Support for the use of a Proxy Server

This document is no longer available beyond version 5.0. Information can now be found here: Support for the use of a Proxy Server with Altium On-Prem Enterprise Server for version 6.0

Applies to NEXUS Server version: 5.0

This documentation page references NEXUS Server (part of the deployed NEXUS solution), which has been discontinued. All your PCB design, data management and collaboration needs can now be delivered by Altium Designer and a connected Altium 365 Workspace. Check out the FAQs page for more information.

Parent page: Altium NEXUS Server – Details for IT Departments

For a company that accesses the internet through a proxy server, proxy configuration information can be defined for an Altium NEXUS Server – post installation. This enables NEXUS Server Services to successfully connect with internet-based services through the company's proxy server, as and when required.

Proxy configuration information is entered into the [Proxy] section of the LocalVault.ini file. For a default installation of the Altium NEXUS Server, this file can be found in the following location: \Program Files (x86)\Altium\Altium NEXUS Server.

  • Proxy server information is defined in the INI file after the NEXUS Server has been installed. IIS (Altium NEXUS Server-related application pools) should not be stopped before editing the file, but must be restarted after changes have been made and the INI file saved, in order for the changes to be applied.
  • While accessing the internet through the secured protocol (HTTPS) is supported by a Proxy Server itself, the use of a Proxy Server with HTTPS schema through the Altium NEXUS Server installation is not supported. For example, if you want to acquire some components from the Altium Content Vault – connected through HTTPS – all will work fine. But if you want to specify a Proxy Server through the NEXUS Server in the format https://myproxy:3128, this proxy will not work.

Configuration information for your Proxy Server is added to the NEXUS Server's LocalVault.ini file – ensuring that the services
provided by the NEXUS Server can access their web-based destinations successfully, through that Proxy Server.

The following entries are made within the [Proxy] section of the file:

  • Enabled – specify whether a Proxy Server is to be used. Enter either a 1 (Proxy Server enabled) or 0 (Proxy Server disabled).
  • Server – specify here, the host computer that is acting as the Proxy Server, in the format http://<ComputerName>:<PortNumber> (e.g. http://myproxy:3128), or http://<IPAddress>:<PortNumber> (e.g. http://10.10.5.174:8080). You can drop the http:// part if you wish.
Remember that only a HTTP Proxy Server can be used – HTTPS proxies are not supported when configured through the NEXUS Server.
  • Exceptions – specify here, the list of domains for which proxy settings should be ignored (separated by a comma).
By default, proxy settings are bypassed for local addresses (127.0.0.1, localhost, and the domain name of the computer on which the Altium NEXUS Server is installed).
  • User – enter the username portion of the credentials for access to, and authentication on, the Proxy Server.
  • Password – enter the password portion of the credentials for access to, and authentication on, the Proxy Server.
The User and Password values may be left empty if authentication is not required for the specified Proxy Server.

The following image illustrates example Proxy Server configuration information defined within a LocalVault.ini file. For the Exceptions entry, note that the google entry will result in the bypass of any site that begins with 'google' (e.g. google.com, google.ua, google.co.uk, google.com.ua, and so on).

Example Proxy Server configuration.Example Proxy Server configuration.

Once saved, ensure that you restart the IIS application pools associated with the NEXUS Server (performed from the Windows Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager panel – accessed from Window's Administrative Tools window).