Proxy

	What is a Proxy? : Proxies are store-and-forward caches. When you configure your web browser to use a proxy, it never connects to the URL. Instead, it always connects to the proxy server, and asks it to get the URL for you. Proxies can be used as a sort of firewall, because it isolates you from connecting to the Internet.
	How does a Proxy server Work? : A proxy server receives a request for an Internet service (such as a Web page request) from a user. If it passes filtering requirements, the proxy server, assuming it is also a cache server, looks in its local cache of previously downloaded Web pages. If it finds the page, it returns it to the user without needing to forward the request to the Internet. If the page is not in the cache, the proxy server, acting as a client on behalf of the user, uses one of its own IP addresses to request the page from the server out on the Internet. When the page is returned, the proxy server relates it to the original request and forwards it on to the user. To the user, the proxy server is invisible; all Internet requests and returned responses appear to be directly with the addressed Internet server. (The proxy is not quite invisible; its IP address has to be specified as a configuration option to the browser or other protocol program.)
	How does this relate to myJabber? : myJabber's simple Proxy configuration dialog  (see figure 1) allows you to configure the client for use behind corporate firewalls so that you can reach your Jabber servers located outside your corporate environment.  All Jabber Requests are made on port 5222 or 5223 (standard and SSL)  These ports HAVE to be available and open in the Firewall or Proxy. Talk to your LAN Nazis about this if there is any question.

Figure 1: myJabber's Proxy Configuration

Lets look at the Dialog Options.

	Type: There are a couple of types of Proxy server that myJabber will work with, these being the SOCKS 4 and 5 Proxy servers. Sorry, there is no support for the http and https proxy. For information on this, see the FAQ.
	Server: This will be the address of the server, INSIDE the corporate  Domain. (check with your LAN people if you are unsure)
	Port: This is the port the LAN admin has configured the proxy server to work though.

The following 2 Items are NOT always used

	User Name: Some Corporate LAN's require that you log into the proxy server in order to use it. Most often this user name will be your NT login.
	Password: Again, most likely your NT password

What's this " **For Advanced Users" thing all about?

This is part of our File transfer capability in myJabber. This allows the Transfer of Files THOUGH a firewall, Proxy Server or even a simple Home Gateway using NAT to share the internet in a home Network. It's marked "For Advanced Users" for a reason, this can be a very frustrating maneuver, requiring a bit of networking knowledge.  By the way, this is an "UNSUPPORTED" feature in myJabber. It Works, we know it works cause Steve and I use it all the time. But I'm not going to learn every single Dynamic system out there, or the idiosyncrasies of your network in order to support it. All you need to know is as follows. Have Fun and good luck.

	File Transfer Firewall IP: This is the PUBLIC  IP address of your connection. However, a DNS name can be used here instead of the raw IP address. If you don't have a DNS Name (hostname.dnsprovider.net) these can be provided though several well known Dynamic DNS providers. The largest majority of these are even free.
	File Transfer Firewall Port: This is the port though which myJabber will receive  or send the file. This port MUST be forwarded from the Firewall or Gateway to the Host machine. To make this work inside a small home network, each machine would have to use a different port.

Note: A last bit of help here, if you are buried behind a corporate firewall at work, you would have to know the Public IP address or DNS name of the network's Gateway to the Internet. You may find that your LAN Nazis are reluctant to give this to you. In addition, you would have to talk them into forwarding a port to your workstation, (a neat trick if the LAN is configured via a DHCP server) Finally, it is easy to see how this could constitute a serious security risk for a company network.

More Information on Dynamic DNS can be found at TechnoPagan