I am running a Mac with Leopard OS. I also use the Mac “Safari” browser. Life has been, and still is, wonderful!
But yesterday I got a message saying I needed to disconnect my ‘proxy’ connection – or something like that. I did just that but wonder if this means future problems. Everything seems to work OK – but.
Incidentally, because of our location I have to use Hughes satellite broadband.
Frosty
“I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm.” FDR – 1922
Replies
Whether disconnecting the proxy will be a problem for you depends, I think, in part on the source of the message. Most spammers use proxy servers to hide their actual location/IP address, so many sites have installed blocking software that compares the reported IP address to those on one or more "blacklist" sites. Thus, without the proxy, you may actually have fewer problems.
That's a comfort. Thanks for the reply.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Do you use a router (the electronic box kind, not the spinning woodworking kind) with your Mac?
Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Yes, it is a Linksys (I'm not sure of the RPM or HP. Ha Ha) for or a 2 computer LAN.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Frosty,If you are using OSX on a router, you likely do not need a proxy server, at least for security:1. OSX is pretty bulletproof (or at least bullet resistant), especially if you set up a user account(s) that does not run as Administrator.2. Safari (and Firefox) is less prone to exploits than IE (more hacker proof).3. Routers have hardware firewalls that have Network Address Translation (NAT) capability. This means the IP address of your computer is hidden by the router from the internet. For example, when you set up your router, you probably enabled DHCP- this means that every time you turn on your router and system, your ISP gives the router a dynamic, public IP address (if you reboot, you will be given a new one). This conserves IP addresses (there are a finite number) and also means that hackers cannot come back to the same address each time to find your system. The router then assigns, static, private IP addresses to each computer connected to it (e.g. 192.18.35.102). These adresses are the same each time, but only exist on your side of the router- no one outside your LAN can see them. 4. Routers are also "stateful". This means that they evaluate any incoming packets to your system to determine their type, origin, etc. It also means unless these packets arose from an active session that you initiated, they will be blocked without recognition. For example, suppose that you have email with your ISP. You click on "Check Mail". Your computer sends a request for email messages to your ISP, say at http://www.juno.mail.net. Juno.mail.net has an IP address- say it is 147.86.32.55. Juno receives your request, and sends you back your email. When the packets arrive at your router, it checks to see that they were requested (did not arrive uninvited), that they came from Juno (147.86.32.55), and that they are for the appropriate port (usually 110 for email), and then it sends them ("routes them") to the computer on your network that requested them. So your wife won't see the email from your HS prom date that you bumped into last year at the 25th reunion who is now requesting child support (or perhaps you are not in politics? Never mind).If packets arrive uninvited, say from nigerian.phishing.scam.com, the router simply drops them- so they cannot get in. If some hacker tries to probe your system, he/she encounters the router, which (if properly set up) cannot be hacked, won't run a malignant bit of code, will just ignore the request. Your computers sit behind the moat, with their unlisted "telephone" (IP) numbers.To make certain that your router is secure, change the default name ("LINKSYS" is the commonest LAN name on the planet), turn-off remote access administration (meaning that someone cannot change the router settings from afar), and if a wireless router, make certain that it has a pretty durable WPA (not WEP) password. Mine is a 63 character pseudorandom number, but YMMV.Good luck,Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Great response! Thank you. That explains why I receive no spam. (I have had 2 requests to share in a large fortune from Nigeria - but over the past three years that is not bad.)It looks as if I am OK - but, if it is so secure how did YOU know about:"mail from your HS prom date that you bumped into last year at the 25th reunion who is now requesting child support"?Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
<"...but, if it is so secure how did YOU know about:"mail from your HS prom date that you bumped into last year at the 25th reunion who is now requesting child support"?">Ooops. The man from the IRS told me not to mention that part. So, just pretend it is a surprise...Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Glaucon,
Question: If your router is running DHCP how would you prevent roaming wireless enabled laptops from accessing your LAN? This isn't a loaded question; I'm be interested in hearing your approach.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,The best way to prevent a wireless router from being hacked, is to enable WPA security (encryption). This involves renaming the router and assigning a password. I use a 63 character pseudo-random number like:Kz{'8/Se(NI|Qx/Y73+xw}t4^O{X#Pb*7;8?+dpS_`|'wV|"xx)/.xLw'!C.?&pYou can get one from:https://www.grc.com/passwords.htmOnce you get a password, burn it on to a CD (you can use a thumb drive, but a CD is better, as it is unlikely to get corrupted or lost). Whenever you want to give a computer wireless access, you will have to set it up for your router. So, you go to the wireless networking tab of your Windows (or 3rd party software), and when it asks for the password, you cut and paste it from the CD, and you are in. Since your laptop will store this password for future use, you won't have to do this again. This kind of password is essentially unhackable.Any hacker who parks outside your house with his laptop scanning your wifi, will be asked for that password, and won't be able to get in (WPA is much more robust than the original WEP wireless security). If a friend is visiting, you can give him the password so that he can get on your wireless, of you can just let him connect to one of the wired ports, so you don't have to give out the password.There is one other thing you can do (I do it myself, so its for the truly paranoid geek). You can use two routers: one wired, one wireless. I have an older, perfectly OK wired router. My cable modem is connected to it. My main computers and my printer are also connected by RJ45 wires to it. One of the wired ports from this router is connected to the WAN input of my wireless router. The wired router gets an IP address from my ISP, and then gives private IP addresses to my computers, printer and to the wireless router. The wireless router then gives out different private IP addresses to any computers that connect to it (I set it up to make sure its IP addresses are different than the ones from the wired router). So when I use my laptop, I can get on the net via wireless. But, if my laptop ever is compromised or infected by a virus or other malware, it never connects to my wired LAN, so my main machines never get infected. Anything that happens on my wireless "DMZ" is kept separate from the wired zone. Since I originally had the wired router before I bought the wireless one, it was an easy way to gain additional security. Since my financial records are behind the wired firewall, I'm a bit safer than otherwise. Just a thought...Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Glaucon,
Very clever and relatively simple too.
you can give him the password so that he can get on your wireless Ya, but he'd be older than dirt by the time he typed it in!
Right now I use my Unix box (Spark - 20) wired behind the Linksys wireless for Inet access. So fah so good.
:-)
Thanks man,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,(re: password)Actually, unless he is a really, really, really good typist, it's probably better to give him the CD...Glaucon
If you don't think too good, then don't think too much...
Thanks for all that info. I printed it out for future reference.Cheers,Peterp.s. if I can return the favour by explaining something about flying airliners, let me know.
Better life through Zoodles and poutine...
Glaucon,
The amazing thing about computerese, is that it looks so much like English, yet is so incomprehensible...
Ray
But yesterday I got a message saying I needed to disconnect my 'proxy' connection - or something like that. I did just that but wonder if this means future problems.
I say NO! And then some! I do not have an Apple.. But worked with them alot..
WHO sent it? AND WHY.... NEVER change anything as the first mesage... Just my opinion..
MAY be REAL.. I'd call your supplier first!
Edited 8/14/2008 1:29 pm by WillGeorge
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