How to Enable SSL Proxies

SSL stands for "Secure Socket Layer." It is the security system created at the heart of HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure). SSL has been replaced by the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. Despite the fact that SSL has been superseded, the name is still used, and applies also to systems using TLS. Your SSL proxy is really a TLS proxy. The details of the SSL proxy are set into the configuration of your web browser. Each browser has slightly different methods to access these settings, but in all cases you will need the IP address and port number of your SSL proxy.

Mozilla Firefox

• 1

  Click on the "Tools" drop-down menu in the menu bar and select the "Options" item. This opens the "Options" window.

• 2

  Select "Advanced" in the top bar (represented by a cog) and click on the "Network" tab. Press the "Settings" button under "Connection." This opens the "Connection Settings" window.

• 3

  Click the "Manual proxy configuration" radio button. Below this heading you will see a series of proxy types. The SSL proxy entry is the second line in the series. Enter your proxy IP address and port number in the "SSL Proxy" fields. Further down the screen is a field for exceptions. If there are websites that you do not want to pass through this SSL proxy, enter them here. You can enter each site either by its IP address or its domain name. Each entry in this list should be separated by a comma.

• 4

  Click the "OK" button to close the "Connection Settings" window. Select "OK" in the "Options" window to close the window.

Google Chrome

• 1

  Click on the wrench symbol which is located at the end of the address bar. This opens the tools menu. Towards the bottom of this menu is the "Options" entry. Click on the "Options" entry to open the "Google Chrome Options" window.

• 2

  Activate the "Under the Hood" tab and click the "Change proxy settings" button. This opens the "Internet Properties" window.

• 3

  Activate the "Connections" tab. Click the "LAN settings" button to open the "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" window.

• 4

  Check the "Use a proxy server" box to activate the proxy settings fields. Click the "Advanced" button to open the "Proxy Settings" window.

• 5

  Enter the IP address and port number of your SSL proxy in the "Secure" line of the "Proxy "Settings" screen. Exceptions -- sites that will be contacted directly and not use the proxy -- can be entered in the "Exceptions" field. Each entry can be an IP address or a domain name, or part of a domain name. Entries are separated by semicolons.

• 6

  Close the "Proxy Settings" window by clicking the "OK" button. Select the "OK" button in the Local Area Network (LAN) Settings window, then click the "OK" button in the "Internet Properties" window.

Internet Explorer

• 1

  Select the "Tools" drop-down menu on the menu bar. Select "Internet Options" to open the Internet Options window.

• 2

  Click on the "Connections" tab and press the "LAN Settings" button. This opens the "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" window.

• 3

  Check the "Use a proxy server" box to activate the proxy settings fields. Press the "Advanced" button to open the "Proxy Settings" window.

• 4

  Enter the IP address and port number of your SSL proxy in the "Secure" line of the "Proxy "Settings" screen. Exceptions -- sites that will be contacted directly and not use the proxy -- can be entered in the "Exceptions" field. Each entry can be an IP address or a domain name, or part of a domain name. Entries are separated by semicolons.

• 5

  Close the "Proxy Settings" window by clicking the "OK" button. Press the "OK" button in the Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" window, then click the "OK" button in the "Internet Options" window.