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How to Access HorizonLive Through a Firewall

This is the best information available for accessing your online delivered course through a firewall. Before attempting this solution, you should check with network staff at your location, to determine if streaming media for educational purposes is an acceptable use of your local network.

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Configuring the RealPlayer to Work Through a Firewall

The HTTP-Only option allows almost all Players behind a firewall to access RealAudio and RealVideo content. You must have RealPlayer version 5.0 or higher to receive HorizonLive content in this manner.

To determine if you have one of these versions of the RealPlayer:

Open the RealPlayer, click on the "Help" menu, and click on the "About…" tab ("About RealPlayer…" for G2). A message box will be displayed listing the version of the RealPlayer that is installed on your system.  Version numbers beginning with 5 are RP 5.0 and versions beginning with 6 are G2 RealPlayers.

To configure the RealPlayer 5.0 to receive content through HTTP-Only:

  1. In your RealPlayer 5.0, click "Preferences" from the View menu.
  2. In the Preferences window, click the Transports option.
  3. Click the "Use Specified Transports…" option.
  4. Click the "Specify Transports…" button. The "Specify Transports" window appears.
  5. Click the "Use HTTP Only" option. Click OK in the "Specify Transports" window.
  6. Click the OK button on the "Preferences" window to save your changes.

To configure the RealPlayer 7 (G2) to receive content through HTTP-Only:

  1. In your RealPlayer G2, click "Preferences" from the Options menu.
  2. In the "Preferences" window, click the Transports option.
  3. Click the "Use Specified Transports" option.
  4. Click the "PNA Settings…" button. The "PNA Transport Settings" window appears
  5. Click the "Use HTTP Only" option. Click OK in the "Specify Transports" window.
  6. Click the OK button on the "Preferences" window to save your changes.

Working with Proxy Servers to allow user to receive audio using RealPlayer

If a user is not getting any audio—even though they are using an acceptable web browser and have installed the proper RealPlayer plugin—it is possible that a proxy server is in use at the IT or organization network level. If this is the case, one will need to identify the name and port of the proxy server being used and supply this information in the RealPlayer preferences.

NOTE: This procedure often needs to be followed in conjunction with configuring the RealPlayer to receive audio through HTTP only, as described in the section of this guide called "Configuring the RealPlayer to Work Through a Firewall."

To locate information about the Proxy Server in use:

If using Netscape (directions specific to Netscape 4.5):

  1. Go to the "Edit" menu and select "Preferences…"
  2. Select the + sign next to the "Advanced" item in the list to the left. Click on "Proxies" from the sublist that appears.
  3. To identify the Proxy Server settings:
    1. Select the "Manual proxy settings" option and then click "View…".
    2. Copy (or write down) the name of the proxy listed in the "HTTP:" field, which is listed first. Also copy down the port number.
    3. Click "Cancel" and the click "Cancel" again to exit the Preferences area.
  4. In your RealPlayer 5.0, click "Preferences" from the View menu.
  5. In the Preferences window, click the Proxy option.
  6. Click the "Use Proxy" checkbox.
  7. Paste or carefully type the proxy name from step 3(b) into the "Http proxy" field and enter the port number copied from step 3(b) above into the "Port" field beside it.
  8. Click the OK button on the "Preferences" window to save your changes.

If using Microsoft Internet Explorer (directions specific to MSIE 4.0):

  1. Go to the "View" menu and select "Internet Options…"
  2. Select the "Connection" tab. If a proxy server is indeed in use, the "Access the Internet using a proxy server" checkbox in the "Proxy server" section should be checked.
  3. To identify the Proxy Server settings:
    1. Select the "Advanced…" button.
    2. Copy (or write down) the name of the proxy listed in the "HTTP:" field, which is listed first. Also copy down the port number.
    3. Click "Cancel" and then click "Cancel" again to exit the "Internet Options" area.
  4. In your RealPlayer 5.0, click "Preferences" from the View menu.
  5. In the Preferences window, click the Proxy option.
  6. Click the "Use Proxy" checkbox.
  7. Paste or carefully type the proxy name from step 3(b) into the "Http proxy" field and enter the port number copied from step 3(b) above into the "Port" field beside it.