How to install squid on windows 7

Squid is a caching proxy server that can help reduce internet bandwidth usage and improving response time of loading a website by caching and re-using frequently opened web page. Squid reduce the bandwidth usage and accelerate the website loading by caching static website objects such as images, flash objects and text files, with some modification Squid can cache larger files such as PDF, MP3, executable, flash videos, etc.

Last week ago my client ask me to install squid on his computers. First time I meet problem because I’m not familiar with windows 7 (XP Still the best for me). The mostly problem I meet is I can’t install squid as windows 7 service. Anyway I finally found the way to do this… Want to know? keep reading this tutorial…

Preparation before you install squid:

1. Squid 2.7
2. Squid.conf sample

The step to install squid on windows 7:

1. Extract squid 7 and put it on example “c:\squid“.

2. Get squid.conf sample and save it as “squid.conf” put this files on example “c:\squid\etc“

3. Now the important step! we have to disable UAC (User Account Control) if we didn’t disable this we will got problem on installing squid as windows service. Mostly a lot of people try to install squid on windows 7 has problem on this step.

Control Panel -> System and Security -> Change User Account Control Settings

Slide the bar into “Never Notify” You need to restart your computer after doing this step.

4. Open command prompt. Then install squid service by typing “squid -i” in your command prompt. If you success you will see something like this:

5. Build your squid cache by typing “squid -z” You will see this message “Creating Swap Directories” in your command prompt, just waiting until it finished.

6. After squid service installed and squid cache finish building now you have to start this service.

Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

Look for service with name “squid” the start this service (you can also configure it too to auto start each time your computer on)

7. Make sure squid process is running on your computer background. You can see this on task manager in services tab.

8. It’s might important and secure to re-enable back again User Account Control Settings.

9. You just finished installing squid, congratulation :D

Now you have to configure your web browser to use this squid. Open your web browser and looking for (mostly network) then write your squid IP and squid Port. Example my squid IP server is 192.168.1.254 and port 3128.

That’s it, another web browser will have almost same configuration like this. Have a nice day