HTTP POST Server Setup

Reader support any HTTP POST Server for Tag Data and Management Events Interfaces. For this demo an Test HTTP Server is used.

Note

The unique URL showed can be used to post tags and management events.

HTTP POST Proxy Server Setup

An HTTP proxy server acts as an intermediary between a client and a server. When a client sends an HTTP request, the proxy server forwards it to the destination server, receives the response, and then sends the response back to the client. This process can be useful for various reasons, including filtering traffic, logging requests, caching content, or bypassing network restrictions.

Guide to Setting Up a Proxy Server with Squid

Step 1: Install Squid

First, need to install Squid. The installation process varies slightly depending on your Linux distribution.

On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install squid

Step 2: Configure Squid

Once installed, need to configure Squid to suit your needs. The main configuration file is usually located a /etc/squid/squid.conf.

Backup Original Configuration:

sudo cp /etc/squid/squid.conf /etc/squid/squid.conf.backup

Edit Configuration File:
Open the Squid configuration file in a text editor:
sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf
Basic Configuration:
- Port Configuration:
  
  Squid listens on port 3128 by default. You can change this if needed by finding the line that starts with http_port and modifying it: http_port 3128
- Access Control:
  
  By default, Squid might be configured to deny all access. You need to specify allowed networks. Add the following lines to allow access from a specific network: acl localnet src 192.168.1.0/24 # Replace with your network http_access allow localnet
- Allow HTTP and HTTPS:
  Ensure these lines are present to allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic:
  
  acl Safe_ports port 80 # http
  
  acl Safe_ports port 443 # https
  
  http_access deny !Safe_ports
- Save and Exit:
  
  Save the changes and exit the text editor (in nano, press CTRL + X, then Y, and Enter).

Step 3: Set Up Authentication

Install apache2-utils: This utility is required to create and manage username/password pairs using the htpasswd command.
sudo apt install apache2-utils
Create a Password File: Use the htpasswd command to create a new password file and add a user.
sudo htpasswd -c /etc/squid/passwd username
Replace username with the desired username. You will be prompted to set and confirm a password.
To add another user, omit the -c flag and execute the following command:
sudo htpasswd /etc/squid/passwd anotheruser
Restart Squid
sudo systemctl restart squid

Step 4: Start and Enable Squid Service

After configuring Squid, start the service and enable it to start on boot.

Start Squid:
sudo systemctl start squid
Enable Squid:
sudo systemctl enable squid
Check Status:
Verify that Squid is running:
sudo systemctl status squid

Step 5: Configure Firewall

Ensure that your firewall allows traffic on the port Squid is using (default is 3128).

On Ubuntu with UFW:

sudo ufw allow 3128/tcp

Step 6: Test the Proxy Server

Configure a Client:

On a client machine, configure the network settings to use the proxy server. Use the IP address of your Squid server and the port number (e.g., 3128).

Test Connectivity:

Open a web browser or use a command-line tool like curl to verify that you can browse the internet through the proxy.
curl -x http://your-squid-server-ip:3128 http://www.example.com