Proxy not a stranger in the world
of Mikrotik. Mikrotik itself has proxy feature that can be quite simple. Many
users Mikrotik then add external proxy in order to use features that are more
complex than internal features of proxy. The question is, whether they have a
significant performance difference? In this article we will try to do test the
performance of internal and external proxy.
Configuring External
Proxy with MikroTik
To test this, we will use an
external application proxy that is commonly used, namely Squid. Step-by-step
installation and configuration of the application of this squid can we get
references on the internet. And do not worry a lot of references that have been
using the Indonesian language for this application many users even in
Indonesia.
After installation and
configuration of Squid is complete, then we will do the setting transparent
proxy. This works for all traffic accessing the HTTP (TCP Protocol, Port 80) is
deflected into the Proxy server. Configuration of the transparent proxy this we
will do in the MikroTik Router using NAT Firewall feature. The steps are as
follows:
Go to the menu IP -> Firewall
-> Nat -> click the
Add [+]. Then specify the parameters Chain, Protocol,
Dst.Port, in accordance with the above view. In a special parameter. Interface
stay we adjust the link that leads to a local network. Furthermore, the Tab
Action, for Action used parameter dst-nat and we also specify the parameters To
Addresses and Ports To address the Proxy server and the port used. In this
example the proxy server using the IP address and the port is 192 168 129 141
3128.
Now, with the above step has been
formed transparent proxy. Next we will do test whether the configuration that
we have done goes well or not. We will try to access the website we have added
to the list 'Blocking' on the Proxy server.
If the error text is displayed as described above, the
configuration we have been successful.
Internal
configuration MikroTik Proxy (Web Proxy)
After we tried to use the
External Proxy, now we'll try to feature contained in the Proxy MikroTik. As we
have seen MikroTik adding a feature that can be used to perform the access
management of user / client. Such features are Web Proxy. How the steps to
configure this feature can be seen in the discussion of the previous article
here.
On these links already explained
how we enable and also setting the web proxy feature is that access a web page
can be set here. And on the link it has also been described how to create a
transparent proxy to redirect traffic to Web Proxy feature. For transparent
proxy is also the same as we have done before, but the difference here is the
selection of parameters Action. If we use the Internal Proxy (Web Proxy), the
action we have set with the option 'Redirect' because the system there is a
proxy server on localhost (router). Meanwhile, if we use the External Proxy
(Squid), the action we have chosen is 'dst-nat'.
Well, if Internal proxy
configuration (Web Proxy) we have done, now we will try to access the web that
we have entered to list 'Deny' in the Web Proxy. As before, if the
configuration we are going well or not.
And if it displays an error on
the web browser as above, then the web proxy configuration has been successful.
Performance Test (Pros & Cons)
Once we tried to configure and
implement the above two types of proxy servers, we can make the performance of
each proxy server. To perform the analysis of the performance of the proxy,
there other tool that we can use. Among such Grinder, Gatling, Tsung, Apache
JMeter. The tools we can get it for free and also the configuration steps in
the application developer's website.
This time we will try Tsung application to analyze the
performance of proxy that we have built before.
With these tools we can see the performance of the proxy
server to view a table or graph. There is parameters to be analyzed like Response
Times, Network Throughput, Transactions Statistics, Counter Statistics.
Well, from here we can draw a conclusion as to the
performance of each proxy server. Where, for the use of simple, both the proxy
server is not too much different, but to side configuration External Proxy
(Squid) more custom.
:: Internal Proxy (Web Proxy) ::
• Easy installation process.
• Easy to configure (there are GUI display).
• If the size of storage on a small router, then it's not
recommended to enable proxy caching feature, or at least not only used to cache
small files.
:: External Proxy (Squid) ::
• Easy to install, simply add NAT Mikrotik side.
• Slightly difficult to configuration (must use scripting).
• Suitable for more advanced needs.
• The storage capacity is relatively large, because the use
of a PC so that the proxy cache feature can run optimally.
Free list of proxy sites here:
ReplyDeleteProxies websites