Proxy Server Advice

[Michael]

Hello all,

I administer a few 2003 Server networks using XP clients. All sites use a proxy server. I have configured proxy settings in group policy which work just fine, however here's a problem I am unable to resolve:

User brings laptop into school, logs onto the network (so proxy settings are dynamically pulled down when they logon). This works ok, they can surf the web.

User turns laptop off and goes home. Turns laptop on, logs on locally. Home wireless network (for example) working ok but cannot connect to the web - reason, because IE has "remembered" proxy settings from being connected to the domain.

I can tell users to go to Internet Options etc etc... to turn proxy settings off, but is there an automated way? I'm thinking along the lines of in Group Policy I can configure XP SP2's Firewall when a computer is connected to the domain or is away from the domain (and this is what I need for proxy settings). I'm open to all suggestions, many thanks!

[mrcrazy04]

How about a Logoff script to change ProxyEnable to 0 in the registry, defined in Group Policy?
So when they logoff on the network, it removes the proxy settings which were set when they log on.

[StewartKnight]

or setup a home and a domain profile

[mattx]

AutoIT script - ( will need compile it and possible add a RunAsSet if the user does not have admin writes... sorry Rights. )

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings", "Proxyenable", "REG_DWORD", "0")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings", "ProxyOverride", "REG_SZ", "intranet")
Run('C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe')

[Iain]

How about using a proxy automatic configuation script? When in school the browser will pick up the proxy setting, and when away from school the script will not be accessible, so the browser will use a direct connection.

Iain

[wickit]

Easy fix for this is to setup a Proxy PAC file on your DHCP server
This way you can setup up your Group policy to setup IE to use 'Automatically detect settings'

This is how i do it on our network.

here is a link to some usefull info
http://www.freeproxy.ru/en/free_proxy/faq/wpad.htm

Hope that heps

[craiglay]

Or use Firefox with the SwitchProxy Addon https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/125

I use this in 7 sites and its just a case of right-clicking in the bottom right of the screen and selecting the proxy. Its very easy to just set a "Home" and "School" one.

Craig

[Michael]

Thanks for all the superb suggestions, much appreciated. In the end from your solutions I developed this automated solution -

Searching for "ProxyEnable" (thanks mrcrazy04) there are two overall. You need the one under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Export that and place it in the Netlogon share, then create a new script so it runs the reg file silently. Place the script in Windows Settings > Logoff scripts in AD and it's job done!

Proxy settings are now successfully turned off when any user logs off, but are re-applied if logging on to the domain by group policy. The only other policy tweak I had to make was to turn off "Disable changing proxy settings" otherwise the script doesn't work successfully. This should save me a lot of bother of users unable to connect to their broadband at home.

Thanks again