Can i turn My home PC into a proxy? (dont tell me to use free proxy sites)

[oneofusjustin]

worked on this via google, and youtube for about 2 hours today, and im stumped.

I need to turn my home PC into a proxy server to where i can plug an IP and port into software i use at work so the software can send "talk" to things from an ip other than our office IP

Free proxies are sketchy, slow, and un reliable if i was 16 and just wanted to get the latest tweets and myspace action id use some free proxy but thats not what i want i dont care how "legit" your proxy list is

ive purchased 20+ "private proxys" and they all use reused IP addresses that are already blocked or coming from a known proxy farms and wont work for my purpose,

so if anyone knows how to use my home pc exactly like a "free proxy" than please let me know, i can install linux or windows server, whatever the need be, i just need pointed in he right direction.




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esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[Blue Shift]

This is feasible. This is pretty easy to code by hand, and there are plenty of other tools that might do the work for you:


Here's an example of a simple way to turn a linux machine into a proxy server:
http://www.catonmat.net/blog/linux-socks5-proxy/

Or just google it yourself.

 

[spidey07]

Use squid proxy. Keep in mind your ISP may block ports inbound to your server. And IS can still know what you're doing and where you're going.

 

[FiLeZz]

Windows Server then VPN into the box.
or get a router that can have a vpn setup on it.

VPN to home and now all traffic comes from home.

 

[kevnich2]

What exactly are you trying to do? Sounds like you're trying to get around work mandated internet filters? If so - don't bother - even with a proxy all internet activity can still be monitored by IT.

Secondly, if you are trying to get around filters and they see proxy like activity - that is usually grounds for immediate dismissal. I know at my office if I saw that in my logs I'd be showing them the door.

 

[spidey07]

What exactly are you trying to do? Sounds like you're trying to get around work mandated internet filters? If so - don't bother - even with a proxy all internet activity can still be monitored by IT.

Secondly, if you are trying to get around filters and they see proxy like activity - that is usually grounds for immediate dismissal. I know at my office if I saw that in my logs I'd be showing them the door.

It's not like that damn HTTP/L7 has the specific field for what the proxy server is.

Oh wait, it does.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Setup squid at home, and open up SSH to your work's IP address. (don't open the proxy up) From work, use putty to SSH in and setup a SSH tunnel for the proxy. At work you would put localhost:8080 (or whatever) as the proxy. Just keep the ssh session minimized.

Google on how to setup ssh tunnel in putty, it's fairly easy so I wont go over that.

I find this is easier to setup than a VPN as you don't really need to install anything. Download putty portable and you can even just keep it on a USB stick or in your document's folder.

This is also more secure as you are not opening up your house to anything. If you leave SSH open for every IP instead of just your work IP, make sure to use a different port than the default, and install fail2ban which will prevent brute force attacks. Using a non default port is to prevent getting hit by all the bots. Otherwise it just floods your log files and puts extra stress on the system which makes it slow.

 

[Blue Shift]

You could also just use Remote Desktop Connection in windows to connect to your home computer, and use your home computer's web browser.

 

[Crusty]

You could also just use Remote Desktop Connection in windows to connect to your home computer, and use your home computer's web browser.

Or just be like everyone else in the office and use your phone for personal browsing....

 

[bobdole369]

You can ssh tunnel to any router running dd-wrt to which you know the password. On a mac its:

ssh -D xxxx oneofusjustin.illegitimateuseofcompanytime.com
where xxxx is a port you pick.
Set your computers proxy port as localhost:xxxx
Your packets are sent to oneofusjustin.illegitimateuseofcompanytime.com encrypted first - then your router decrypts and sends out to the web your browsing.

In Windows - I can't recall specific instructions - been so long since I used putty - but same concept and google is your friend.

squid does the same thing, but its not encrypted and anybody can use the port too unless you set up acls.

 

[oneofusjustin]

Or just be like everyone else in the office and use your phone for personal browsing....

lol this has nothign to do with personal browsing even tho i cant live without MYSPACE ZOOOMG!



no but seriously. here is what i did i got a linux VPS and set up an Apache proxy server on it. it works OK but i had to pay a guy 50 bucks to set it up and i need 3 more *sigh*

does anyone know some decent windows proxy software? we are thinking about getting a DSL line in the office (currently use fios) and then putting a box on the DSL line and running proxy server on there.

 

[bobdole369]

LMAO - I'll set it up for you. Only charge $200 for all 4.

 

[LCTSI]

I do all of general research from a VM on my home PC. It makes my machine's netflow reports about a billion times simpler.

bobdole is right, SSH is all you need. Don't even need squid.

 

[RavenSEAL]

+1 on the remote desktop