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🌐 Configuring Nginx as a Forward Proxy

🚀 What is a Forward Proxy?​

A forward proxy is an intermediary server that sits between client requests and the internet. It helps with:

  • Anonymity 🕵️‍♂️
  • Security 🔐
  • Traffic control 🚦

🛠️ Forward Proxy Configuration​

📌 Basic Forward Proxy (Port 8080)​

server {
    listen 8080;
    server_name test.asifahmadkhan.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass $scheme://$host$request_uri;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

        resolver 8.8.8.8; # 🌍 Using Google's public DNS
        
        proxy_connect_timeout 5s;
        proxy_read_timeout 10s;
        proxy_send_timeout 10s;
    }

    # ✅ Enable CONNECT method for HTTPS proxying
    location /connect {
        proxy_pass https://$host;
        proxy_connect;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
    }
}

📝 Explanation:​

🔹 proxy_pass $scheme://$host$request_uri; → Forwards requests dynamically based on the request's scheme (HTTP/HTTPS) and host.
🔹 resolver 8.8.8.8; → Uses Google's DNS resolver to handle domain name resolution.
🔹 proxy_connect_timeout, proxy_read_timeout, proxy_send_timeout; → Configures timeouts to optimize performance.

🔄 Forwarding Requests from abc.test.com to laptop.asif.com​

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name abc.test.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://34.234.220.11;  # 🔀 Forward to laptop.asif.com
        proxy_set_header Host laptop.asif.com;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

        proxy_connect_timeout 10s;
        proxy_read_timeout 20s;
        proxy_send_timeout 20s;
    }
}

📝 Explanation:​

🔹 server_name abc.test.com; → Listens for requests to abc.test.com.
🔹 proxy_pass http://34.234.220.11; → Forwards requests to laptop.asif.com.
🔹 proxy_set_header Host laptop.asif.com; → Ensures the correct host header is forwarded.

🎯 Why Use a Forward Proxy?​

✅ Security & Privacy - Protects client IPs from exposure.
✅ Traffic Control - Allows filtering and logging of traffic.
✅ Caching - Can improve performance by caching responses.

🚀 Now, you're ready to set up your forward proxy with Nginx! 🔥