Setting up Proxies on the Mac
Chances are that if you've ever had to access the Internet from behind a network,
you've had a run in with a proxy server. Most large organizations and university
campuses use them both to block unsuitable content, and to speed up access to
important data. It's a sad fact that many network administrators don't seem
to want to know when it comes to the Mac, and information on how to set up your
Mac to connect to proxy servers can be hard to come by. With
that in mind, here is a brief guide to setting up proxies on a Mac.
Please Note: These instructions tell you how to set up proxies
on Mac OS X 10.3 and above. More information about setting up proxies with Mac
OS 9 or Classic can be found in NetFAQs.com’s Mac
OS 9 Internet Control Panel section.
- Open up System Preferences, which can
usually be found either in the Dock, in your Applications folder, or under the Apple Menu.
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- Click on the Network tab at the top of the window, and
select the correct option from the Show menu. This should
be the way in which your computer connects to the Internet. In the example
I have selected Airport.
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- Next select the far right hand tab, marked Proxies, and
you will be faced with a number of options. The box on the left contains a
list of several different kinds of proxy servers that you can set up. You
may need to find out from your network administrator which ones you need to
fill in, but for now, just click on Web Proxy (HTTP) and
select it by clicking the checkbox.
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- You will then need to fill in the details of your proxy server, and the
port through which you will be connecting to the Internet. Again, ask your
network administrator if you don't know these already.
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- If your proxy server connects to the Internet using a password, click the Proxy server requires password checkbox and enter your Account
name and Password in the box that appears. Click the OK button to save your
details.
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- Repeat the procedure for as many of the options as you need to configure,
and then click on Apply Now to save your changes. You should
now be able to connect to the Internet!
Note: If your web browser was open during the procedure it
may need to be restarted before it recognizes your new settings.
These settings will affect the way everything on your computer connects to
the Internet. This includes things like the Menu Bar clock if you have Date
and Time set to update automatically, as well as most web browsers
and email clients.
Firefox stores its proxy server settings independently from the global computer
settings, so if you want to use it you will need to set it up manually. If you
need help, please see our guide to setting Firefox
up for proxies. |
