|
PLANET provides a proxy server for WWW and FTP. This server speeds
up accesses to Web pages as well as FTP sites. Planet's proxy is powered by
a Pentium200 MMX server with 64MB memory and 4.3GB of disk space. The software
itis running is SQUID Proxy Server.
PLANET users that want to use the proxy can set their options to pointto proxy.planet.edu.
In order to use Planet's Proxy, go to ProxyConfiguration,
or ProxyAuto Configuration
for more information about Netscape NavigatorProxy Auto Configuration.
What is
a proxy?
A proxy server is a server that serves as a gateway between
a local networkand the outside world. The proxy server allows various services,
mainlycaching of the requests and a more secure means of obtaining documents.
A proxy cache is a way for a client to get remote pages via the serverrather
than direct from the original site. When the server gets a request,it either
provides it from the cache, or gets it from the original site(while caching
it here). Any future requests are answered from the localcopy of this document,
thus saving multiple page transfers from abroad.Each page is downloaded only
once, thus saving time and network bandwidthfor any future accesses to the cached
documents. The cache will expireold entries, and will avoid caching results
that are actually from programs(which may change each time called).
Why should
I use a proxy?
The proxy cache will help you work faster and save bandwidth.
If a certaindocument is in the cache, you wouldn't have to wait for it to be
transferredfrom abroad (which saves you time, and helps make the connection
fasterfor other users).
If the document you asked for is not in the cache, it would take exactlythe
same amount of time for you (it will be downloaded from abroad) - butit would
save a lot of time for the next user (who might very well be you)that would
download this document. You have an interest in the next usergetting the document
faster - the international line would be less crowded,and you would get your
transfers faster.
Proxy
Configuration
Configure your client to have proxy.planet.edu:3128as
it's proxy server if you know of no better proxy. Individual universitiesmay
have local proxies which are to be preferred. Check with your localcomputer
center for details:
See the following sections for specific configuration:
Netscape
2.0and later versions Configuration
For Netscape (Unix, Mac and Windows) versions 2.X and 3.X
Select Network Preferences from the Options menu, then choose Proxies.
Options >> Network Preferences >> Proxies.
For Netscape Communicator 4.X
Select Preferences from the Edit menu, then choose Advanced and thenProxies.
Edit >> Preferences >> Advanced >> Proxies.
For Manual Proxy Configuration Setup, follow the following steps:
Manual Proxy Configuration
1. Select 'Manual Proxy Configuration' radio button.
2. Press on the 'View' option.
3. Change Proxies and Ports as follows:
FTP Proxy: proxy.planet.eduPort:3128
HTTP Proxy: proxy.planet.eduPort:3128
4. Select 'OK' and then select Options - Save Options.
To avoid using the cache when not necessary users should exclude
localpages. Set the "No proxy for" box to be: "planet.edu".
Internet
Explorer3.0 and later
For Internet Explorer 3.0 and later, follow the following steps.
1. Select Options
fromthe View menu.
2. Click on the Connection tab.
3. Choose the "Connect through Proxy Server"radio button
and press the Proxy settings button.
4. Chage Proxies and Ports as follows:
HTTP Proxy:proxy.planet.edu
Port:3128
FTP Proxy: proxy.planet.eduPort:3128
5. Select 'OK' and then select 'OK' againin the connection
menu.
To avoid using the cache when not necessary users should exclude
localpages. Set the "Exceptions" box to be "*planet.edu".
Select the "Do not use proxy server for local addresses" radio button.
Mosaic
Configuration
On Mosaic for UNIX , please refer to Lynux configuration.
On Macintosh using Mac Mosaic, select Preferences - Gates:
Set WAIS Gateway: http://proxy.planet.edu
Turn on 'Use CERN ProxyService' and
set
HTTP Gate: proxy.planet.edu:
3128
FTP Gate: proxy.planet.edu:
3128
On a PC using Mosaic for Windows, add the following to your MOSAIC.INI(probably
found in C:\WINDOWS):
[Proxy Information]
http_proxy=http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
ftp_proxy=http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
OS/2
WebExplorerConfiguration
For the OS/2 WebExplorer:
1. Select Configure under the main menu.
2. Select Server.
3. Type in http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
Lynx
and Mosaicfor Unix Configuration
If you're using lynx or Mosaic in a Bourne shell set the following
environmentvariables:
http_proxy="http://proxy.planet.edu:3128"
ftp_proxy="$http_proxy"
export http_proxy ftp_proxy
no_proxy="planet.edu"
export no_proxy
Note:not
all versions of Mosaic and lynx obey no_proxy.
If you're using lynx or Mosaic in a csh or tcsh, set environment
variablesbefore starting the application as follows:
% setenv http_proxy
http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
% setenv gopher_proxy http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
% setenv ftp_proxy http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
For Lynx you can also edit the lynx.cfg file to configure proxy
usage.This has the added benefit of
causing all Lynx users on a system to access the proxy without makingenvironment
variable changes for each user. As the following:
http_proxy:http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
ftp_proxy:http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
gopher_proxy:http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
Netmanage
InternetChameleon WebSurfer configuration
Netmanage WebSurfer supports manual proxy
configurationand exclusion lists for hosts or domains
that should not be fetched via proxy (this informationis
current as of WebSurfer 5.0).
Select Preferencesfrom
the Settings menu >> Click on the Proxies tab >> Select the Use Proxyoptions
for HTTP, FTP, and gopher.
Fill out the following information:
http_proxy:http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
ftp_proxy:http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
gopher_proxy:http://proxy.planet.edu:3128/
Auto
Proxy Configuration
The Netscape Navigator allows automatic configuration of the proxy thatshould
be used for its request. Such configuration is done by running aJavaScript function
located in the URL specified to the Navigator.
For Automatic Proxy Configuration Setup, follow the following
steps:
1. Select the Options >> Network Preferences
>> Proxies menu
from the main menu in NetscapeNavigator
versions 2.X and 3.X
and Edit >> Preferences >>
Advanced >> Proxies in Netscape Communicator 4.X
2. Select the "Automatic Proxy Configuration" radiobutton.
3. Enter the following URL in the URL area: http://proxy.planet.edu/proxy.pac
4. Select 'OK'
|
