Do Not Use Proxy Server For Addresses Beginning With
Use Proxy Servers with Internet Explorer – Browsers
Use Proxy Servers with Internet Explorer – Browsers | Microsoft Docs
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10/13/2021
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Important
The Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022 (for a list of what’s in scope, see the FAQ). The same IE11 apps and sites you use today can open in Microsoft Edge with Internet Explorer mode. Learn more here.
This article discusses how to use Microsoft Internet Explorer in proxy environments.
Original product version: Internet Explorer
Original KB number: 4551930
Bypass proxy servers for web requests
Some network requests have to bypass the proxy. The most common reason is for local (intranet) addresses. Generally, these addresses don’t contain periods.
To bypass the proxy, select the Bypass proxy server for local (intranet) addresses check box in the Local Area Network (LAN) Settings dialog box. This method bypasses the proxy for all addresses that don’t contain a period (for example, compserv). These addresses will also be resolved directly.
To bypass more complex addresses, set up exceptions for specific addresses or wildcards by using either of the following procedures.
Use the browser settings
If you’re configuring proxy settings on a user’s computer after the deployment, follow these steps:
In Internet Explorer, open the Tools menu, and then select Internet Options.
On the Connections tab, select LAN Settings.
In the Local Area Network Settings dialog box, select the Use a proxy server for your LAN settings check box.
Select the Advanced tab, and enter the appropriate exceptions in the Do not use proxy server for addresses beginning with: box.
Note
Multiple exceptions should be separated by semicolons (“;”).
For more information, see Internet Explorer uses Proxy Server for Local IP address even if the “Bypass Proxy Server for Local Addresses” option is turned on.
Use the Proxy setting in the Internet Explorer Customization Wizard
For more information about this method, see Use the Proxy Settings page in the IEAK 11 Wizard.
Use Group Policy
In earlier versions of the Windows operating system, Internet Explorer Maintenance (IEM) is used to configure Internet Explorer settings by using Group Policy. In Windows 8, the IEM settings have been deprecated in favor of Group Policy Preferences, Administrative Templates (), and the Internet Explorer Administration Kit 10 (IEAK 10).
To configure the proxy setting through a group policy, see How to configure Proxy Settings for Internet Explorer 10 and Internet Explorer 11 as IEM is not available.
More information
A proxy bypass entry may begin by using an,, ftp, or gopher protocol type.
If a protocol type is used, the exception entry applies only to requests for that protocol.
The protocol value is case insensitive. Multiple entries should be separated by semicolons.
If no protocol is specified, any request that uses the address will be bypassed.
If a protocol is specified, requests that use the address will be bypassed only if they are of the indicated protocol type. Address entries are case insensitive, the same as they are for the protocol type.
If a port number is given, the request is processed only if all previous requirements are met and the request uses the specified port number.
To bypass servers, use an asterisk (“*”) as a wildcard to replace actual characters in the exceptions area of the Proxy Settings dialog box.
Enter a wildcard at the beginning of an Internet address, IP address, or domain name that has a common ending. For example, use *. to bypass any entries that end in., such as and
Enter a wildcard in the middle of an Internet address, IP address, or domain name that has a common beginning and ending. For example, the entry * matches any entry that starts as www and ends as com.
Enter a wildcard at the end of an Internet address, IP address, or domain name that has a common beginning. For example, use to bypass any entries that begin as ，such as,, and
To bypass addresses that have similar patterns, use multiple wildcards. For example, use 123. 1*. 66. * to bypass addresses such as 123. 144. 12, 123. 133. 15, and 123. 187. 13.
Use wildcards carefully. For example, the entry * causes Internet Explorer to bypass the proxy for most websites.
If you bypass the proxy for a local domain, use * This method doesn’t use the proxy for any computer name that ends in You can use the wildcard for any part of the name. For more information, see The Intranet Zone.
Proxy Auto Configuration (PAC)
Example of a simple PAC file
The following is a simple PAC file:
function FindProxyForURL(url, host)
{
return “PROXY proxyserver:portnumber”;}
This PAC always returns the proxy proxyserver:portnumber. For more information about how to write a PAC file and the different functions of a PAC file, see Introduction of FindProxyForURL.
References
How can I configure Proxy AutoConfigURL Setting using Group Policy Preference (GPP)?
How to use GPP Registry to uncheck automatically detect settings?
How to configure a proxy server URL and Port using GPP Registry?
How to configure Group Policy Preference settings for Internet Explorer 11 in Windows 8. 1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
Third-party information disclaimer
The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.
3 Ways to Bypass Proxy Server for Local Addresses in Windows 10
In our earlier article, we have explained how to setup proxy server to bypass your local network settings. However, in some cases you need to have dual network at the same time. For example, you may want to access Facebook over proxy but use intranet websites using your school / company’s network. Windows has a simple option to bypass proxy for local addresses. In this article, we will explain how to setup that.
How to Bypass Proxy Server for Local Addresses in Windows 10?
There are multiple ways you can bypass or exempt website addresses from using proxy. Remember that Windows will exclude the local website addresses like intranet or localhost from proxy when you enable the corresponding check box. However it will not work depending on the URL format. Therefore, we recommend you to add the local addresses in the exception list for correct usage.
1. Using Internet Options
Press “Win + E” shortcut keys to open File “control panel” in the address bar and press enter key to open Control Panel the “View by” option to “Category” to view the details.
Control Panel Category View
Click on “Network and Internet”
option and then click on “Internet Options”.
Open Internet Options from Control Panel
Alternatively, you can use Windows
Search box to search “internet options” and open the Internet Properties dialog
box.
LAN Settings in Windows 10
Go to “Connections” tab and click on “LAN settings” button. This will open “Local Area Network (LAN) Settings” pop-up. Enable “Use a proxy server for your LAN” check box to enter the IP address and port of your proxy server.
Setup Proxy Server in Windows 10
Now that you have setup a proxy
server and all network from your computer will go through the proxy. For
providing exception or bypassing your local intranet website addresses, enable
“Bypass proxy server for local addresses” check box and click on “Advanced”
button.
Provide Exceptions in Proxy
Under
“Exceptions” box, type all the website addresses you do not want to use proxy.
Use semicolon to separate each address you want to exclude. Click “OK” to apply
your changes.
2. Using Settings App
Press “Win + I keys to open the Windows Settings app and go to “Network & Internet” section. Go to “Proxy” section and enable “Use a proxy server” option under “Manual proxy setup” section.
Manual Proxy Server Setup
After typing the IP/port, you can
type the addresses in the text box to exclude them from proxy the checkbox “Don’t use the
proxy server for local (intranet) addresses” “Save” button to save your
changes.
3. Use Firefox Network Settings
All the browsers like Chrome, Edge and IE use the computer’s network settings for proxy. However, Firefox has standalone browser settings that allow you to add proxy and exceptions within the browser. Remember, this method is effective only within Firefox browser and your computer’s network will still follow the default settings from Internet Options.
If you do not have Firefox, install
from the official to “about:preferences” page,
scroll down to “Network Settings” and click on the “Settings…” button.
Firefox Network Settings
This will open “Connection Settings”
pop-up within either manual or automatic
proxy configuration option.
Setup Proxy in Mozilla Firefox
Type the exception for local and
other website addresses under “No proxy for” text “OK” to save your changes.
Final Words
Though
proxies are helpful, ensure to use reliable servers to avoid security problems.
Follow one of the above methods to exclude local and internet websites from
using proxy server. This will help you to use dual networks at the same time
for accessing different websites.
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5
What is a Proxy Server and How Does it Work? – Varonis
The actual nuts and bolts of how the internet works are not something people often stop to consider. The problem with that is the inherent danger of data security breaches and identity theft that come along with the cute dog pictures, 24-hour news updates, and great deals online.
But what actually happens when you browse the web? You might be using a proxy server at your office, on a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or you could be one of the more tech-savvy who always use a proxy server of some kind or another.
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What’s a Proxy Server?
A proxy server is any machine that translates traffic between networks or protocols. It’s an intermediary server separating end-user clients from the destinations that they browse. Proxy servers provide varying levels of functionality, security, and privacy depending on your use case, needs, or company policy.
