How to find out the proxy settings on your computer

A proxy server is usually not installed on your computer; it runs on a separate computer on the network, and the network has been configured so that your computer is forced to go through the proxy server.

In order to tell your computer to go through the proxy server, someone has to enter proxy settings into your browser. These instructions describe how to find out your browser's proxy settings.

For Netscape Communicator -- i.e. Netscape 4.0 and later versions

Look under "Edit", pick "Preferences", and then in the list of preferences in the dialog box that comes up, click on "Advanced" and select "Proxies". Three choices should be displayed: Direct connection to the Internet", "Manual proxy configuration" and "Automatic proxy configuration".

For Netscape Navigator -- i.e. Netscape 3.x and earlier versions

Look under "Options", pick "Network Preferences", and select the "Proxies" tab. Three choices should be displayed: "No proxies", "Manual proxy configuration" and "Automatic proxy configuration".

For Microsoft Internet Explorer -- all versions

Look under "View", pick "Internet Options" and click on the "Connection" tab. If the "Automatic configuration set" message is not displayed, and the box next to "Access the Internet using a proxy server" is not checked, then Internet Explorer is not configured to use a proxy server. If you are able to browse the Web at all from that machine using Internet Explorer, then your Internet access is not being censored by a proxy.

bennett@peacefire.org