Internet connection through web proxy (e.g. Saudi Arabia)

[alan]

In some countries the only Internet connection available is through the ISP web proxy server. Note that FirstSpot needs a "normal" Internet connection to function. In order for FirstSpot to work with a proxy-based connection, you need to setup a transparent proxy server (e.g. Microsoft ISA 2000, Squid on Linux) which redirect all the requests to the ISP proxy. The setup will look like:

Client (with Internet Options proxy setting turned off) -> FirstSpot -> Transparent Proxy (e.g. MS ISA 2000) -> ISP Proxy

For instruction to setup transparent proxy in MS ISA 2000, please check out http://www.isaserver.org/tutorials/Getting_Started_with_ISA_Server.html .

(make sure the ISA's Application Filters "HTTP Redirector Filter" is enabled. This will turn on transparent proxy within ISA 2000. Otherwise, the ISA 2000 will just act as a router.)


Note that in additional to the normal setup, you need to redirect all the requests to the ISP proxy. Please use the following steps:
1) Right click on the Routing node in the left pane, and click New and then Rule. The first step in the Wizard asks you to give the rule a name. Call it something like "Redirect" and click Next.

2) On the Destination Sets page, make sure that All destinations is selected, and click Next.

3) On the Request Action page, select the Route to a specified upstream server option button, then click Next.

4) On the Primary Routing page, Enter your ISP proxy server IP/Domain name into the Server or array box, modify port number if needed, then click Next.

5) On the Backup Routing page, select the Ignore requests option button, then click Next.

6) On the Cache Retrieval Configuration page, select the A valid version of the object; if none exists, retrieve the request using the specified requested action option button, then click Next.

7) On the Cache Content Configuration page, select the If source and request headers indicate to cache, then the content will be cached option button, then click Next.

8) The last page of the wizard shows you the selections you've made. Make sure everything looks right, and then click Finish.

[alan]

Starting from FirstSpot v7, FirstSpot supports http proxy directly. Please check out FirstSpot home page for more information.
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