NetShade™
NetShade FAQ
- Safari is asking me for login info. How do I log in?
- How can I get NetShade to work with Firefox?
- Why is my code for NetShade not working?
- How can I turn off NetShade completely?
- How do I clear an existing registration code?
- What do the dots mean?
- How does NetShade work?
- Can NetShade make my connection anonymous for mail, Acquisition, Limewire, etc
- What information does NetShade record about me?
- What protocols does NetShade support?
- What kind of system is the NetShade Proxy server?
- What is the difference between Public Proxy and NetShade Proxy?
- Why do some of the public proxies not work?
- Why does NetShade want my administrator password?
- What's new in NetShade 3?
- Are there plans for a Windows or Linux version?
Q : Safari is asking me for login info. How do I log in?
If you've purchased NetShade and your account has not expired, you have access to the NetShade Proxy Server. Your username is netshade3 and your password is your full registration code. You should have received your registration code via web page and/or e-mail when you purchased the software.
Your Safari login screen should look roughly like this:
[ Back to questions ]
Q : How can I get NetShade to work with Firefox?
Q : Why is my code for NetShade not working?
If you were once able to use your code and it has stopped, your code may have
expried. You can check the status of your code via this link:
Account Status
If you haven't received your code, please visit the code recovery page below:
Lost Serial Number
Q : How can I turn off NetShade completely?
Every time you quit NetShade it sets your system back to a direct, un-proxied Internet connection. However, if NetShade crashes, is force-quit, or if your computer loses power while NetShade is running, it can leave your system behind a proxy server. To correct this, simply launch NetShade, select either a Public Proxy or NetShade Proxy, and then click Direct Connection. Your connection should now be un-proxied.
[ Back to questions ]Q : How do I clear an existing registration code?
If your NetShade 3 has a registration code that you need to clear out
in order to enter a different one, delete the folder:
~/Library/Application Support/Rayner/NetShade3
then quit and re-launch NetShade.
Q : What do the dots mean?
The Public Proxies in NetShade's list are categorized with one, two, or three dots to
represent good, better, or best anonymity.
Good (•): The proxy server sends your computer's IP address to the
target host in a special HTTP variable. This means that the host is able to
find out your IP address, but will have to take special measures to do so. The
host will need to know what field to look at for your IP address, and specially
log it. Most hosts do not go to this trouble.
Better (••): The proxy server does not send your IP address to
the target host. It does identify itself as a proxy server. Although the target
host cannot determine your IP address, it can tell that you are using a proxy server.
Best (•••): The proxy server does not send your IP address
to the target host. Nor does it identify itself as a proxy. The target host is
unable to determine your IP address. It is also unable to determine that you are
using a proxy.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : How does NetShade work?
NetShade routes your web connection through a web proxy server. It achieves this by altering your system's network preferences. Browsers which adhere to Apple's system configuration protocol will pick up on these changes, and automatically send your connection through a proxy as opposed to connecting to the target site directly.
A. Your computer’s web connections are managed by the NetShade application.
B. Every time you launch NetShade, it connects to the NetShade server to obtain an up-to-date list of public proxy servers. The proxies on this list are then tested by your computer to ensure connectivity.
C. Direct: By clicking the “Direct” button in NetShade, your web connections are routed directly to the Internet with no proxy protection.
D. Public Proxy: By clicking the “Public Proxy” button in NetShade, your connections are routed through one of the public proxy servers in NetShade’s list. These proxies are not run by NetShade, and their reliability cannot be guaranteed. They do, however, do a good job of performing NetShade's primary function, which is to hide your IP address from the sites you visit.
E. NetShade Proxy: By clicking the “NetShade Proxy” button (available only to registered users,) your connections are routed through NetShade’s private proxy server. This is a high-bandwidth fully anonymous proxy server, located in Texas and maintained by NetShade. It supports HTTP and HTTPS.
Q : Can NetShade make my connection anonymous for mail, Acquisition, Limewire, etc?
At this time NetShade only masks your IP for web connections (HTTP and/or HTTPS).
[ Back to questions ]
Q : What information does NetShade record about me?
NetShade retains activity logs for a limited amount of time. This is never more than 30 days, and usually less than 10 days. The duration is limited by a file size boundary, so the faster the logs fill up the sooner they are purged from the server's hard drive.
Under no circumstances will NetShade sell or trade user activity information with any third party. NetShade will not use users' proxy acitivities for any form of marketing via e-mail or otherwise. NetShade will only use the information recorded in activity logs for compliance with investigations pertaining to credible reports of illegal activity being conducted via NetShade's proxy service.
NetShade isn't in the business of data-mining, and frankly we find the whole practice
of snooping to be distasteful. Other proxy servers tend to be far less clear about how they
track and log your activities. With NetShade, we leave no question about it. The NetShade proxy
server is fast, almost always online, and completely anonymous. It's the best in the
business, plain and simple.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : What protocols does NetShade support?
Public proxy servers support HTTP. The NetShade Proxy server supports HTTP and HTTPS.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : What kind of system is the NetShade Proxy server?
NetShade is running on a dedicated server with an unmetered 100mbps link. This should provide
enough bandwidth to carry NetShade well into the future. The new server is an Intel-based
powerhouse running Linux (CentOS) and the Squid proxy server.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : What is the difference between Public Proxy and NetShade Proxy?
The Public Proxy option will select a public HTTP proxy server from NetShade's list. These servers are freely available for everyone's use, and they can become heavily trafficked. For this reason, their reliability cannot be assured.
The NetShade Proxy option connects you through Rayner Software's own anonymous proxy server. This server is fully anonymous, and because it is private and accessible only to NetShade users it receives much less traffic than other public proxy servers generally do. The NetShade proxy is available only to registered users of the program.
The NetShade Proxy is a low-cost subscription-based service. The purchase
of NetShade includes a one year subscription to the NetShade Proxy server.
This subscription can be renewed at $19 for each additional year.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : Why do some of the public proxies not work?
NetShade makes every effort to provide a reliable list of public proxy servers, but
these servers become so heavily trafficked that they frequently go down or become
unusably slow throughout the day. NetShade's server contacts all the proxies in
its list every night, and measures their response time. This data is sent to the NetShade
client program so that your list is always current. Unfortunately reliable public proxies
are becoming increasingly rare, as the threat of Windows spyware has recently prompted many
Windows users to use anonymous proxies. The NetShade proxy is generally your best
option, as it is a dedicated Mac-only proxy server which handles comparatively small
amounts of traffic.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : Why does NetShade want my administrator password?
The first time your run NetShade it will ask for your administrator password. It needs
this password in order to change your system's proxy configuration. NetShade does not
install any system software or make any low-level changes to your system. It only
alters your network configuration.
[ Back to questions ]
Q : What's new in NetShade 3?
Everything! Version 3 of NetShade was re-written from the ground up, using the latest Apple technologies. Not only is it now a Universal Binary, it also takes up less hard drive space, and runs in a smaller memory footprint.
Key New Features:
- Automatic testing of public proxies for improved reliability
- Distributed proxy testing
- User-defined proxy lists
- Improved proxy filtering options
- New 3D view option
Q : Are there plans for a Windows or Linux version?
Currently there are no plans for a Windows or Linux version.
