How to Configure a Proxy

The proxy server acts as a negotiator between a client machine and a main server. In some cases, the proxy server will help a non-compatible server and client machine talk to each other. Requests are first sent from a client machine and are then routed to a proxy server. Requests are validated based on a series of filters. These filters tell the proxy server what information is allowed to and from the client machine or outside source.

Instructions

Via Internet Explorer

Step 1

Open the Internet Explorer  browser window.

Step 2

Click the "Tools" down arrow and select "Internet Options."

Step 3

Click the "Connections" tab.

Step 4

Click the "LAN settings" button. The Local Area Network (LAN) Settings window will open.

Step 5

Select the "Use a proxy server for your LAN" checkbox.

Step 6

Click the "Advanced" button.

Step 7

Type in the proxy address and port number (typically, 8080) as defined by your proxy server.

Step 8

Add any exceptions that are required.

Step 9

Click the "OK" button.

Via the Registry

Step 1

Open Notepad. Click the "Start" button. Select "All Programs." Click the "Accessories" folder. Select "Notepad."

Step 2

Type the following into Notepad:

Regedit4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
"MigrateProxy"=dword:00000001
"ProxyEnable"=dword:00000001
"ProxyHttp1.1"=dword:00000000
"ProxyServer"="http://ServerName:80"
"ProxyOverride"=""

Replace "ServerName" with the name of the proxy server.

Step 3

Save the file. Name the file as you wish, but use a .reg extension. The .reg extension tells Windows to take the data within the file and copy it to the registry.

How to Access a Remote Linux PC from a Windows PC

This tutorial will show you how to emulate a remote Linux desktop from Microsoft Windows using two applications: PuTTY and RealVNC.

Instructions

Step 1

Download and install these two applications, which are available free of charge:
*PuTTY from the PuTTY Download Page.
*RealVNC, from the RealVNC website.
Open each of the downloaded program files and run the installation wizard to install them on your computer.

Step 2

Open and run the PuTTY application. Enter your IP address in the Host Name box. Ensure that the Port is set to 22.

Step 3

Find your IP address. To do this, click on the Start menu located at the bottom-left corner of the screen and click Run. Type cmd in the text field and click OK. This will open the command prompt. Type in ipconfig and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Now, your IP address will be displayed in the command prompt.

Step 4

Under Protocol, select SSH. Next, you need to enter a name for your session. Click Save. Click Open. This should take you back to the black PuTTY window.

Step 5

Now you need to open a tunnel on your remote Linux machine by using the following command: vncserver :01. This will let you emulate your remote desktop.

Step 6

Restart the PuTTY application. Next, select your saved session and then click Load.
Look in the far left menu bar and scroll to the bottom. Select Tunnels. This takes you to the Tunnels screen. Enter 59## into the Source Port box. ("##" represents your tunnel number).

Step 7

Enter your IP address into the destination box. The options for Local and Auto should be selected.
Click Session to go back to your first screen. The Session button is located on the menu on the far left.

Step 8

You are now ready to emulate your Linux desktop. Click Open in the PuTTY window and start the RealVNC Server.
Enter localhost: followed by your tunnel number in the window that pops up.
When RealVNC Server prompts for the Linux password, simply enter it and click OK.

You have now successfully emulated your remote Linux desktop from your Windows computer.

How to Log Onto Other Computer Ports

A port on a computer is an artificial opening from which data is sent and transmitted across a network. Certain ports are open and closed on a computer depending on the PC's security settings and firewall. Logging into a specific port on a computer can be necessary where the computer is otherwise blocked off to network traffic, allowing you to slip information through the only "opening" in the computer.

Instructions

Step 1

Open the "Start" menu and click on the "Run" button.

Step 2

Type in "cmd" and press Enter. This will bring up a command prompt.

Step 3

Type in "telnet computeraddress portnumber" where "computeraddress" is the IP address or other identifying label of the computer, and "portnumber" is the port to be accessed. For example, "telnet 123.456.78.90 80" will log in to a computer with an IP of 123.456.78.90 at port 80.

How to Configure an FTP Server in Windows 2000

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) provides users with a server to upload and download files on the Internet or within a local network. The FTP service is a part of the Windows 2000 Internet Information Services (IIS) utility. IIS hosts websites configured on the machine, and FTP hosts downloadable files such as text, executables or zip files. You can configure your FTP server to allow anonymous access or require users to input a user name and password before downloading files

Instructions

Step 1

Click the Windows "Start" button and select "Control Panel." Double-click "Administrative Tools," then double-click "Internet Information Services (IIS)."

Step 2

Click the plus sign next to your Web server. A list of options is expanded underneath the icon. Right-click the "Default FTP Site" icon and select "Properties." This opens your FTP properties window.

Step 3

Select "Allow Anonymous Connections." This is the typical configuration for an FTP server, because it allows people to download files from your site. If you want to restrict access, remove this selection and click "Add" to add individual users. This gives only those users the option to log into the FTP server using their network user name and password.

Step 4

Click the "Home Directory" tab. Select "Read" and "Log" from the options. Remove the "Write" check mark if you do not want to allow users to upload to the site.

Step 5

Click "OK" to save your settings. Open your web browser and enter your FTP address into the navigation text box to test the new settings.

VoIP Troubleshooting

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a way for people to communicate with voice, like a telephone, over the internet. VoIP can be quite tricky to get working right. Delay and choppiness in voice quality is quite regular. Knowing how to troubleshoot VoIP can drastically improve these issues.

Jitter Buffer

1. Communication over the Internet is sensitive to any type of delay. VoIP applications, such as Skype, require a steady stream of packet (bits of information transferred over the Internet) to run smoothly. If packets are somehow mixed up in transmission, some arriving early and some late, it can cause a jittery sound to the voice. If you use a VoIP phone, changing the model you have to one with a larger jitter buffer, a First-In First-Out (FIFO) memory cache, which collects any packets in order and delivers them in order, may solve this issue.

Computer Overload

2. If you are having problems with your VoIP client when using a VoIP application on your computer such as Skype, close any applications that you have open that may be using a lot of your computer's RAM. Random Access Memory, or RAM, is virtual memory that allows your computer to run at a quicker speed by remember application preferences once they are opened. Some applications use a lot of RAM; this can cause drag on other memory hungry applications, such as a VoIP program. Shutting down programs that you are not using, and sometimes restarting your computer, can make your VoIP quality drastically better.

VoIP Monitoring Tools

3. If you are experiencing problems with your VoIP network even after troubleshooting, you may need to consider purchasing a VoIP monitoring tool. These tools can analyze the packages coming into your system and tell you where the problem lies. Many programs are built for corporation class VoIP networks and can cost lots of money. Solarwind's Orion IP SLA Manager is a corporate level example of VoIP monitoring systems.

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