Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing Squid, ensure your system is up to date. Run the following commands:

sudo dnf update -y

Keeping your system updated is essential for security and performance, whether you are deploying Squid locally or on a VPS Windows Servers platform.

Step 2: Install Squid Proxy Server

You can install Squid using the default package manager. Execute the following command:

sudo dnf install squid -y

After installation, enable and start the Squid service:

sudo systemctl enable squid
sudo systemctl start squid
            

You can check the status of the Squid service with:

sudo systemctl status squid

Step 3: Configure Squid Proxy Server

The main configuration file for Squid is located at /etc/squid/squid.conf. Open this file in your preferred text editor:

sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf

Here, you can customize various settings. To allow access from specific IP addresses, add the following line at the end of the file:

acl allowed_ips src 192.168.1.0/24

Replace 192.168.1.0/24 with your actual network or specific IP addresses that you want to grant access. Then, allow the defined ACL:

http_access allow allowed_ips

Save the changes and exit the editor.

Step 4: Configure Firewall

If you have a firewall enabled, you will need to allow traffic on the default Squid port (3128). Use the following command to add the rule:

sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=3128/tcp --permanent

Then reload the firewall for the changes to take effect:

sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Step 5: Testing the Squid Proxy Server

After configuring Squid, it is important to test the proxy to ensure it is functioning correctly. You can do this by setting up your web browser to use the Squid server as a proxy. In your browser settings, configure the proxy settings to point to your server's IP address and port 3128.

Visit a website to confirm that the traffic is passing through the Squid proxy. You can also check the Squid logs for access records:

sudo tail -f /var/log/squid/access.log

Step 6: Secure Squid with SSL (Optional)

For added security, consider configuring Squid to use SSL. You will need to install additional dependencies and configure SSL certificates for secure connections. You can use Let's Encrypt to obtain free SSL certificates. First, install Certbot:

sudo dnf install certbot -y

Then follow the steps to obtain your SSL certificate:

sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d your-domain.com

After obtaining the certificate, you can configure Squid to use SSL by editing the configuration file accordingly. Ensure you update your firewall rules to allow HTTPS traffic as well.