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SergiyK

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Using my friend's computer as a proxy / VPN for internet connection

Both my friend and I have computers with broadband (cable, dynamic IP) connection. I want to go to the Internet (via Internet Explorer and other applications) through his computer, so that servers I go to see only his IP address. We can install whatever software necessary and he can do any tune-ups on as-needed basis but he won't be there 24/7.
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RPPreacher
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HTTP or all traffic?
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cooljai1

Hi SergiyK,
Are you both staying together in the same building? in that case you can first network the systems together, and once that is done, you can install a proxy server on the friends computer. A good proxy can be downloaded from http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm.
Once you have installed the proxy, set the default gateway on your system to point to his IP address.
You can also use the ICS feature in XP for doing this. GO through this post https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21453344/Share-internet.html
But this method would require that his computer is turned on all the time. If that is not possible you can buy one of teh hardware router boxes like the ones from linksys or Dlink.

Cheers!
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ASKER

>HTTP or all traffic?

All traffic.

>Are you both staying together in the same building?

We are not in the same building, not even in the same country (he is in Canada, I am in the US).
Set up his PC as a Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Server.  VPN into his PC and all traffic will go from your PC into the VPN tunnel to "the wild", back to his PC, into the tunnel, back to you.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/network/rras/default.mspx
If you don't want to install VPN software, just get a SOHO VPN router, like a Linksys BEFVP41 VPN Router on his end.
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There are lots of proxy products available for installation that you could very easily download from the internet, however I'm pretty much going to stop at that for ethical reasons.
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RPPreacher

>Set up his PC as a Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Server.  VPN into his PC

Thanks. Is there a step by step guide for that or should I read just everything under the link you gave? Does his computer need to be high-end?

Mansrock,

My friend and I are not breaking any laws.
Ethics do not go hand in hand with the law.  I do not know why you would want to use your friends computer as a proxy when you could just use a free community proxy available online.  Just google "proxy lists".
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ASKER

Because web sites I want to go to do not like US folks. And they may be quite sophisticated in detecting those who try to pretend they are not from the US. They can google "proxy list" as well and blacklist those IPs, can't they? My friend's home machine's IP address is not on any such list.
They can blacklist his machine just as easily.  Sounds like what your doing is a bit on the side of Unethical.
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Of course they can but they have no reason for doing that.
Again Microsoft RRAS would work.
Good luck and let me know if you need anything else.

(BTW when is censorship ethical and freedom of information unethical?)
Well, like you said in an earlier post... sophisticated techniques of tracking could potentially get you caught. For many approaches that people take to get around something, there are just as many ways to get put back in line. However, I'm sure we don't need to tell you this.
RPP - Good point.... but we don't know the exact circumstances either.
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RPPreacher
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You can install a simple proxy application on his machine.

http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm

Its a free application, once installed , all you need to do is to point your browser to your friend IP address and put in the port number and you are good to go.

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ASKER

thanks, everyone

> Step by step guide
http://www.zdnetasia.com/insight/network/0,39044847,39050037-39000223c-1,00.htm

Will this allow me running applications on my computer under his IP address?

>http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/proxy.htm
> Its a free application, once installed , all you need to do is to point your browser to your friend IP address

I will be running applications other than the browser.
Yes.  A VPN connection would route all traffic from your computer out his computer.
GOD!!!!!!  Helping a Script Baby.
Is there anything else I can help you with prior to closing this question?
The only thing he'll be censoring in a proxy setup is himself and instead he'll be putting his "friend" up as the firing dummy.  Censorship/FOI becomes unethical when it infringes upon someone else's rights.
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>Is there anything else I can help you with prior to closing this question?

I'll try it this week. Or do I need to accept the answer earlier?
>Or do I need to accept the answer earlier?

Only if you want to shut up the people assuming that you are doing something illegal or immoral.
Good luck.