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Web proxy problems

Offline edform

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Web proxy problems
« on: August 29, 2010, 04:50:48 PM »
I've just submitted a bug to bugzilla [6816] reporting the very poor performance of the inbuilt web proxy of SME server - I've reported it against 8.0beta5 because my own server is running that version, but the problems also apply to various version 7 distributions. The problems I'm seeing are...

On workstations running both Windows XP and Windows 7 a large number of perfectly ordinary pages do not work properly, in particular secure pages such as signing in to 'My eBay' simply fail to load. The failure behaviour varies with the web browser in use but the pages do not work properly in any of them.

Other examples include Windows 7 failing to find drivers with its autoconfiguration function - bypassing the SME server by connecting directly to the broadband router cures this problem instantly.

Buying goods and using Paypal as the payment system also fails - the last event in the sequence should be a return to the vendor's page to confirm the transaction and this simply fails to happen and gives an 'unable to display the page' report.

Filling in forms online is also all but impossible - a good example is http://opf.lpinsure.co.uk/lpiprop/ which should bring up the opening page and login of an insurance proposal form which has multiple pages. Depending on the browser in use, the first page either doesn't load, or the sign-in fails to function, or it functions but the pages take minutes to load.

The proxy is also generally very slow compared to direct connection to the router.

I could list dozens and dozens of similar problems across various machines running SME 7 and 8.0beta5. I also suspect, but cannot prove, that the problem has to do with Java functionality and that recent Java updates have made it much worse

Reconfiguring the server to 'Server only' and connecting the network workstations direct to the broadband router cures these problems competely.

In summary, I believe the web-proxy has reached the stage where it is completely unuseable and makes it all but impossible to use the full Server and Gateway configuration of SME server. The worst bit of the lot is that I was totally unable to post this message or enter the bug in bugzilla until I bypassed the web proxy of my own server.

Ed Form

Offline cactus

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2010, 05:41:10 PM »
I've just submitted a bug to bugzilla [6816]
Thanks for reporting your issues, but I guess you made a typo and mean 6186

reporting the very poor performance of the inbuilt web proxy of SME server - I've reported it against 8.0beta5 because my own server is running that version, but the problems also apply to various version 7 distributions. The problems I'm seeing are...
If that is the case then also provide a report for SME Server 7 please.

Please direct all follow up to the relevant bugs. Thanks in advance.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth ~ Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Offline edform

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2010, 07:28:26 PM »
Thanks for reporting your issues, but I guess you made a typo and mean 6186
If that is the case then also provide a report for SME Server 7 please.

Please direct all follow up to the relevant bugs. Thanks in advance.

I'll hold off opening a version 7 bug until the possibility that my new bug [6186] is a duplicate of an earlier bug has been clarified.

Ed Form

Offline cactus

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2010, 08:08:40 PM »
I'll hold off opening a version 7 bug until the possibility that my new bug [6186] is a duplicate of an earlier bug has been clarified.
No, please don't. They do not necessarily need to have the same root cause. Please report it, so we can investigate that as well.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth ~ Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Offline byte

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2010, 10:01:24 PM »
Filling in forms online is also all but impossible - a good example is http://opf.lpinsure.co.uk/lpiprop/ which should bring up the opening page and login of an insurance proposal form which has multiple pages. Depending on the browser in use, the first page either doesn't load, or the sign-in fails to function, or it functions but the pages take minutes to load.

Are you sure its not just a problem with the site ? I'm trying to access the site as mentioned and I'm not behind any SME Server at all and still the website takes a few minutes to load.  One thing it does say that you need a IE browser which makes the site not very compatible which different browsers (FF for example which I use.)
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Have you filled in a Bug Report over @ http://bugs.contribs.org ? Please don't wait to be told this way you help us to help you/others - Thanks!

Offline Stefano

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2010, 10:04:39 PM »
Are you sure its not just a problem with the site ? I'm trying to access the site as mentioned and I'm not behind any SME Server at all and still the website takes a few minutes to load.  One thing it does say that you need a IE browser which makes the site not very compatible which different browsers (FF for example which I use.)

same here for me, and no proxy at all

Offline edform

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2010, 12:58:17 AM »
In my system, with the proxy out of the loop, and using IE8, the first page loads instantly. When my client flagged the problem to me I asked a colleague to load the page and it came up very fast for him also. At that point I told my client I would investigate the cause but that he should fill the form in at home which he did with absolutely no problems.

I intend to alter the configuration of the system at my client's site to 'Server only' and wake up the hardware firewall in their rather posh router and I'm pretty sure it will solve the problem for him also.

Ed Form

PS. I will report the bug against SME 7 when I go in to the client's site and can check out the extent of the problem - it may be just the longstanding difficulty with some pages that I have observed since SME 5 times and not the disastrous troubles I have been dealing with in 8.0.

PPS. An awful lot of sites with forms to fill in or with strong encryption don't work properly in browsers other than IE. Try booking a UK rail ticket online for example.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2010, 01:01:16 AM by edform »

Offline CharlieBrady

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Re: Web proxy problems
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2010, 06:46:18 PM »
same here for me, and no proxy at all

Please report all followup to the bug tracker, and not here.