Doing the proxy picking pickle polka

Has this ever happened to you?

Minute 0: Take your corporate laptop home (to, you know, do some MORE work…) connect to your home broadband, launch IE (or firefox) and…awww crud.

Minute 1: Tools-Options-Advanced-Network-No !$@#$!# Proxy-ok-ok.Or (for IE) Tools-Internet Options-Connections-Lan Settings(That’s six clicks (best case) for Firefox and seven for IE.)

Minute 5: Whoops. Need to get into email. Launch the corporate VPN.

Minute 7: Get back into Firefox.

Minute 7.1: WTH?! Ahh. that’s right. Need to turn the !!W$!W# proxy back ON. (six more clicks)

Minute 15: Hmm...need that file on the wife’s computer. Whoops...can’t get to it because we’re CONNECTED TO THE CORPORATE VPN!

Minute 17: Disconnect from the vpn.

Minute 18: Copy the file.

Minute 19: Go back to the knowledge base article on the browser..aw crap. Proxy back off. (six more clicks)

(queue inspirational music)

There is a better way!

(no, it’s not [auto detect settings] as that spins and spins and takes a good long time to decide if there’s a proxy or not.)
(waaaaay too slow)
(At least for me.)
(because I’m impatient)

For IE: ProxyPick

Follow the link. Grab the exe. Install it.
After install:

Click #1:


Click Two and Three


That's all it takes. Three quick clicks, about 1/10th the mouse travel. (no, I didn't measure it. But I could. If, you know, I was that retentive. Come to think of it...)


Firefox is (naturally) EVEN EASIER.

Quickproxy has your number…

It adds a little button to the status bar (down there in the bottom right hand corner)

One click toggles between proxy on and proxy off.

Enjoy!