General

Can I use WinProxy with Cable, DSL, and other connections? Is there a way to get WinProxy to start automatically? (I keep forgetting to start it when the system is rebooted.) Can I play internet-enabled games through WinProxy from a client computer How do I upgrade? -- from version 3.0 to 5.0 or 4.0 to 5.0 -- from version 5.0 to 5.0 with more users What does 'three users' mean, exactly? How does the upgrade protection work? How can I check if my network is secure? How do I purchase WinProxy?

Accessing the Internet

Version 2.1 worked great, but 3.0 doesn’t. WinProxy does not hang up when I exit my browser, even when I check the option 'disconnect on exit'. WinProxy doesn’t establish a connection for a browser on the main machine. WinProxy hangs up even when actively browsing from the main machine. I can’t “ping” from the client machines. I can’t seem to get e-mail to work. My web browser keeps reporting that the page cannot be displayed. Can I use chat programs through WinProxy (ICQ, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, etc.)? Can I use AOL with WinProxy? Can a client computer connect to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or NetMeeting through WinProxy?

Installation

WinProxy Computer

Do I need to run WinProxy on all the machines on my network, or only on the computer connected to the Internet? Then doesn't the WinProxy computer have to be a Server? What else do I need on my computer to run WinProxy? When do I need a second Network Card?

Client Computers

What do I need on my client computers? Do my client computers have to be running Microsoft Windows?

General Installation

How do I know what my external IP address is? Don't I need to configure that somewhere? How do I know what my internal IP address is? Don't I need to configure that somewhere? WinProxy won’t let me set the IP address. WinProxy complains that I only have a single IP address. What does this mean, and what do I do about it? After I install WinProxy, my computer no longer recognizes one or both of the network cards.

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Yes, WinProxy will work with almost any type of connection to the internet. T-1, T-3, Cable, DSL, PPPoE, PPPoA, ISDN, and Dial-Up accounts can all be shared and protected by WinProxy. With connections that require a second Network Interface Card, the modem has to be connected directly to that card, and not to the hub on your network

I keep forgetting to start it when the system is rebooted.) Sure. Set it to run in the taskbar (in Win95/98) or to run as a service (in WinNT or 2000). That option is on the General tab (under Settings) in WinProxy. Once it’s set to run in the taskbar, it will start automatically whenever the system is started or rebooted. WinProxy will appear as a white mask icon in the taskbar, and you can open the main window by double-clicking on the icon. There are some variations in how to run WinProxy as a service under NT; it can be run as a hidden service, or run as a visible service similar to the taskbar icon in Win95/98. There are some descriptions of the various options in the WinProxy manual on the Tech Support section of our website.

Yes, in most cases you can. Many games, such as Everquest, Halflife, Quake 3, Roger Wilco and Unreal Tournament will connect to game servers without any changes to their default settings as long as Transparent Proxy is enabled and properly configured. Though there are still some games that won’t work, we’re proud of our position as a leader in online gaming compatibility. Please check our Support Database for specific titles.

-- from version 4.0 to 5.0
Download the newest version of WinProxy 5.0 from our website. The installer will take the settings from your WinProxy 4.0 and after a reboot you’ll be running version 5.0. Upgrade pricing is available on our web site.

-- from version 5.0 to 5.0 with more users
You don’t have to reinstall anything! When you purchase an upgrade to a ‘larger’ version of WinProxy, you will be given a new serial number. Just go to the File menu inside your current version of WinProxy and choose “Set new serial number” and fill in your new number. That’s all there is to it. You keep your current installation, preferences, settings and all other preferences.

Licensing is on a per seat basis. For example if a company has 5 computers, but 10 people normally access the Interent at diffferent times, they will need to purchase a license for 10 users. If a company has 10 computers, but only three access the Interent at any one point in time, then they would need a 3 user license. See our licensing (PDF) document.

See our WinProxy Software Upgrade Policy.

Once you've installed WinProxy, visit the Gibson Research web site (http://www.grc.com) to check the security. Shields Up! will test your network connection for openings in your firewall.

The fastest and easiest way is to purchase it online on our website. It's a secure transaction, and you will receive a serial number by return page and via a confirmatory email so you can use your new serial number right away. You can also purchase with a phone call to our sales office, though shipping charges will apply. If you have a situation that makes these methods inconvenient, contact our sales office via email, phone, or fax for details on other payment methods. Purchase Online

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You only run WinProxy on the computer that is connected to the Internet.

WinProxy will run on just about any computer. WinProxy is a proxy server, but in this context 'server' describes WinProxy's relation to other software on the network, not the type of computer that it runs on.

WinProxy will need two network connections - an external connection (to the internet) and an internal connection to rest of your local network, usually via a network card. The external connection can be either a second network card or the Dial-Up Adapter already on your computer. Both of these connections will need to be configured to use the TCP/IP protocol.

If your computer connects to the internet through a network card, then you will need a second card to connect to your local network. For example, most DSL and Cable modems connect to your computer through a network card. You would need one card for the modem and one for the rest of the network. You cannot connect the modem to a hub; if you do, you lose your firewall and all sorts of other things break.

No special “client” software is required. Each of the computers on your local network will need to have the TCP/IP protocol installed so that their Internet applications can communicate with WinProxy. This protocol is a part of every Windows operating system. As long as your local network is configured properly, most applications will work through the Transparent Proxy with no changes to their settings. The client computer network card settings can be found at our Tech Support site.

