Using proxy properly

[ccordes]

I've searched for proxy to see how it should work with little success. Could I get some confirmation on my assumptions?
I've assumed that if the my setup includes the Connect to the Internet dialog that dealing with a proxy is taken care of without any further code from me. That is assuming that the user entered information correctly.

If I am using a helper install - a second installer to copy a set of files from the server, I need to read an ini file created by the first (main) installer.

If the user enters proxy information, does the proxy ini get created automatically to be used by the generated wupdate file? or do I have to add code for that?

The manual seems short on explanation of the interaction between the install and the wupdate and the Update install.
I could find no example that contained the word proxy in its code.

If it's there, could someone post a link?
Thanks! This is the first time in close to 20 years that I've gotten a question from a client concerning a proxy server.

Thanks again,
Chris C

[linder]

To be honest, I have to check it myself before I can provide an answer <g>. I'll get back to you.

Friedrich

[ccordes]

Thanks.
Now I'm looking for a proxy I can use to test.

Chris

[ccordes]

Ok, so we set up a test proxy on AWS and guess what? - It failed at the first bin file. Returned a network error 509000004.
and just to be sure that the proxy is working, I'm logged in here through it and it seems to be working just fine.
So maybe the dialog doesn't make it work automatically?

TIA,
Chris

[linder]

Chris,

we haven't changed anything in the proxy functionality for years. It's handled through the Winsock component. I have to setup a proxy here to test it.

Friedrich

[ccordes]

Friedrich,
Email me if you want to use mine. I can add your IP address to the security.

Chris

[ccordes]

Friedrich,
Yesterday I watched the logs at the proxy. The log level is set to INFO so I can see everything that comes through.
So that makes this more interesting - when the install is given the proxy info and fails, I don't see any activity in the log.
Does that mean that it isn't ever getting there? It would make sense of the not connected error.
I'm going to make a simple 1 file installer as a test and watch the sbevents and the proxy log.

Let me know if you find anything.
Chris

[ccordes]

Friedrich,
I have setup a proxy that works fine for the browser. I don't know what SB requires of a proxy, but it doesn't work through my Ubuntu TinyProxy. If you'd like to try it, I'll add an IP address for you to the security group.
NOW - I've setup Fiddler to possibly debug or at least inspect what's going on between SB and the proxy. That failed too since I can't seem to get fiddler interested in what SB is doing. So I pointed the installer to 127.0.0.1 8888 as the proxy and it installed - Fiddler still didn't show me anything but the SB Installer worked.
That's all well and good, however, the client still can't install the software or get the updated data they need.
What can I tell them other than "I guess this doesn't work with your proxy" - but that's probably not a good thing to say to a secure facility. <g>

Is there another way to see inside what's being requested?

Chris C.

[linder]

Hi Chris,

we are doing home office since March and unfortunately, I don't have a fix IP address at home. The Winsock component handles all the proxy stuff - IIRC, SetupBuilder is not doing anything special (except passing the login information to the Winsock component). Years ago, quite a few companies where using proxy servers and SetupBuilder worked with all of them (and nothing changed in the HTTP/HTTPS component). To be honest, haven't seen a proxy server in a very long time - because nothing changed in the Web component, I did not re-test it.

I'll try to find a proxy server that can be used here. Working hard on SetupBuilder 2021 and will check the proxy thing later this week.

Friedrich

[ccordes]

Thanks, Friedrich.
This is the first time in as many years as I've been producing these setups that I've had an issue with it. I feel I've gotten caught flat-footed.

We are going to update the proxy to allow user/password with an open IP address filter.
I'll keep you posted. You can focus on 2021!

Chris C

[Welgie]

I'm curious about this using proxy. I'm a newbie and we just started work from home. When is the right time to use this proxy?

[ccordes]

Generally, a proxy is used to hide your IP address so that bad guys (or good guys) don't know where you are and then using your address to stage an attack.
To be honest. this is the first time I've heard of anyone using an external proxy with on of my setups.

HTH

[Korego]

I'm curious about this using proxy. I'm a newbie and we just started work from home. When is the right time to use this proxy?

Everybody nowadays is working from home, this is a new reality. For the past 6 months I am working from my property in Spain here (https://tranio.com/spain/) and I am kind of used to it now. It's like I don't remember any more how it was working from the office.