[SOLVED] Proxy Problem!!

[waynema]

proxy settings in gnome-network-preferences doesn't apply

I just updated to Intrepid from Hardy. This problem suddenly appears :(

I want to use a global proxy for my system to access internet.
However, in GUI gnome-network-preferences, after setting server AND authentication and pressing "Apply System-Wide..."

the http_proxy env is set right with IP&port, but WITHOUT user & passwd, like:

$ echo $http_proxy
http://123.123.123.123:123/

the correct one should be like: http://user:passwd@123.123.123.123:123/

I already checked the bug here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-control-center/+bug/271108

Problem above looks similar to mine, but solution doesn't work in my case.

I'm using:
gnome-control-center 1:2.24.0.1-0ubuntu7

Any idea would be great. Thanks in advance:)

[chran]

I had the same issue with ubuntu 8.10 - using proxy at work, direct connection at home.

Setting up proxy via System > Preferences > Network Proxy works globally (no separate settings required at Terminal or Firefox) once. When I'm at home and turned network proxy off, aptitude/ synaptic still keep the proxy settings.

The fix is to manually update proxy settings in:
1) firefox network preferences
2) teminal/ command line - blanks http proxy:

export http_proxy=

Note that there's no space after the '=' sign. To check your current terminal's proxy settings use:

echo $http_proxy

to restore proxy back use:

export http_proxy=http://[username]:[password]@[proxyserverlocation]:[portnumber]/

For the security minded, the above will show your proxy username/password when listing history. Feel free to put it in a script or alias in .bashrc

Hope this helps :D

[waynema]

thanks, chran, that surely works :)

And in addition, I want to know WHY that problem appears..

That problem appears on my workstation, which runs hardy for half a year.
However, on my laptop, I directly install 8.04.1 and after updating to the 8.10, no such problem appears.

I just wonder what set these "http_proxy" "https_proxy" "ftp_proxy" for my gnome-terminal.

[chran]

No probs. Glad it works for you too.


I want to know WHY that problem appears..
I'd like to know that too :). I suspect with 8.10 the developers are trying to have a central location for proxy configuration (like in Windows/ Mac OS) which doesn't work as seamless as it should be. Traditionally linux comes from command-line - in which http_proxy is a variable. I don't know much about the inner-workings of gnome and can't say where it stores the proxy settings - I always set command-line proxy and firefox separately prior to 8.10 so I'm aware of the above workaround.

I believe the global network proxy works when you install/ upgrade to 8.10 (8.04 to 8.10 in my case) but breaks when you upgrade it (eg. aptitude safe-upgrade). Maybe one of the newer packages is buggy.

[waynema]

Solution Found :)

I found that the gnome-terminal always has configuration from the /etc/apt/apt.conf. And I have set http/ftp/https proxy in that file:

Acquire::http::proxy "http://123.123.123.123:123/";
Acquire::ftp::proxy "ftp://123.123.123.123:123/";
Acquire::https::proxy "https://123.123.123.123:123/";

After deleting these content in apt.conf, the gnome-control-center's setting applies in my gnome-terminal, haha :)

[waynema]

Setting up proxy via System > Preferences > Network Proxy works globally (no separate settings required at Terminal or Firefox) once. When I'm at home and turned network proxy off, aptitude/ synaptic still keep the proxy settings.


chran, I think checking the /etc/apt/apt.conf might help your problem. Hope it works for you :)

[chran]

thanks waynema. i know about /etc/apt/apt.conf - mine was blank when my proxy played up. i guess it's not a big deal since there's always $http_proxy workaround.

[avessalom]

2) teminal/ command line - blanks http proxy:

export http_proxy=

Note that there's no space after the '=' sign. To check your current terminal's proxy settings use:

echo $http_proxy

to restore proxy back use:

export http_proxy=http://[username]:[password]@[proxyserverlocation]:[portnumber]/



better unset the variable:

unset http_proxy
I had a problem with a zero $http_proxy

[Gumm]

I created a little script that keeps my env.var http_proxy, and the Gnome proxy settings in sync, and also asks me where I am when I log in. This way I select it once, and then that's it for that session.

To create a little scrip that sets your proxy depending on where you log into gtk, do the following:
This script is launched from a very nice little applet called gmessage, so get that:


sudo apt-get install gmessage

Our scrip will be available for all users using the graphical login, so it will live here at /etc/xprofile
To edit it:


gksudo gedit /etc/xprofile

Copy the text below, and past it in this file. This scrip sets proxy (and authentication) like so:
Proxy address : 192.168.0.1
Proxy port : 1234
User name : your.name
Password :password
and you would need to edit it with your own detail.


#!/bin/sh


gmessage -title "Proxy Select" \
-buttons "Home:101,Work:102,GTK_STOCK_CLOSE:103" \
-center \
-geometry "300x100" \
-timeout "5" \
-fg "#255261" \
-bg "#C1B5B5" \
"Where are you?"

action=$?
case $action in
101)
gconftool-2 --set /system/proxy/mode --type string none
gconftool-2 --set /system/http_proxy/use_http_proxy --type bool false
unset http_proxy
gmessage -title "Proxy Select" \
-buttons GTK_STOCK_CLOSE \
-center \
-geometry "300x100" \
-timeout "1" \
-fg "#255261" \
-bg "#C1B5B5" \
"No proxy set. Direct internet connection"
;;
102)
gconftool-2 --set /system/proxy/mode --type string manual
gconftool-2 --set /system/http_proxy/use_http_proxy --type bool true
export http_proxy=http://username:password@192.168.0.1:1234
gmessage -title "Proxy Select" \
-center \
-buttons GTK_STOCK_CLOSE \
-geometry "300x100" \
-timeout "1" \
-fg "#255261" \
-bg "#C1B5B5" \
"Proxy set"
;;
103)
status=$(gconftool-2 -g /system/http_proxy/use_http_proxy)
case $status in
true)
export export http_proxy=http://username:password@192.168.0.1:1234
;;
false)
unset http_proxy
;;
*);;
esac
;;
*)
status=$(gconftool-2 -g /system/http_proxy/use_http_proxy)
case $status in
true)
export export http_proxy=http://username:password@192.168.0.1:1234
;;
false)
unset http_proxy
;;
*);;
esac
gmessage -title "Proxy Select" \
-buttons GTK_STOCK_CLOSE \
-center \
-geometry "300x100" \
-timeout "1" \
-fg "#255261" \
-bg "#C1B5B5" \
"No changes were made"
;;
esac

This scrip also sets and unsets the gnome proxy settings. You need to seed these proxy settings directly in the gnome proxy tool (gnome-network-preferences) and this scrip simply switches that on or off.

WARNING: First time scriper at work, so this comes with zero guarantees. But it works like a charm for me :)