If you’re using a proxy server, traffic flows through the proxy server on its way to the address you requested. The request then comes back through that same proxy server (there are exceptions to this rule), and then the proxy server forwards the data received from the website to you.
If that’s all it does, why bother with a proxy server? Why not just go straight from to the website and back?
Modern proxy servers do much more than forward web requests, all in the name of data security and network performance. Proxy servers act as a firewall and web filter, provide shared network connections, and cache data to speed up common requests. A good proxy server keeps users and the internal network protected from the bad stuff that lives out in the wild internet. Lastly, proxy servers can provide a high level of privacy.
How Does a Proxy Server Operate?
Every computer on the internet needs to have a unique Internet Protocol (IP) Address. Think of this IP address as your computer’s street address. Just as the post office knows to deliver your mail to your street address, the internet knows how to send the correct data to the correct computer by the IP address.
A proxy server is basically a computer on the internet with its own IP address that your computer knows. When you send a web request, your request goes to the proxy server first. The proxy server then makes your web request on your behalf, collects the response from the web server, and forwards you the web page data so you can see the page in your browser.
When the proxy server forwards your web requests, it can make changes to the data you send and still get you the information that you expect to see. A proxy server can change your IP address, so the web server doesn’t know exactly where you are in the world. It can encrypt your data, so your data is unreadable in transit. And lastly, a proxy server can block access to certain web pages, based on IP address.
What are Forward Proxies
A forward proxy server sits between the client and an external network. It evaluates the outbound requests and takes action on them before relaying that request to the external resource.
Most proxy services that you’re likely to encounter are forward proxies. Virtual Private Networks and Web content filters are both examples of forward proxies.
What are Reverse Proxies
A reverse proxy server sits between a network and multiple other internal resources. A large website might have dozens of servers that collectively serve requests from a single domain. To accomplish that, client requests would resolve to a machine that would act as a load balancer. The load balancer would then proxy that traffic back to the individual servers.
Some popular open source reverse proxies are:
Varnish
Squid
Why Should You Use a Proxy Server?
There are several reasons organizations and individuals use a proxy server.
To control internet usage of employees and children: Organizations and parents set up proxy servers to control and monitor how their employees or kids use the internet. Most organizations don’t want you looking at specific websites on company time, and they can configure the proxy server to deny access to specific sites, instead redirecting you with a nice note asking you to refrain from looking at said sites on the company network. They can also monitor and log all web requests, so even though they might not block the site, they know how much time you spend cyberloafing.
Bandwidth savings and improved speeds: Organizations can also get better overall network performance with a good proxy server. Proxy servers can cache (save a copy of the website locally) popular websites – so when you ask for, the proxy server will check to see if it has the most recent copy of the site, and then send you the saved copy. What this means is that when hundreds of people hit at the same time from the same proxy server, the proxy server only sends one request to This saves bandwidth for the company and improves the network performance.
Privacy benefits: Individuals and organizations alike use proxy servers to browse the internet more privately. Some proxy servers will change the IP address and other identifying information the web request contains. This means the destination server doesn’t know who actually made the original request, which helps keeps your personal information and browsing habits more private.
Improved security: Proxy servers provide security benefits on top of the privacy benefits. You can configure your proxy server to encrypt your web requests to keep prying eyes from reading your transactions. You can also prevent known malware sites from any access through the proxy server. Additionally, organizations can couple their proxy server with a Virtual Private Network (VPN), so remote users always access the internet through the company proxy. A VPN is a direct connection to the company network that companies provide to external or remote users. By using a VPN, the company can control and verify that their users have access to the resources (email, internal data) they need, while also providing a secure connection for the user to protect the company data.
Get access to blocked resources: Proxy servers allow users to circumvent content restrictions imposed by companies or governments. Is the local sportsball team’s game blacked out online? Log into a proxy server on the other side of the country and watch from there. The proxy server makes it look like you are in California, but you actually live in North Carolina. Several governments around the world closely monitor and restrict access to the internet, and proxy servers offer their citizens access to an uncensored internet.
Now that you have an idea about why organizations and individuals use a proxy server, take a look at the risks below.
