About IDex clients on macOS and Windows

IDex is an application, which acts as a miniature local proxy on macOS-based and Windows-based devices. It forwards usernames, group membership, and information about web requests to the Smoothwall Filter for web filtering purposes. Each web request is identified individually, and it can identify multiple users logged in at the same device. Local user accounts are identified by the device, and users behind a NAT connection.

IDex runs without any interaction from your end-users, gathering necessary information directly from the device. This has the advantage of not being reliant on a working connection to your domain controllers to be able to function correctly — so long as users can log on to the device, information can be captured. Additionally, no direct communication path is needed between the Smoothwall Filter and Firewall and the Active Directory.

Notes:
  • We don't recommend that you install IDex on remote devices. Remote connected devices should use Connect Filter instead.
  • IDex client can't filter applications that can't be configured to use explicit proxy settings.

Supported configuration

  • Remote connected devices should use Connect Filter instead.
  • You can't install Connect Filter and IDex together on the same device.
  • Browser:
    • All browser types are supported
  • Operating Systems:
    • macOS 10.10 and higher
    • Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (32-bit and 64-bit versions)

Important Information for Microsoft DirectAccess users

With Microsoft DirectAccess systems, HTTPS could potentially be used to establish a tunnel back to the organization network. In such instances, the external IP or host, configured in the DirectAccess server configuration must be excluded from the proxy configuration to prevent failure. This failure is caused by the outgoing connection for the IP-over-HTTPS tunnel attempting to connect through IDex to reach the Smoothwall Filter and Firewall proxy via the same tunnel.

Note: When an off-site client system connection is established through DirectAccess, the DirectAccess server IP address appears in the User Activity page instead of the client device’s IP address.

For installation and interface setup, see our help topics: