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Proxy Settings - help!!

7 replies

flowertop · 21/01/2011 10:33

Hope one of you techy (sp?) people can help! I have a laptop which I have used to access the internet perfectly ok until today. I am have wireless/internet connection but I am unable to access pages on the internet. Reason seems to be that I need to revist my Proxy settings? Don't have a clue how to do this. I did install some internet security software yesterday so guess this has something to do with it. The guy who installed my laptop is no longer around to contact so any help you can offer would be great. Tnks

OP posts:
NetworkGuy · 21/01/2011 10:52
  1. how did you post your question (assuming a different PC?)

  2. If you are using MS Internet Explorer then on the Tools menu you should find "Internet Options" at the bottom, then look for the "Connections" tab. The upper half has Add Remove and Settings. Click on Settings and then UNtick the proxy box.

  3. Firefox, Opera and Chrome also have options controlling proxy settings and can be turned off (helps to know which you use)

A proxy server can be used to access some services, or in your case the net security s/w would probably be used to check each website you were trying to access had not been "blacklisted".

HTH

flowertop · 21/01/2011 11:04

Thanks NG, yes I am using my son's laptop. I will have a look and report back.

OP posts:
flowertop · 21/01/2011 11:09

Have had a look and for some reason the Settings box is greyed out and unable to click on? Any ideas please?

OP posts:
flowertop · 21/01/2011 11:16

I have clicked on LAN settings and there is a proxy server tick box there. If I click on this to let me access the internet will this have implications to my system security?

OP posts:
NetworkGuy · 21/01/2011 12:07

What security software did you install ?

You are sharing a router which will block a variety of incoming hack attempts. If you have anti-virus software on your machine (and allow it to scan daily or weekly, as well as scan anything you plug in such as memory sticks, or whatever you download, and your incoming e-mail) then your security is still going to be adequate for most purposes.

If others use your PC, then you may want to ensure they cannot install software (indeed, assuming you have an administrator account and a 'user' account then logging in to browse, etc on the 'user' account means that most software which might be downloaded (eg a virus) should not install.

However, some software (such as MS Internet Explorer) is more prone to attack (there are BHOs [Browser Helper Objects] which have been identified as significant targets for hackers to use. A BHO gets automatically loaded with MS IE whenever you use the browser (and therefore cannot be deleted while the browser is in use). So security depends on a number of factors, including how often you scan for malware, what you [or others] do when online, and how susceptible people are to clicking on random links sent by e-mail or within instant messager services.

The son of one of my clients clicked a link claiming to be an "Angeline Jolie" screen saver but was a nasty virus which prevented many attempts to destroy it, so security is difficult at best, and horrific at worst, if people do not act with a degree of care when online.

If your security software blocks use of the internet, then you need to either find out how you can control that software, or it is being excessively over protective !

flowertop · 21/01/2011 15:23

NG thanks so much for your help which you have explained in a very 'user friendly' way. My security software is called 'Avast'. I will have a look to see if there is anyway I can control the software as you say.

OP posts:
NetworkGuy · 21/01/2011 15:30

Have no personal experience of Avast this end, but happy to try to help if I can.

Thanks for the 'user friendly' compliment - I worked 11 years in higher education so had to play it by ear when first talking to a student or member of staff...

If/when they started asking more technical questions my responses could get more technical, too :)

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