Rocky Linux Tutorial: A Step-by-Step Guide to Configuring a High-Performance Squid Proxy Server

In enterprise development or privacy protection scenarios, having a private proxy server is crucial. Squid, as a powerful caching proxy software, has become the first choice for Linux users due to its stability, high customizability, and excellent performance.

This article will guide you on how to quickly set up and configure a Squid proxy server with authentication on Rocky Linux.

Why choose to deploy a proxy on VoyraCloud?

Setting up a proxy server has extremely high requirements for network latency and bandwidth. VoyraCloud Cloud VPS offers:

200 Mbps peak bandwidth: Ensures smooth proxy forwarding without speed drops.
99.9% stability: Guarantees your proxy service is online 24/7.
Monthly payment as low as $4.5: High cost-performance ratio, supports on-demand IP switching.

Step 1: Purchase and log in to VoyraCloud Cloud VPS

Visit VoyraCloud Cloud VPS purchase page and select the regional node you need.
Select the system Rocky 9.5.
After purchase, obtain the IP, username, and password.
Log in via SSH:
- Windows: Recommended PuTTY or Windows Terminal
- Mac/Linux: Execute ssh ubuntu@your_VPS_IP in the terminal

Step 2: Update the system and install Squid

First, ensure your Rocky Linux system is up to date:

sudo dnf update -y

Then install the Squid package:

sudo dnf install squid -y

After installation, start the service and set it to start on boot:

sudo systemctl start squid
sudo systemctl enable squid

Step 3: Basic configuration and access control

The main configuration file for Squid is located at /etc/squid/squid.conf. To ensure the proxy works properly, we need to adjust the access policy.

Edit the configuration file:

sudo vi /etc/squid/squid.conf

Allow network access: Find the http_access section. To allow all network access (use with caution, recommended to combine with authentication), modify it to:

http_access allow all
# http_access deny all

Change the listening port (optional): Squid listens on port 3128 by default. If you want to change it, find and modify:

http_port 3128

Step 4: Enable authentication (enhance security)

To prevent your proxy from being abused by others, it is strongly recommended to enable username/password authentication.

1. Create an encrypted password file

sudo touch /etc/squid/passwords
sudo chown squid:squid /etc/squid/passwords
sudo chmod 600 /etc/squid/passwords

2. Add authorized users

Install the toolkit and create a user (for example, user1):

sudo dnf install httpd-tools -y
sudo htpasswd /etc/squid/passwords user1

3. Configure Squid to call the authentication module

Add the following content at the beginning of /etc/squid/squid.conf or at the ACL definition:

auth_param basic program /usr/lib64/squid/basic_ncsa_auth /etc/squid/passwords
auth_param basic realm Squid Proxy
acl auth_users proxy_auth REQUIRED
http_access allow auth_users

Step 5: Check syntax and restart the service

Before applying the configuration, check for syntax errors:

sudo squid -k parse

If there are no errors, restart the Squid service to apply the configuration:

 sudo systemctl restart squid

Step 6: Allow through the firewall

Don't forget to allow the corresponding port (default 3128) in the Rocky Linux firewall:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=3128/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Client connection test

Now, you can fill in the information in the proxy settings of your local browser or software:

IP address: Your VoyraCloud VPS public IP
Port: 3128 (or your custom port)
Authentication: Enter the username and password you just set.

Conclusion

Through the above steps, you have successfully deployed a secure and efficient Squid proxy server on Rocky Linux. Combined with VoyraCloud Cloud VPS's global route optimization, you can enjoy a faster network transit experience.

👉 Get your VoyraCloud Cloud VPS now and start your fast proxy experience