Configuring client's proxy settings
GFI WebMonitor acts as a Proxy ServerA server or software application that receives requests from client machines and responds according to filtering policies configured in GFI WebMonitor. to provide a connection between your internal network and the Internet. This means that traffic from client machines needs to be redirected through the GFI WebMonitor server. GFI WebMonitor offers different options on how to route client traffic.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Using fixed Proxy Settings |
Set up browser proxy settings on every client machine so that Internet traffic is redirected through the GFI WebMonitor proxy. Simply go to the Browser settings of the client machines and set the IP of GFI WebMonitor. To facilitate the administration of this feature GPOs can be used to: |
| Using WPAD | When deploying in Simple Proxy Mode, you can use WPADWeb Proxy AutoDiscovery protocol. to avoid configuring fixed proxy settings on client machines. WPAD allows client computers to automatically detect proxy server configuration settings. When this feature is enabled and the Internet browser connection settings are configured to 'Automatically Detect Settings', each client machine will automatically determine the IP address of the GFI WebMonitor server and use it as a proxy without further configuration. NOTE If WPAD is enabled, all browsers configured to 'Automatically Detect Settings' start automatically pointing to the GFI WebMonitor proxy. This is something you might want to avoid during the trial period. |
| Using Transparent Proxy |
If you are deploying GFI WebMonitor in Gateway mode, you can use Transparent Proxy - a feature used to monitor and control HTTPHypertext Transfer Protocol. and HTTPSHypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (SSL). traffic transparently. When a user makes a request to a web server, the Transparent Proxy intercepts the request to deliver the requested content. When GFI WebMonitor is deployed in this mode, you do not need to set client browser settings to point to a proxy. NOTE Transparent Proxy cannot be enabled in Simple Proxy Mode. If using Gateway Mode, we still suggest using fixed proxy settings for the trial since with Transparent Proxy, GFI WebMonitor is able to capture all traffic on the network. |