Manually Configuring the Proxy Module

Note: This documentation is for an old version of Webinator. The latest documentaion is here.

Manually Configuring the Proxy Module

This section describes how to manually configure IIS for use of the Thunderstone Proxy Module. The will be described in more detail in the next section. This is not necessary for normal operations - these actions are normally performed automatically by InstallShield upon installation. These steps are only necessary if IIS's configuration gets wiped out and needs to be redone.

The Thunderstone Proxy Module is an ISAPI Extension, two if using the authProxy. They are assigned as Global Application Maps to Virtual Directories in IIS. All requests to the directories are not be served from the file system that the virtual directory points to, but instead go through the Proxy Module dlls.

One virtual directory is required per extension: texis, which gets assigned proxyModule.dll, and authProxy, which gets assigned authProxy.dll.

If using the authProxy, texis must have anonymous access disabled and Integrated Authentication enabled, while authProxy must have anonymous access allowed (which is allowed by default).

These are the steps that must be done if you are manually setting up IIS for using the Proxy Module. Note that these are done automatically by the InstallShield wizard and do not need to be manually done under normal circumstances.

Open the IIS Configuration
- Right click on My Computer on the desktop.
- Select Manage...
- Open Services and Applications in the tree.
- Open Internet Information Services.
- Open Web Sites.
- Select the web site you want to add the Proxy Module to (most likely Default Web Site).
Add the texis virtual directory
- Right click on the web site and select New -> Virtual Directory...
- The Virtual Directory Creation Wizard opens. Click Next>.
- In the Alias box, enter texis and click Next>.
- In the Path box, enter the real physical path you want the virtual directory to map to, and click Next. the Proxy Module uses the directory <INSTALLDIR>/etc/ISAPI-virtualdir by default.
  Note that it doesn't matter what directory is selected. This directory will never be used because all requests will be intercepted by the Proxy Module. The only reason a directory must be selected is because IIS insists that all virtual directories map to a real physical location.
- At the Virtual Directory Access Permissions screen, just click Next to complete the wizard, as we won't be using any of the permissions.
- Click Finish to complete the wizard and return to the Computer Management window.
Apply proxyModule.dll as a Wildcard Application Map
- Right-click on the newly created virtual directory and select Properties.
- The lower half of the properties window is labeled Application Settings. Click Create to make a custom set of application settings for this virtual directory.
- After clicking Create, the Configuration should no longer be disabled. Click Configuration.
- The lower half of the new Application Configuration window details Wildcard Application Maps, which is currently empty. Click Insert.
- Next to the Executable field, click the Browse button and locate ProxyModule.dll, which is in the directory you installed the Proxy Module to.
  - (The default location for this file in C:\windows\system32\inetsrv on 32bit windows, C:\windows\SysWOW64\inetsrv on 64bit windows).
- Uncheck the box next to Verify that file exists, and click OK.
- ProxyModule.dll will now be in the list of Wildcard Application Maps. Click OK to close the Application Configuration window.
Configure texis for authentication
Only necessary if using the authProxy.
- While still in the texis Properties window for the new virtual directory, Select the Directory Security tab.
- In the top section, labeled Authentication and Access Control, click the Edit... button.
- Uncheck Enable Anonymous Access and ensure that Integrated Windows Authentication is checked.
- Click OK to close the Authentication Methods window.
- Click OK to close the texis Properties window.
Now we need to create the authProxy directory in a similar manner, although it doesn't need anonymous access disabled.
If you're not using the authProxy, please skip to the "Add the Proxy Module files to IIS' list of allowed extensions" section below.
Add the authProxy virtual directory
- Right click on the website and select New -> Virtual Directory...
- The Virtual Directory Creation Wizard opens. Click Next>.
- In the Alias box, enter authProxy and click Next>.
- In the Path box, enter the real physical path you want the virtual directory to map to, and click Next. the Proxy Module uses the directory <INSTALLDIR>/etc/ISAPI-virtualdir by default.
  Note that it doesn't matter what directory is selected. This directory will never be used because all requests will be intercepted by the Proxy Module. The only reason a directory must be selected is because IIS insists that all virtual directories map to a real physical location.
- At the Virtual Directory Access Permissions screen, just click Next to complete the wizard, as we won't be using any of the permissions.
- Click Finish to complete the wizard and return to the Computer Management window.
Apply authProxy.dll as a Wildcard Application Map
- Right-click on the newly created authProxy virtual directory and select Properties.
- The lower half of the properties window is labeled Application Settings. Click Create to make a custom set of application settings for this virtual directory.
- After clicking Create, the Configuration should no longer be disabled. Click Configuration.
- The lower half of the new Application Configuration window details Wildcard Application Maps, which is currently empty. Click Insert.
- Next to the Executable field, click the Browse button and locate authProxy.dll, which is in the directory you installed the Proxy Module to.
  - (The default location for this file in C:\windows\system32\inetsrv on 32bit windows, C:\windows\SysWOW64\inetsrv on 64bit windows).
- Uncheck the box next to Verify that file exists, and click OK.
- authProxy.dll will now be in the list of Wildcard Application Maps. Click OK to close the Application Configuration window.
Add the Proxy Module files to IIS' list of allowed extensions
By default IIS blocks all ISAPI extensions as a security measure. The Proxy Module must be explicitly allowed in IIS' configuration.
- Back in the Computer Management window, open Web Service Extensions, underneath Internet Information Services.
- The right side of the window should now have a list of rules. Right-click beneath the existing rules and select Add a new web service extension...
- In the Extension Name field, enter Thunderstone Proxy Module.
- Next to the Required files text area, click the Add... button.
- Next to Path to file:, click Browse... and locate ProxyModule.dll, (just as in the previous set of instructions), and click OK to close the Add File dialog.
- If using the authProxy, click Add again, and this time choose the authProxy.dll file.
- Check the box next to Set extension status to Allowed, and click OK to close the window.

IIS is now set up properly to use the Proxy Module. Note that if using the authProxy, changes still need to be made to the network and Webinator, as detailed in the Post-Install Setup and Configuring Webinator sections, on pages here and here, respectively.