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The Medical Library Proxy Server

  

Proxy Server News

Consider using the Medical School VPN for remote access instead of the proxy server

AOL Users can use the proxy server with certain caveats. Please read the FAQ for more information.

 

Which Remote Access Option is the best?
The Medical Library Proxy Server allows those affiliated with the Yale School of Medicine, Yale School of Public Health, Yale School of Nursing and Yale-New Haven Hospital to access restricted library resources including electronic books, electronic journals and databases from virtually any off-campus computer. The proxy server will not provide access to confidential clinical or administrative information at Yale-New Haven Hospital. A proxy server connection only affects data sent through the Web browser you configure to use the proxy.

The proxy server is one of several remote access methods available. The Medical School VPN is often the best option for Yale University-affiliated users. In addition to allowing access to library resources, the VPN provides additional security and other features over the more limited browser-based proxy service. Because the VPN uses university NetID authentication, it is NOT an option for hospital employees nor can be it used unless your NetID password has been created. The VPN is supported by ITSMed.

      >>> Download VPN Software    
computer.gif - 5198 BytesClick on the computer to check your IP address

Requesting a Login and Password

Complete the Web application form to receive a personal password for the medical proxy server. Medical Library staff will verify your affiliation (which isn't always obvious, especially if you don't use a yale.edu email address) and may contact you by email if further information is required.

If you qualify for access, a password will be sent to the email address you provide below. The password is for you only and should not be shared with others. If fellow students or colleagues are interested in proxy server access, they must apply for their own personal password.

Full name:
Email address:
Please use a yale.edu address if you have one. Enter your address in lowercase letters.
Affiliation:
Please select according to your primary affiliation.
Appointment type:
e.g. "Medical Student, "OB/GYN resident" or "Associate Professor in Neurology"
Which browser is best to use?
ITS-MED recommends Internet Explorer (Windows: version 6.0 SP 1 & Mac:version 5.0) as the preferred Web browser for Yale users. Netscape 7.1 is also recommended though more for use as an Email client. Our experience is that both work well for accessing our resources though IE might be slighter better. DSL users may find the configuration more difficult in IE than in Netscape (see the details below). Many Mac users prefer Safari and, while it works well in most cases, there are some applications where Safari will not work.

Our latest AOL users must use Netscape. Check the AOL Faq for more information on this and other special considerations for AOL users.

Configuring your Web Browser to use the Proxy Server

Don't configure your browser until you receive the email with your proxy password. Your password will often come the same day you apply but it may take several days before you get a response.

Actual Results may vary ... - It is not possible for us to document all of the variations for every combination of OS version, browser version and connection configuration. That said, these configuration instructions should be adequate for most everyone.

Configuring Netscape (for both Windows and Mac OS 9)

  1. Open your browser. Under the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences".
  2. Under the category "Advanced", select "Proxies" (you might need to expand the arrow next to "Advanced" before you see the "Proxies" option).
  3. On the right side, click "Manual proxy configuration", and then click "View".
  4. Next to "HTTP Proxy" enter: proxy.med.yale.edu
  5. To the right of where you type, next to "Port", enter: 3128
  6. Click "OK" at the bottom of the proxy configuration window.
  7. Click "OK" at the bottom of the "Preferences" window.
  8. The first page you go to after enabling the proxy will generate
    9. a dialog box requesting a User Name and Password. Enter your email address for username, and the password you received.

Configuring Internet Explorer (for Windows Users)

  1. Open your browser. Under the 'Tools' menu, select 'Internet Options'
  2. Click on the 'Connections' Tab
  3. ***IF CONNECTING THROUGH A DIALUP MODEM or SOLO DSL CONNECTION (i.e. no LAN, only one computer connected)
    Under 'Dialup Settings', highlight the dialup networking profile you use for Internet access. Then click on the 'Settings' button to access options for that specific dialup session.
    ***IF CONNECTING THROUGH CABLE MODEM, DSL ROUTER or LAN
    Click on the box "LAN Settings...". then check the box next to 'Use a proxy server' in the 'Proxy Server' section
  4. Click on 'Advanced'
  5. Go to the box next to HTTP: in the column 'Proxy Address to Use' and type: proxy.med.yale.edu
  6. Go to the next space in the column labeled 'Port' and type: 3128
  7. Click on 'OK' to save settings until all boxes are closed
  8. The first page you go to after enabling the proxy will generate a dialog box requesting a User Name and Password Enter your email address for username, and your proxy password.

Special Instructions for Mac Users

     OS 9.x users can follow the Netscape instructions above. To setup the proxy for Internet Explorer on OS 9.x:
  1. Open IE. Under the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences".
  2. Under the category "Network", select "Proxies"
  3. Under "Use Proxy Servers", click the box next to "Web Proxy".
  4. Click on the "Settings" button and then enter this information:
           Address = proxy.med.yale.edu
           Port = 3128
           Method = Normal
           Username = [your username]
           Password = [your password]
  5. Next to "HTTP Proxy" type: proxy.med.yale.edu
  6. To the right of where you type, next to "Port", type: 3128
  7. Click "OK" at the bottom of the proxy configuration window.
  8. Click "OK" at the bottom of the "Preferences" window.
  9. The first page you go to after enabling the proxy will generate a dialog box requesting a User Name and Password. Enter your email address for username, and the password you received.

OS X requires you to modify the proxy settings at the system level. The proxy configuration settings tab in the browser will be unavailable until you set them through System Preferences. Settings are specific to the type of connection you are using.
    To configure the proxy:

  1. Under the Apple Menu, choose "System Preferences"
  2. Under the "Internet & Network" section, choose "Network"
  3. Select the method of connecting to the Internet under the "Show" icon (e.g. Internal Modem, Built-in Ethernet or Airport card)
  4. Go to the "Proxies" Tab, check the boxes next to HTTP and Secure HTTP, and enter the server name ( proxy.med.yale.edu ) and the port number ( 3128 ) in the spaces provided.
  5. You need to repeat steps 3 & 4 if you wish to use the proxy server through more than one type of connection.
To temporarily turn off the proxy server in OS X, you will need to follow these directions and uncheck the boxes under the proxies settings.

Note: these instructions were developed on OS X version 10.2.x (Jaguar). They have not been tested for 10.3 (Panther).

Proxy On / Proxy Off

When the proxy server is enabled ("turned on"), every web page you go to will pass through the proxy server whether it is a yale.edu page or not. You will need to login at the beginning of each browser session and will not see your default home page until you have entered your login and password. The proxy server connection will "timeout" if you don't use the browser for about thirty minutes. If this happens, just login again when you are prompted by the proxy server.

You will want to turn off the proxy option when you are not using Yale IP-restricted resources. You can alternate between proxy access and "Direct connection to the Internet" with ease once you've done it a few times. The proxy address information is retained so you won't have to enter it again after the initial configuration.

Questions, comments, or complaints? Please read the Proxy Frequently Asked Questions. This FAQ helps solve most of the questions we commonly hear from folks first using the proxy, so please read it through -- it might tell you just what you need to know. If you still have questions, contact Mark Gentry in the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library.