How to build a http proxy server

Building an HTTP proxy server is an interesting and useful project, especially if you need to protect privacy, manage network traffic or perform data collection on the web. Next, I will explain in detail how to build an HTTP proxy server with easy-to-follow steps for beginners.

Choosing the right server

First, you need to choose a server to run your HTTP proxy server. You can choose from a local computer, a virtual private server (VPS) or a cloud server. For beginners, using a VPS or cloud server is a good choice because they usually have better network bandwidth and stability.

Installation of the operating system and necessary software

Install an operating system on your server, usually choosing a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu or CentOS.Next, connect to your server using SSH and make sure the system is up to date:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Installation of Squid Proxy Server

Squid is a popular and powerful HTTP proxy server software. You can install Squid on Ubuntu with the following command:

sudo apt-get install squid

Configuring Squid

Once the installation is complete, you need to configure Squid. the Squid configuration file is located in the/etc/squid/squid.conf. You can edit this file using a text editor such as nano or vim:

sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf

In the configuration file, you can set up some basic configurations, such as which IP addresses are allowed to be able to use the proxy, defining the ports for the proxy, and so on. Here are some basic configuration examples:

# Define access control lists (ACLs)
acl localnet src 192.168.1.0/24 # Allow local network access
acl SSL_ports port 443 # Allow HTTPS access
acl Safe_ports port 80 # Allow HTTP access
acl Safe_ports port 21 # Allow FTP access
acl CONNECT method CONNECT # Allow CONNECT method

# Access control rules
http_access allow localnet
http_access deny all

# proxy port
http_port 3128

When you are done editing, save the file and exit the editor.

Start and test Squid

Once the configuration is complete, restart the Squid service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart squid

You can check the status of the Squid service to make sure it is running properly using the following command:

sudo systemctl status squid

Next, set up the proxy server in your browser or other web application, using your server's IP address and a port configured by Squid (e.g. 3128). Visit a website and test that the proxy is working properly.

Setting up authentication (optional)

For added security, you can set up authentication for your HTTP proxy server. First, install the Apache tools:

sudo apt-get install apache2-utils

Then, create a password file and add users:

sudo htpasswd -c /etc/squid/squid_passwd your_username

Next, edit the Squid configuration file to add the following to enable authentication:

auth_param basic program /usr/lib/squid/basic_ncsa_auth /etc/squid/squid_passwd
auth_param basic children 5
auth_param basic realm Squid proxy-caching web server
auth_param basic credentialsttl 2 hours
auth_param basic casesensitive on

acl authenticated proxy_auth REQUIRED
http_access allow authenticated

Save the file and restart the Squid service:

sudo systemctl restart squid

summarize

With these steps, you have successfully built an HTTP proxy server. Whether you use it for privacy, managing network traffic, or data collection, an HTTP proxy server is a powerful tool. Hopefully this guide will help you build and use your HTTP proxy server successfully.