Squid is a popular open-source proxy server that is widely used to improve network performance by caching frequently used web pages. It also helps to increase security and privacy by filtering content and blocking access to malicious websites.
In this short tutorial, we will show you how to install Squid on CentOS 6.3.
Step 1: Update the System
Before installing Squid, it’s essential to update your system to ensure that you have the latest security patches and software updates. To update the system, run the following command:
sudo yum update
Step 2: Install Squid
Once the system is updated, you can proceed to install Squid by running the following command:
sudo yum install squid
The command will download and install Squid and its dependencies.
Example:
[root@centos63 ~]# yum install squid -y Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, presto Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile * base: mirror1.ku.ac.th * extras: mirror.yourconnect.com * updates: mirror1.ku.ac.th CentOS6.3-Repository | 4.0 kB 00:00 ... CentOS6.3-Repository/primary_db | 3.5 MB 00:00 ... base | 3.7 kB 00:00 base/primary_db | 3.5 MB 00:31 extras | 3.0 kB 00:00 extras/primary_db | 6.4 kB 00:00 updates | 3.5 kB 00:00 updates/primary_db | 2.2 MB 00:19 Setting up Install Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package squid.i686 7:3.1.10-1.el6_2.4 will be installed --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ==================================================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size ==================================================================================================== Installing: squid i686 7:3.1.10-1.el6_2.4 CentOS6.3-Repository 1.7 M Transaction Summary ==================================================================================================== Install 1 Package(s) Total download size: 1.7 M Installed size: 5.7 M Downloading Packages: Setting up and reading Presto delta metadata Processing delta metadata Package(s) data still to download: 1.7 M Running rpm_check_debug Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Warning: RPMDB altered outside of yum. Installing : 7:squid-3.1.10-1.el6_2.4.i686 1/1 Verifying : 7:squid-3.1.10-1.el6_2.4.i686 1/1 Installed: squid.i686 7:3.1.10-1.el6_2.4 Complete!
Step 3: Configure Squid
After installing Squid, you need to configure it to work correctly. The main configuration file for Squid is located at /etc/squid/squid.conf.
To open the configuration file, run the following command:
sudo vi /etc/squid/squid.conf
Inside the configuration file, you can set various options such as the listening port, cache size, and access controls. Make sure to save the changes once you’re done editing the file.
Step 4: Start and Enable Squid
Once Squid is configured, you can start and enable it to run automatically at boot time using the following command:
sudo systemctl start squid sudo systemctl enable squid
You can verify that Squid is running by checking its status using the following command:
sudo systemctl status squid
For example:
[root@centos63 ~]# systemctl status squid squid (pid 11806) is running...
Step 5: Configure Firewall
If you’re using a firewall on your system, you need to allow incoming connections to Squid. To do this, run the following command:
sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=squid --permanent sudo firewall-cmd --reload
The above commands will allow incoming connections to Squid on the default port 3128.
Commands Mentioned:
- yum – command-line package management utility for RPM-based Linux systems
- systemctl – command-line tool to manage systemd services and units
- firewall-cmd – command-line tool to manage firewall rules on RHEL-based systems
- vi – command-line text editor
Conclusion:
In this guide, we have shown you how to install Squid on CentOS 6.3. We started by updating the system, then we installed Squid and configured it to work correctly. We also started and enabled Squid to run automatically at boot time and configured the firewall to allow incoming connections to Squid. By following these steps, you can set up Squid on your CentOS 6.3 system and improve your network performance, security, and privacy.
If you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to leave them below.
