Martin Randall wrote:

> Hello James
>
> On 21-Jun-00, you wrote:
>
> Proxy servers (excuse my french) are a bitch.
>
> Don't use them.
>
> I spent 2+ years using wingate, a proxy server.
>
> I run several OS's and always had problems.
>
> No-one gave me any info that solved my problems despite the numerous
> attempts to illicit info on proxy-servers on different mailing lists and
> usegroups.
>
> Get a standard fireall/nat.
>
> If you have an old 496DX33 with 16MB ram, use LRP.
>
> The best place is:-
>
> #http://lrp.steinkuehler.net#
>
> You'll find that everything just works...as advertized.
>
> Yes...I realize that it doesn't answer the question....But I found that I
> hit every proxy-server web site and mailing list plus all the other
> firewall sites and mailing lists and no-one had a clue about solving any of
> the problems.
>
> With LRP, everything worked, as opposed to being broken.
>
> Your mileage may vary, but I wasted 2.5 years of annoyance and frustration
> trying to get things to work. That held me back. Now everything works fine
> !!!
>
> If you ever get anything to work then let me know.
>
> > I am having problems getting through a Windows NT proxy server as well.
> >
> > Any illumination here greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Jim Nelson
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Richard PLOIX <richard.ploix@fr.adp.com>
> > To: netbsd-help@netbsd.org <netbsd-help@netbsd.org>
> > Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 8:50 AM
> > Subject: problems with my firewall proxy servers.
> >
> >
> >> hello,
> >> I have some problems when I need to pass through my proxy servers. I set
> >> two environment variables, ftp_proxy=ftp://ftpproxy.domain.co:1234/ and
> >> http_proxy=http://httpproxy.domain.co:123/. when I use netscape with the
> >> http proxy in the setting, all is ok. when I use filerunner with the ftp
> >> proxy in the setting, all is ok. the problem is when I am in
> >> /usr/pkgsrc/categories/package , I type make, and I can't get back any
> >> file by http or ftp! I make what is wrote in the document packages.txt in
> >> the directory /usr/pkgsrc.
> >>
> >> help, please.
> >> thank's.
> >> R.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> Regards

By God, that was the best answer I ever got on this subject.

I use nat with NetBSD at home for my 10BaseT network, and it works great.
NetBSD is the gateway.  My big problem is tyring to get a NetBSD box to
interact with the outside world through a Windows NT system with Wingate proxy
server at my office.  Unfortunately, system manager does not have a clue as to
how to make it work.  So, I related to your response.  I think the solution is
to get a seperate phone line and ISP for my unix box.  Some of us are
considering running a unix server as the gateway instead of the Windows system,
but I would hate to upset the apple cart.

I will let you know if I ever learn anything.

Thanks much.

Jim Nelson