Identify a proxy when automatic configuration script is used


Many, if not all, corporations control and monitor employees web surfing and email activities. Sometimes a company may choose to use automatic configuration script to enable employees’ web connection. This can be verified by:

  • Internet Explorer: Tools -> Internet Options-> LAN Settings -> “Use automatic configuration script”;
  • Firefox 3: Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Network -> Settings… -> Automatic proxy configuration URL:

Sometimes you need to know a proxy server name or IP address. For instance, if you use Perl and would like to do an automatic binary install of a module, then you will need to define a proxy for cpan to use. This is the command to do that:

set HTTP_proxy=http://my.proxy.server:8000/

So obviously you need to know a proxy server name or IP address. To find that out, you need to copy the location where the automatic configuration script is located, put that address into your browser and open it. It will prompt you to save it as a file. Do that, then open the file up to search for proxy server names or IP addresses.

As a side, I was not able to install DBD::mysql on a Windows XP machine with cpan. I also tried to do manual installation from source code, with no success. I use ActiveState Perl 5.10 and 5.1.30-community MySQL Community Server (GPL). I stumbled into Strawberry Perl while doing research for that issue. Maybe I will check it out in the future.

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3 responses to “Identify a proxy when automatic configuration script is used”

  1. I have the same problem here, the company PC uses automatic proxy configuration, however, I have to set proxy for individual applications, for example VMWARE, ect, I can not update package of linux running in vmware, do you have a solution to this?

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