Proxy Server Risks
You do need to be cautious when you choose a proxy server: a few common risks can negate any of the potential benefits:
Free proxy server risks
You know the old saying “you get what you pay for? ” Well, using one of the many free proxy server services can be quite risky, even the services using ad-based revenue models.
Free usually means they aren’t investing heavily in backend hardware or encryption. You’ll likely see performance issues and potential data security issues. If you ever find a completely “free” proxy server, tread very carefully. Some of those are just looking to steal your credit card numbers.
Browsing history log
The proxy server has your original IP address and web request information possibly unencrypted, saved locally. Make sure to check if your proxy server logs and saves that data – and what kind of retention or law enforcement cooperation policies they follow.
If you expect to use a proxy server for privacy, but the vendor is just logging and selling your data you might not be receiving the expected value for the service.
No encryption
If you use a proxy server without encryption, you might as well not use a proxy server. No encryption means you are sending your requests as plain text. Anyone who is listening will be able to pull usernames and passwords and account information really easily. Make sure whatever proxy server you use provides full encryption capability.
Types of Proxy Servers
Not all proxy servers work the same way. It’s important to understand exactly what functionality you’re getting from the proxy server, and ensure that the proxy server meets your use case.
Transparent Proxy
A transparent proxy tells websites that it is a proxy server and it will still pass along your IP address, identifying you to the web server. Businesses, public libraries, and schools often use transparent proxies for content filtering: they’re easy to set up both client and server side.
Anonymous Proxy
An anonymous proxy will identify itself as a proxy, but it won’t pass your IP address to the website – this helps prevent identity theft and keep your browsing habits private. They can also prevent a website from serving you targeted marketing content based on your location. For example, if knows you live in Raleigh, NC, they will show you news stories they feel are relevant to Raleigh, NC. Browsing anonymously will prevent a website from using some ad targeting techniques, but is not a 100% guarantee.
Distorting proxy
A distorting proxy server passes along a false IP address for you while identifying itself as a proxy. This serves similar purposes as the anonymous proxy, but by passing a false IP address, you can appear to be from a different location to get around content restrictions.
High Anonymity proxy
High Anonymity proxy servers periodically change the IP address they present to the web server, making it very difficult to keep track of what traffic belongs to who. High anonymity proxies, like the TOR Network, is the most private and secure way to read the internet.
Proxy servers are a hot item in the news these days with the controversies around Net Neutrality and censorship. By removing net neutrality protections in the United States, Internet Service Providers (ISP) are now able to control your bandwidth and internet traffic. ISPs can potentially tell you what sites you can and cannot see. While there’s a great amount of uncertainty around what is going to happen with Net Neutrality, it’s possible that proxy servers will provide some ability to work around an ISPs restrictions.
Varonis analyzes data from proxy servers to protect you from data breaches and cyber attacks. The addition of proxy data gives more context to better analyze user behavior trends for abnormalities. You can get an alert on that suspicious activity with actionable intelligence to investigate and deal with the incident.
For example, a user accessing GDPR data might not be significant on its own. But if they access GDPR data and then try to upload it to an external website, it could be an exfiltration attempt and potential data breach. Without the context provided by file system monitoring, proxy monitoring, and Varonis threat models, you might see these events in a vacuum and not realize you need to prevent a data breach.
Get a 1:1 demo to see these threat models in action – and see what your proxy data could be telling you.
Frequently Asked Questions about do not use proxy server for addresses beginning with
Do not use proxy for local addresses?
Using Settings App After typing the IP/port, you can type the addresses in the text box to exclude them from proxy access. Enable the checkbox “Don’t use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses” option. Click “Save” button to save your changes.Sep 10, 2019
What is proxy server use or do not use?
Proxy servers act as a firewall and web filter, provide shared network connections, and cache data to speed up common requests. A good proxy server keeps users and the internal network protected from the bad stuff that lives out in the wild internet.May 7, 2021
How do I not use a proxy server?
To temporarily disable connecting to the Internet through a Proxy Service:Go to Start > Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections tab.Select the appropriate Internet Service as follows:Clear/Un-check all boxes under Automatic Configuration.Clear/Un-check the box under Proxy Server.Click OK.
