How to configure Proxy Settings for IE10 and IE11 as IEM is not available

Hi everybody!, in this blog we are covering most if not all of the available options you have today  to manage your Proxy configuration settings using Group Policies. We hope this blog be helpful for your Internet Explorer 11 migration!.

As you know, the IE Maintenance used to configure proxy and other IE Settings was first deprecated in IE10 in favor of Administrative Templates and Group Policy Preferences. Any machine with IE10 and higher will NOT be able to use the IEM policies. IEM is still available for IE9 and lower.

NOTE: Please read the article [Replacements for Internet Explorer Maintenance] for more detailed information about the changes and other policies!

We are presenting different case scenarios to provided clarity on the options you have today, once you upgrade to IE11!

Case 1: Considering that we are using a Windows Server 2008R2 DC to which we installed IE10 or higher we will notice that IEM is not available in GPO.

Windows Server 2008R2 DC with IE9 or lower

Windows Server 2008R2 DC with IE10 and higher - Noticed, IE Maintenance is gone!

Case 2: Considering that we are using a Windows Server 2008R2 DC to which we installed IE10 or higher and trying to use GPP User Interface, but notice that you can see only to Internet Explorer 8 but IE10 is missing.

Goal: How to configure proxy settings for IE10 and higher.

We have 2 ways we can achieve the desired outcome:

1) Using GPP [Group Policy Preferences] User Interface

In order to reach what do we require, we need one of the following machines added in the Domain:

After installing the Group Policy Management Feature, ensure the following updates are installed:

A) Considering you have chosen any of the above machines, just open the Group Policy Management Console (required Administrator rights to edit policies)

From START/RUN window, Type GPMC.MSC to open the console.

B) Then you need to choose the group policy item in which you create settings and go to the following path:

User Configuration / Preferences / Control Panel Settings / Internet Settings / New /  choose Internet Explorer 10 (Right-Click or Double-click to open the settings)

Note: You need to select the option of Internet Explorer 10 in Group Policy Preference (GPP) to apply the settings for Internet Explorer 11 as the same settings apply to Internet Explorer 11.

REF: How to configure Group Policy Preference settings for Internet Explorer 11 in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2 - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2898604

NEXT: From the properties, click on the Connections Tab / LAN Settings 

C) Reaching the LAN Settings, we notice that is similar to the Internet Control Panel.

We have the same options to create a proxy configuration:

    • Automatically detect settings
    • Use automatic configuration script
    • Proxy Server

D) The first thing we notice is that we have red underline settings:

Settings which are underlined in red are not configured at the target machine, while settings underlined in green are configured at the target machine.
In order to change the underlining, use the following function keys:

F5 – Enable all settings on the current tab
F6 – Enable the currently selected setting
F7 – Disable the currently selected setting
F8 – Disable all settings on the current tab

Article reference: https://blogs.technet.com/b/grouppolicy/archive/2008/10/13/red-green-gp-preferences-doesn-t-work-even-though-the-policy-applied-and-after-gpupdate-force.aspx

E) Configuring each setting in particular.

I would encourage pressing a F8 to disable all before configuring anything as the recommended scenario is to configure only the settings you want to apply.

Automatically detect settings, with the option checked:

Use an Automatic Configuration Script (AutoConfigURL) example [Remember to use F6 to enable this entry!]

Static Proxy Server configuration example [Remember to use F6 to enable this entry!]

2) The alternative way of configuring the Proxy Setting is deploying the registries keys directly.

Key path / location for the registry keys: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

  • Automatically detect settings

Registry key: “AutoDetect”
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data:
0 = Disable
1 = Enable

The key AutoDetect is only visible before you start IE10 (or IE11) on the machine, as IE will interpret it immediately and then delete the key right after. By that, the option will have its preference nature.

  • Use automatic configuration script

Registry Key: “AutoConfigURL
Value Type: REG_SZ
Value Data: “https://<servername|host>/my_proxy.pac”

  • Proxy Server

To configure this,  you may need up to 3 registry keys:

ProxyEnable” checkbox for “Use a proxy server for your LAN (these settings will not apply to dial-up or VPN connection)
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data:
0 = Disable
1 = Enable

ProxyServer
Value Type: REG_SZ
Value Data: “ProxyServerName:Port”

ProxyOverride
Value Type: REG_SZ
Value Data: “list_of_exclusion”

Value Data: “list_of_exclusion;<local>”
<local> value represents the check: “Bypass proxy server for local addresses”
The value is added automatically when enabling the check box in the GPP User Interface (UI).
When deploying through the registry key is required.

You have different ways you can deploy the registry keys. The only important aspect is to deploy correctly the registry keys provided above.
But in this article I will present how it can be done via GPP Registry Item:

Location of the policy: User Configuration / Preferences / Windows Settings / Registry / Right Click + New + Registry Item

REGISTRY AND SETTING CONFIGURATIONS
“Automatically detect settings”Action: ReplaceHive: HKEY_CURRENT_USERKey Path: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet SettingsValue Name:  “AutoDetect”Value Type: “REG_DWORD”Value Data: “0” or “1”0 = Disable1 = Enable
 “Use automatic configuration script”Action: ReplaceHive:  HKEY_CURRENT_USERKey Path: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet SettingsValue Name:  “AutoConfigURL”Value Type: “REG_SZ”Value Data: “https://<servername>/my_proxy.pac
 “Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up for VPN connections)”Action : ReplaceHive: HKEY_CURRENT_USERKey Path: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet SettingsValue Name:  “ProxyEnable”Value Type: “REG_DWORD”Value Data: “0” or “1”0 = Disable1 = Enable
 Proxy Server : “ ProxyServerName:Port”Action: ReplaceHive:  HKEY_CURRENT_USERKey Path: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet SettingsValue Name: “ProxyServer”Value Type: REG_SZValue Data: “ProxyServerName:Port"
 “ProxyOverride”Action: ReplaceHive: HKEY_CURRENT_USERKey Path: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet SettingsValue Name: "ProxyOverride"Value Type: “REG_SZ”Value Data:  "192.168.1.*;*.domain.com;<local>"
 “Bypass proxy Server for local addresses”The option is represented by the entry “<local”> added in ProxyOverride setting value data.

 

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This blog has been provided to you by Adrian Guta and Heiko Mayer.