Setting Internet and Network Preferences

This section describes the internet and network configurations that you can set.

Network

In Oracle Solaris, network configuration profiles (NCPs) manage the system's network configuration. Only one NCP can be active on a system at a time. Oracle Solaris supports two types of NCPs: reactive and fixed. Depending on its type, the active NCP determines whether the system's network configuration is reactive or fixed.

By default, Oracle Solaris uses a feature called reactive network configuration (NWAM) to simplify network configuration. The Network preferences tool enables you to configure this feature.

The reactive network configuration feature simplifies basic network configuration by automatically configuring and managing wired and wireless networks. NWAM addresses basic Ethernet and wireless configurations and enables you to perform various networking tasks, such as connecting to wired or wireless network at startup and configuring new wired or wireless networks. The NWAM feature also simplifies more complex network configurations, such as system-wide network configuration. In addition, this feature displays informational messages about the current status of your network connection and the overall health of your network.

Other feature capabilities include:

Multiple concurrent network connections
Detection of hot-plug events
Network modifiers support, for example, virtual private network (VPN) client applications.

Network configuration is managed by storing desired property values in the form of profiles. NWAM determines which profile should be active at a given time depending on the current network conditions, then activates that profile.

The two primary profile types are the Network Profile, which specifies the configuration of individual network interfaces, and Locations, which specify system-wide network configuration. The individual components that make up the network profile are referred to as network connections. You can use this application to configure and manage both types of profiles.

For more information about using NWAM, see Connecting Systems Using Reactive Network Configuration in Oracle Solaris 11.1.

Network Proxy

The Network Proxy Preferences enables you to configure how your system connects to the Internet.

You can configure the Oracle Solaris Desktop to connect to a proxy server, and specify the details of the proxy server. A proxy server is a server that intercepts requests to another server, and fulfills the request itself, if it can. You can provide the domain name or the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the proxy server. A domain name is a unique alphabetic identifier for a computer on a network. An IP address is a unique numeric identifier for a computer on a network.

Since you might need to use a different proxy configuration in different places, Network Proxy Preferences enables you to define separate proxy configurations and switch between them through the Location setting at the top of the window. Choose New Location to create a proxy configuration for a new location. To remove a location, select it and click the Delete Location button at the bottom of the window.

The network proxy preferences are described in the following table.

Table 10-4 Network Proxy Preferences

Dialog Element	Description
Direct internet connection	Select this option to connect to the Internet without a proxy server.
Manual proxy configuration	Select this option to connect to the Internet through a proxy server and configure the proxy settings manually. HTTP proxy – The domain name or IP address of the proxy server to use when you request an HTTP service. Type the port number of the HTTP service on the proxy server in the Port field. If the HTTP proxy server requires authentication, click the Details button to enter your username and password. Secure HTTP proxy – The domain name or IP address of the proxy server to use when you request a secure HTTP service. Type the port number of the secure HTTP service on the proxy server in the Port field. FTP proxy – The domain name or IP address of the proxy server to use when you request an FTP service. Type the port number of the FTP service on the proxy server in the Port field. Socks host – The domain name or IP address of the Socks host to use. Type the port number for the Socks protocol on the proxy server in the Port field.
Automatic proxy configuration	Select this option if you want to connect to the Internet through a proxy server, and you want to configure the proxy server automatically. Automatic proxy configuration works by means of a PAC file, which your browser downloads from a web server. If you don't specify the URL for a PAC file in the Autoconfiguration URL entry, your browser will try to locate one automatically. Autoconfiguration URL – The URL of a PAC file that contains the information required to configure the proxy server automatically.

If you use hosts that should connect to the Internet directly without a proxy, add them to the Ignore Host List in the Ignored Hosts tab. When you access these hosts, you will connect to the Internet directly without a proxy.

Desktop Sharing

The Desktop Sharing preference tool enables you to share an Oracle Solaris Desktop session among multiple users and to set session-sharing preferences.

The following table lists the session-sharing preferences that you can set. These preferences have a direct effect on the security of your system.

Table 10-5 Session Sharing Preferences

Dialog Element	Description
Allow other users to view your desktop	Enables remote users to view your session. All keyboard, pointer, and clipboard events from the remote user are ignored.
Allow other users to control your desktop	Enables others to access and control your session from a remote location.
Security	Determines the security methods when a user tries to view or control your session: You must confirm each access to this machine – Displays a confirmation dialog when a user attempts to connect to your desktop. Deselect this option if you want to remotely connect to your own desktop. Require the user to enter this password – Specifies that a password must be provided by a remote user to access your desktop. You must set a password for your desktop. Configure network automatically to accept connections – Enables users to access your desktop over the Internet. If this option is not selected, users will only be able to access your desktop through the local network.
Notification Area	Determines when to display a Remote Desktop icon in the notification area of the desktop panel: Always display an icon – Displays an icon whenever your desktop is available to share, even if no remote users are connected. Only display an icon when there is somebody connected – Displays an icon only when remote users are connected to your desktop. Never display an icon – Does not display an icon even when one or more remote users are connected.

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