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NetShade HelpNetShade website |
When you first launch NetShade, you'll be presented with a registration screen. If you've purchased a registration code this is where you'll enter it, otherwise you can start a free 10-day trial. Trial codes are sent out via e-mail.
NetShade works by modifying your system's proxy configuration. When the app is quit, it always puts your connection back to a direct, un-proxied state. If your computer crashes, or NetShade crashes (unexpectedly quits,) your connection may be left in a proxy state. To correct this, simply launch and quit NetShade.
Collapse/Expand
The green button at the top-left will switch between large and small window
modes. The window can also
be changed to a simple, non-graphical window via Preferences.
Proxy Switch
The large Off/On switch at the top of the window shows the current state of
the proxy connection, illuminated in blue. You can turn the proxy on and off
by clicking this switch. The switch will also change to "On" when a proxy is
selected and activated via the proxy menu.
Proxy Menu
This menu lists all available proxy servers. Selecting a server in the menu
will activate it. The servers are grouped by their
category: NetShade, Public, or User. The NetShade proxy servers are generally
the fastest and most reliable, as they are available only to NetShade users.
The public proxies come from a user-sourced list of servers. User proxies
are ones you've added yourself.
Gear Menu
Contains advanced options for NetShade.
Current Proxy
The currently enabled proxy connection is represented graphically in the
globe/flag view, and textually in the info view.
Test current proxy
This button causes your computer to retrieve a test page through the currently
selected proxy, or to retrieve it directly in a case where no proxy is
selected. The entire operation is timed, from the initiation of the request to the
receipt of data.
Open test page in web browser
This button opens http://www.raynersw.com/my_ip.php in your web browser. This
is a simple page displaying your connection information, and it can be used to
verify that your connection is going through the expected proxy server. The IP
address shown should be different from your own computer's if a proxy is
currently selected.
Block current proxy
This blocks the currently selected proxy and de-activates it. When added to the
block list, the proxy will never again show up in the menu until removed from
the block list.