The usual reason for a proxy server is to isolate internal machines, and force them out through a central point in order to manage bandwidth, content and/or security concerns. Organizations who employ this mechanism will often disable routes from internal machines directly outside.
In this configuration, you are not truly connected to the internet, just the intranet which includes a server that proxies data from the internet to the intranet.
wget
can work, if you set up the http_proxy
environment variable, and perhaps add the --proxy-user
and --proxy-password
parameters. It is, in fact, a royal PITA.
ping
will not work, if your network admin has disabled direct access to the larger network. To get ping
working, you'll have to petition to have an exception for your workstation/server to be granted a direct route to the internet.
A technical explanation would be really appreciated.
Your network admin has disabled direct access to the internet, probably by dropping packets that are headed outside the intranet.