Windows Network proxy settings

liquidapples

Registered
Hi. Recently, at 2 different jobs, there is a PC network. To get on the internet via PC's, you can click "Automatically Detect Proxy Settings" In the Internet options. I can't get my Mac on however. When booting into Virtual PC, i get on just find in Windows XP and 98 via the quto-detect proxy settings.

I tried setting my Networking options to Ethernet: DHCP, as that pulls all information from the DHCP server, but it will not conect to the internet. Help! It's so easy on a PC, and all i own are Macs! :cool:

I hope someone sees something that i don't here, because it's so annoying going into VirtualPC just to get on the internet. I searched Apple Support, but i had no luck. Thanks for your help!
:D
 
It sounds like your company is using a firewall or proxy or something like that. Since Macs cannot automatically detect the Windows proxy settings, you're going to need to ask whoever manages the Windows server for the IP address of the proxy server as well as the port number.

When you've got that, go to System Prefs, and click on Network. Then, configure the TCP/IP tab accordingly -- most likely, use DHCP, and put in the IP address of the server computer.

Then, go to Proxies, and enter the proxy information that the IT guy gave you.

I had to do the same thing here, by myself, because our IT guy doesn't know Macs -- which doesn't make any sense to me, because proxy settings are not platform-specific. I just got him to give me the router IP address, DNS server IPs, Search Domains for our ISP, and proxy information and filled in the boxes myself. Works like a charm, except for the fact that I can't do e-mail for some reason -- unless it's web-based, of course.

I also had him set my Mac up with a static IP, since using a dynamically allocated DHCP address kept locking up the Mac for some reason.

Hope this helps! If in doubt, get a hold of the person that manages the proxy/server stuff, and then show him what information you need in the Network tab of your system prefs. He should recognize all those areas that need to be filled in and be able to give you that information.
 
Yeah i know all that :( I asked the IT but they "arn't allowed to give that information" to me for security reasons, which doesn't make any sense. Any ways, thanks, i was trying to find out how to detect windows proxy settings on my Mac. Guess it can't be done! :(
 
so if im at a pc in my work's network, and it's on the internet via auto-detect network settings, is there a way to look at the settings so i can enter them in my Mac? Like if its DHCP, Manual, the router address, dns address, etc? The only thing ican find is the proxy settings...please help! Thanks! :D

-Eric
 
Auto detect proxy settings to my knowledge only works with Microsoft proxies using a propriatry broadcast protocol. most places that I know don't use it if they are over a certain size because you have to allow this stuff traverse your network.

The only way that I can see around this for you is to load the network monitoring tools that come with Windows NT or later as an additional network componenet. Then turn this stuff on, start your browser and record the communication (like a sniffer). Then browse through the information that is recorded. You should see the initial broadcast, then w returned host name or IP and that will be the proxy server.

I Have not done this to find proxy settings before, but am sure that the information that you need will be recorded in the packets transmitted in the couple of seconds from opening you windows IE as it find the proxy and configures itself

hope that this helps
 
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