[squid-users] XP IE 6.x Machines Ignoring Proxy - Squid 2.5.14

Ok. Let me rephrase what is happening, what we have done, and what I want
to achieve. We have the GPO setting the Auto Detect Proxy Setting in IE.
We don't grey it out, so users CAN uncheck it and go around the proxy.
When we use the auto detect setting, end users don't always go to the
proxy. Debugs on the PIX Firewalls at all remote locations where we are
forcing the users to use the Proxy Server here in Atlanta via a VPN
connection indicate that for a period of time the users will initiate web
connections to the proxy over port 3128. However, invariably, the end
users end up sending traffic directly to the websites and the firewall,
which doesn't allow users to make calls to say 209.73.186.238, drops the
traffic. If I go into the endusers browser and hard code the location of
the PAC file in their browser, everything works. But by doing this, they
won't be able to surf the web unless they are VPN'd into our network or
they go into their browser settings and remove the PAC configuration and
that isn't acceptable in our environment. Our end user population is made
up almost entirely of Accountants, so they aren't savvy enough to make
these types of configuration changes. Additionally, our VP treats the
endusers with kid gloves and doesn't ask them to do anything IT related no
matter how remedial. Having said all of this, what I need to understand
is why would the browsers ignore the proxy when Auto Detect Settings is
selected and not ignore the proxy when the location of the PAC is hard
coded. From a a layer 1-4 perspective, I can't see where this is network
related. Hope this helps. Thanks in advance for your responses.

Regards,

Eric Watters
Network Engineer
PRG Schultz
Desk: 770.779.3318
Cell: 404.247.0646
Received on Tue Aug 01 2006 - 08:27:16 MDT