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Forum Discussion

xsoft's avatar
xsoft
Helpful | Level 6
8 years ago

Update behind socks proxy

Hi,
I have Dropbox 27.4.22 on Windows 7.
I have it connected via socks5 proxy. Direct call to dropbox.com is blocked on company firewall.

 

Update procvess will NOT go thru dropbox app, instead I have fileopen request to:
file:///C:/users/.../appdata/local/temp/dbxlatk7ns.html#

This file openet at browser with proxy (without it will NOT load, its dropbox.com redirect)
and open an installer: https://www.dropbox.com/downloading?from_client=True

But also, this install will fail, because it's not using Socks proxy.

Well, why is Dropbox aboiding proxy setting and why is trying to connect directly to Dropbox.com? Automatic update can never be done in this way (with proxy required envirement).

  • Ok.

    Long story short.
    1) Windows Dropbox client can't do update via SOCKS proxy.
    2) Official Dropbox client (from dropbox page) can't update via SOCKS proxy either.
    3) direct Dropbox.com site is blocked

    No solution or message "accepted as a bug.. " from Dropbox side.

    So there is my NON-official solution:

    ** HOW TO INSTALL DROPBOX BEHIND SOCKS PROXY **
    (aka when Firewall or when provider is blocking dropbox.com)

    -- disclaimer --
    1) it is NOT official
    2) sure, there can be a virus or malware inside
    3) (not, I'm not detecting any of those)
    4) but you are on your own, I'm not taking (and can't take) responsibility for this
    ---------------

    Solution:Install via this link: [link removed]


    It's repacked Dropbox client from another source (which is most likely not blocked).
    If you had Dropbox before, it's just update.

    Thanks. Bye.
    (next time I'll reconsider submitting a bug)
  • Sorry for the delay, xsoft; I have a copy of Dropbox running through a PuTTY SSH tunnel with dynamic tunnelling enabled, but as there has not been another update yet I cannot verify it updated.

     

    However, as a work-around, you can always download a full version (from: Help Center) of the Dropbox installer instead of the web installer. Your nanite solution also works, although I would caution against using unknown third parties to package executables, particularly those which will be granted administrator permissions for an installation. 

     

    As far as filing a bug report, this is the Dropbox Forum. If you wish to file a bug report, you can do so from dropbox.com/support. Regardless, I am going to leave this copy of the Dropbox PC client running through the PuTTY tunnel until the next update is released and will follow up here.

     

    Thanks!

  • Jane's avatar
    Jane
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    xsoft let's look into that together, apologies for getting back to you in delay!

     

    Probably the Firewall has been blocking your connection and the Proxy can't get through. Could you have a look at the following as a first step?

     

    • Allow Dropbox (Dropbox.exe and DropboxUpdate.exe) access to ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS)
    • Add dropbox.com to the list of approved websites for your firewall, and make sure that it isn’t blacklisted.
    • Allow *.dropbox and other Dropbox domains to access the internet.

    And then check these details? 

     

    Then, you may use this link below to the offline installer: 

     

     

    Please keep me updated if this persists! 

    • xsoft's avatar
      xsoft
      Helpful | Level 6

      Hi.

      Please read my 1st post.

       

      I'll say ut again - YES,  our firewall is blicking all in/out comming request on all ports, all protocols on all Dropbox IP. That is why this issue is about socks/proxy server.

       

      Update wont use this setting neither installer.

       

      Any tips why internal dropbox update dont go thru this line?

      ( tups about downloading installer elsewhere wont solve this issue )

      • apraetor's avatar
        apraetor
        Icon for Super User alumni rankSuper User alumni

        Just to clarify, you have the Dropbox client properly configured to use a SOCKS proxy, and it syncs properly.. but the client fails to automatically update because the internal updater is ignoring the Dropbox client's SOCKS proxy setting?

         

        Have you also configured Windows itself to properly use the SOCKS proxy? I wonder if when the Dropbox client goes to download updates it is trying to use system proxy settings, rather than the ones specified within the Dropbox client. The procedure for setting proxies both globally in Windows and specifically in Dropbox can be found here. Please ensure both System Settings and Dropbox have the proxy info.

  • Lucio's avatar
    Lucio
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    By design, the Dropbox Update process is separate from the client and does not have access to the client's preferences, it uses the Windows OS network preferences rather than the Dropbox desktop application's proxy settings.

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