No, they don’t. Any computer that is capable of using the TCP/IP protocol can be a client. This includes Macs, OS/2, Unix, Linux, and just about any other you can think of. The rule is: if it can connect to the Internet without WinProxy, it can also work as a client.

If you already have an Internet connection, this address is already configured. There are two main categories for external addresses, static and dynamic. A static address is given to you - generally by your ISP - and it never varies. If you have a static address, you probably already know that you do and you know what it is. A dynamic address is assigned by a computer at the time of connection, and is taken from a pool of numbers. This is the type you almost always have if you dial in with a standard modem. If you have a static IP address, you'll need to configure your external connection with that number but you don't need to put it directly into WinProxy. You cannot set IP addresses within WinProxy; you can only set them within the operating system. WinProxy will identify all of the IP addresses in the computer, and allow you to assign them as internal or external addresses.

Yes, you do need to configure that. Go in through Control Panel/Network and assign an IP address to your network card. We recommend numbers that are not routable for your internal network - details can be found within the directions on our Tech Support page. The only hard and fast rule is that you cannot use the same network group for your internal address as that assigned to your external address.

You cannot set any IP addresses from within WinProxy. The application gets its information from the operating system. IP addressing must be changed from within Windows, not WinProxy. When WinProxy starts up, it asks the operating system for its list of IP addresses.

It depends on your connection type. WinProxy wants to find at least two.

1. If you are using a dial-up connection and are not currently connected, then WinProxy won’t complain. It recognizes that the single IP address is for your internal network and that it will get a second one when you dial up.
2. If you ARE connected, then the address WinProxy found is the dynamically assigned address on your external connection. There should be another IP address, the internal address, but only one address was found.
3. If you have two or more network cards and are not using a dial-up connection, then WinProxy should never find just one IP address.

If your case is like either #2 or #3 above, inspect your network cards and drivers in the system and make sure they are functioning properly. Details of some tests (like using ping) can be found on our Tech Support page.

The most common reason for this problem is old network card drivers. Often the attempt to share an Internet connection and add a firewall is the first time you push the envelope of your network’s capabilities, and it is after you install WinProxy that you discover you need newer drivers for your network cards. Most manufacturers maintain a web site with technical support where you can download the newest driver for your network card.

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If you have an existing installation of WinProxy 2.1, all of your current configurations will continue to work, but in order to take advantage of the new features in version 3.0, you will have to make a few changes to your network. Please refer to our FAQ for upgrades. Gateway: Each client computer must have a Gateway set up in the operating system’s TCP/IP configuration. When accessing the Transparent Proxy, the client computer will ask its gateway whenever it needs something from the Internet. Make sure the client’s gateway is the IP address of the computer running WinProxy. Modem hooked into a hub: If you plug your modem into a hub, you will have no firewall. Each client computer (also connected to the hub) will have a direct route through the modem. If they can access the Internet at all, they can bypass WinProxy’s security settings.

That option is there to force WinProxy to hang up the modem connection when you exit from WinProxy, not when you exit from a browser. WinProxy cannot know when your browser is running, and in any case that scenario would break down with more than one user behind WinProxy. The only way that WinProxy can know when to hang up is to wait for a designated period of no network activity.

When configured to go “directly to the internet,” a browser on the main machine will bypass WinProxy’s application level and go straight out to the Internet, and it will not trigger the dialing command (nor will it pass through the anti-virus filter or site filter). The connection still passes through WinProxy’s driver level firewall, so the computer is secure. If you wish to have WinProxy dial for the browser on the main machine, you must configure the browser to “use a proxy.” Specific settings can be found at our Technical Support site.

The answer here is pretty much the same as for the issue above. Since a browser set to use a “direct connection,” WinProxy does not “see” the activity and it times out. Setting the browser to “use a proxy” will fix the problem.

There are two factors that commonly disable pinging: Gateway and DNS settings. When you ping “www.yahoo.com,” the first step is to use DNS to look up the IP address associated with yahoo. The second step is to try to contact that IP address. If your DNS settings are incorrect, you will get a message like “unknown host.” If your gateway is misconfigured, you will see that the name is translated into an IP address, but you get either “destination unreachable” or “timed out.” Instructions for setting both DNS and gateways are available at our Technical Support web site.

There are too many “ifs” to address e-mail here. Please see our comprehensive E-mail Troubleshooting Guide.

“Page can not be displayed” from a client computer usually means one of five things

1. WinProxy is closed, i.e. is not running on the system it was installed on.
2. If using a dial-up connection, it failed to connect.
3. The browser is not configured correctly.
4. A gateway address was assigned to the internal network card of the WinProxy computer. The default gateway should be left blank on the internal network card of the WinProxy computer.
5. The internal network is not configured properly. The client computer can’t ping the WinProxy computer.

Yes. Most of these programs will work through the Transparent Proxy with no changes to their default settings. Please refer to our Technical Support web site for help configuring Transparent Proxy.

Yes, mostly. If you connect to the Internet through an ISP other than AOL, you will be able to log on to AOL using the LAN connection option from any computer on your network and have full functionality. If you use AOL as your Internet service provider, there are several qualifications. WinProxy cannot initiate a dial-up connection if you are using AOL version 5.0 or higher. We can dial for you if you are using version 3 or 4. Client computers will be able to browse the Internet, but they will not be able to access AOL specific content. Please see discussions of AOL in our Support Database.

Yes. Outgoing VPN and NetMeeting connections can be established by any client computer through the Transparent Proxy. Client computers can create multiple outgoing connections, as long as they are connecting to different servers. Connections initiated by external computers are not supported at this time.