Connect Your Client

Web traffic flows through SafeSquid only when clients are configured to use it as their HTTP proxy. Choose a configuration method based on your deployment scale and environment:

• Explicit Proxy — Manual browser configuration (testing, single users)
• PAC File — Automated proxy selection for all browsers (medium deployments)
• System-Wide Proxy — OS-level configuration for all applications (complete coverage)
• Enterprise Deployment — Mass rollout via GPO, MDM, or config management (production at scale)
• Application-Specific — Individual app configuration (Git, Docker, CLI tools)

Before You Start

• SafeSquid installed and running (verify by accessing https://SERVER-IP:8443)
• License activated (see Activate Your License) for full feature access
• Note your SafeSquid server IP address and port (default: 8080)
• For HTTPS sites, you'll need SSL Inspection configured later

Which Method Should I Use?

Scenario	Recommended Method	Why
Testing SafeSquid for the first time	Explicit Proxy	Fastest way to validate installation
Single user, multiple browsers	PAC File	Configure once, applies to all browsers
Need all apps on a machine proxied	System-Wide Proxy	OS-level proxy covers browsers + CLI tools
Rolling out to 10-1000+ endpoints	Enterprise Deployment	GPO/MDM push for consistent configuration
Only specific apps need proxy (e.g., Docker)	Application-Specific	Configure individual apps without affecting others

For production: Start with Explicit Proxy to test, then use Enterprise Deployment for full rollout.

Configuration Methods

Explicit Proxy

Manual browser configuration. Set proxy IP and port in browser settings for quick testing or controlled environments.

Use this for: Initial testing, single-user setups, or when you need immediate validation that SafeSquid is working.

Time to deploy: 2 minutes per browser.

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PAC File

Automated proxy selection. Deploy a Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) file that all browsers reference. Supports conditional routing (e.g., direct access for internal sites, proxy for internet).

Use this for: Medium deployments (10-100 users), branch offices, or when you need flexible proxy rules without reconfiguring every browser.

Time to deploy: 10 minutes to create PAC file + distribute URL.

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System-Wide Proxy

OS-level configuration. Configure Windows, macOS, or Linux to route all application traffic through SafeSquid—browsers, CLI tools, and background apps.

Use this for: Complete traffic coverage on individual machines, developer workstations, or endpoints where all apps must use the proxy.

Time to deploy: 5 minutes per OS.

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Enterprise Deployment

Mass rollout via GPO, MDM, or config management. Push proxy settings to hundreds or thousands of endpoints using Group Policy (Windows), MDM (macOS/mobile), Puppet, Ansible, or SCCM.

Use this for: Production deployments, organization-wide rollouts, or when you need centralized control and consistent configuration.

Time to deploy: Initial setup 1-2 hours, then automatic for all endpoints.

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Application-Specific Configuration

Configure individual applications. Set proxy for Git, npm, Docker, email clients, and CLI tools that don't inherit system proxy settings.

Use this for: Developer tools, containerized apps, or when only specific applications need proxy access.

Time to deploy: 2-5 minutes per application.

Testing Your Configuration

After configuring any method, test immediately:

1. Open a browser configured to use SafeSquid

2. Navigate to http://example.com

3. Check SafeSquid logs:

   tail -20 /var/log/safesquid/access/extended.log

   You should see the request logged with client IP, URL, and timestamp

   (Use tail -f to follow live logs; press Ctrl+C to exit)

Verify proxy is being used: Visit a site like whatismyip.com — the displayed IP should match your SafeSquid server's WAN IP, not your client's direct IP.

If the site doesn't load:

• Verify SafeSquid is running: systemctl status safesquid
• Check firewall allows port 8080
• Confirm proxy IP and port in client settings
• See Troubleshooting for common issues

For HTTPS sites: You'll see certificate warnings until SSL Inspection is configured.

Next Steps

1. Verify Your Setup — Run comprehensive smoke tests to confirm traffic flows
2. SSL Inspection — Enable HTTPS decryption so SafeSquid can inspect encrypted traffic
3. Configure Policies — Set up access controls and content filtering
4. Scale Your Deployment — If testing succeeded, roll out to all endpoints using Enterprise Deployment methods