProxy provides several proxy services, as well as a configurable firewall, access logging, and dial-on-demand settings. These can either be configured manually, or configured automatically using NetProxy's configuration wizard. If you are unfamiliar with TCP/IP, or have any concerns about the security implications of connecting your network to the Internet, we recommend using the configuration wizard initially, as it configures all of the most frequently used Internet protocols in a secure manner.

NetProxy provides the following services:-

• World Wide Web (HTTP Proxy) Proxy services for World Wide Web clients such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and Mosaic. The WWW Proxy provides full HTTP caching, and can be configured to use a downstream proxy server for improved performance.
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP Gateway) An FTP gateway that is compatible with all command-line FTP clients, as well as FTP clients that support the user@host method of firewall traversal such as WS_FTP and CuteFTP.
• Telnet (Telnet Gateway) The telnet gateway is compatible with all Telnet clients. The telnet gateway incorporates a 'finger' client and several configurable 'administrator' commands for remotely checking the status and usage of NetProxy.
• Socks Protocol (SOCKS Server) The SOCKS protocol provides proxy services for any SOCKS-capable client. Both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer use the SOCKS protocol for anonymous FTP sessions and secure HTTP (https) connections. NetProxy supports SOCKS versions 4, 4a and 5. Many other applications such as ICQ and mIRC also use the SOCKS protocol.
• DNS ServerThe DNS Server built into NetProxy allows machines on the local network to resolve host names to their corresponding IP addresses. This service is essential when using the SOCKS version 4 protocol, which deals exclusively with IP addresses rather than host names. In addition, the DNS Server in NetProxy allows local DNS records to be set up which associate names with the IP addresses of local computers.
• Port Mapping (SMTP, NNTP, IRC, etc.) Port Mapping is used to configure services such as Electronic Mail, Network News (NNTP), Internet Relay Chat and video-conferencing systems such as Microsoft NetMeeting.
• POP3 Gateway The POP3 gateway provides the ability to read e-mail using the POP3 protocol.
• RealPlayer The RealPlayer proxy service allows you to view RealAudio, and RealVideo clips encoded using RealPlayer PNA technology in real time through NetProxy.
• Firewall The firewall is an powerful and flexible rules-based tool for governing which Internet sites the machines on your network can connect to, and which Internet sites (if any) are able to access the resources on your network (such as WWW, FTP or mail servers).
• Dial-on-Demand The Dial-On-Demand feature enables NetProxy to connect to the Internet as needed, and to disconnect from the Internet during quiet periods. This ensures your telephone charges and online costs are kept to an absolute minimum.
• DHCP Server The DHCP server automatically assigns TCP/IP settings to network workstations, greatly reducing administrative overhead.
• Access Logging Full access log files can be generated by NetProxy. These files can be used to provide general access statistics, as well as detailed logs for auditing/accounting purposes.
• Users and Groups NetProxy allows you to create individual password-protected user accounts that specify which users can use the Internet at which time of day, and on which days of the week, and which services each user has access to. Users can authenticate themselves using the standard HTTP Proxy Authentication scheme built into most web browsers, or by running a freely available "NPAuth" client program which runs in the tray area of the Windows Taskbar and displays an username/password logon dialog whenever a NetProxy server requires the user to be authenticated.

Contents Page or Continue in Sequence