SOCKS proxy

Forum: Networking
Topic: SOCKS proxy
started by: Stormwolf

Posted by Stormwolf on Jan. 07 2006,00:33

The machine I run DSL on sits behind a tight firewall. It only allows web access via HTTP. I've devised a way of getting a full connection using a Java application called SOCKS via HTTP. Basically, it runs a SOCKS server locally, forwards all connections made to it via HTTP to a customised web server which then makes the real connection. For it to work, I need to be able to get the applications I use to connect to the local SOCKS server. Browsing is OK, as Firefox is capable about this. But what do I do for mail, or SSH?

I've read of connect.c which say it will enable non-proxy-enabled applications to use a proxy, although I've not tried it yet. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Posted by pr0f3550r on Jan. 07 2006,10:09

I have the same problem, but I don't if I have the right answer.
The proxy-firewall may not even allow you to use mail or ssh, most likely will allow only http, https and ftp.
Command line clients that have no specific proxy configuration must be configured from bash. Example:

Code Sample

$ export http_proxy=http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:3128

Posted by Stormwolf on Jan. 07 2006,14:14

I don't have a problem getting past the firewall with SOCKS via HTTP. I just need a way to get the apps to connect to a SOCKS proxy.

Posted by Grim on Jan. 09 2006,06:49

I'm guessing you're running this box at your place of employment, am I right? I mean, if you were running it at home, you could just modify the firewall settings.

Anyway, if you have a server set up at home, you can set up a proxy server there on port 80 and then use ssh tunneling to your proxy server at home and redirect it to wherever you want.

Good tutorial < here >

Posted by Stormwolf on Jan. 09 2006,08:33

Yes, you are correct.

The firewall doesn't allow anything out but HTTP requests via an HTTP proxy server on the network. I know how to bypass it, but I need to be able to get apps to connect to a SOCKS server, which runs on the local machine.

More explained here:

< http://stormwolf.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/proxyjail.html >

I'm using Method 2: SOCKS via HTTP.