Winsock Redirection Protocol Service
The WRP Service runs on the WinGate server and implements the WRP (Winsock Redirection Protocol). WRP allows your Internet applications to run as if they are directly connected to the Internet. Once the WinGate Internet Client (WGIC) is installed on your client computers, no Internet software configuration is needed. Previous versions of WinGate required each application to be configured manually for proxy operation. This is no longer required, although any proxy-configured software will still work.
The WRP gives all your applications the benefit of being directly connected to the Internet, while enjoying the benefits of a proxy server and the security of a firewall.
WRP allows your client applications to:
- Make TCP connections (e.g. WWW browsing)
- Accept TCP connections (e.g. like a WWW server)
- Send UDP data (EG Streaming applications like Real Audio)
- Accept UDP data (EG like a RA server).
How does it work?
WRP works like this: an Internet application on the client computer attempts to make a connection to a computer on the Internet. The WinGate WRP client detects this and determines what kind of request it is. If it is a connection to a computer on the same network, the client lets the application make the connection directly. If the client tries to connect to a computer on the Internet, (i.e. it is not on the same network) then the WRP client 'catches' the connection and sends it to the WinGate WRP service. WinGate then makes the connection as if it was the client computer, and because it is directly connected to the Internet, it succeeds.
What needs setting up?
In a word, nothing. Let's look at the configurations normally required and how this is overcome with WinGate.
Configuring applications
Applications no longer need any configuration to use the Internet. WinGate Internet Client takes care of this.
The WRP service is fully configurable, however its default configuration is designed to be optimal for most situations. A great feature of WRP is that you no longer need to have different proxies for different services. WRP is a new connection method that allows connections to be handled natively instead of at an application level. While you can still have separate proxies, you only need them if you want specific control over those services. Most people will only need WRP, DHCP, DNS and RCS servers.
WRP Application Modes
When the WinGate Internet Client recognizes that an application is trying to bind to a system port number (port number less than 1024), it assumes that the application is a server-style application (i.e. it waits and listens for incoming connections from other computers).
WinGate looks at the name of the application, and it saves this information with a mode parameter. When you open the control panel applet, the name and details will be listed, and you can modify the selected mode. Internet applications that run on a computer with the WinGate Internet Client installed have a mode associated with the way they are allowed to operate.
Local Access Mode:
When an application is set to run in Local Access Mode, it is ignored by the WGIC. This means that no outgoing or incoming requests for Internet connections will be redirected by the WGIC. This mode is of key importance when using NAT together with the WGIC on a single computer. Any applications that you want to use NAT for outgoing connectivity must be set to run in Local Access Mode.
Mixed Access Mode:
This mode allows the applications to make outward connections using WRP, but will not allow incoming connections from the Internet via WRP. Only computers on your local network will be able to connect to this application. All applications will be set to run Mixed Access Mode by default.
Global Access Mode:
Applications set to run in Global Access Mode will have full connection ability. They can accept incoming connections and can make outgoing connections using WRP. For your server application to be externally accessible, it will need to operate in this mode.
WRP Compatibility
Applications that make only outgoing connections (called client applications) are fully supported by WinGate WRP. This covers the bulk of client applications: web browsers, email, FTP etc.
Any application that accepts incoming connections (called server applications) on a fixed port will be limited to running one copy per WinGate installation. This is because WRP causes the corresponding port on the WinGate server to be bound and "listen".
Conflict arises when a second application attempts to associate/bind to the same port. This can be overcome on the network by changing the port on which the server listens, or using a mapped link in WinGate and disabling the WinGate client. Any application that listens to a predefined port is in this situation. If the port can be changed, then conflict is avoided.
