STOP USERS FROM CHANGING THEIR INTERNET EXPLORER WEB PROXY SETTINGS

If you have a network of Windows 9x computers that share an Internet connection through a Web proxy server, you will have changed each computer's registry settings to point its browser to the proxy server.

Depending on your IE browser version, these settings are found in either of the following two places:

View | Internet Options | Connection | Proxy Settings

Tools | Internet Options | Connection | LAN Settings

Here you enter the Proxy Server IP address and the connection port -- usually 80. Once configured, the browser then accesses Web pages via the proxy server providing a faster Web experience due to the benefits of Web caching.

Because these settings are available on the browser menu, inexperienced users can cut themselves off from the Web by changing them.

Here's a simple registry change which you can make that "greys out" these proxy settings in IE. (Don't forget to back up your registry beforehand and take your usual precautions.)

Click Start | Run and type

Regedit

Click OK.

Navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel

If the Control Panel (note the space in the path name) key does not exist, you will have to create it.

Right-click Internet Explorer and select New | Key.

Create a new Dword value in the Control Panel key named

Proxy

Set it's value to 1.

Now the settings you made in IE will be unavailable to users.If you need to change the settings, first, go back and

change the value above back to 0. You can then make the required setting changes.

NOTE: As always, we'll remind you that editing the registry can be risky, so be sure you have a verified backup before making any changes.