Does anyone know anything about setting up a proxy to use with an arbitrary (or specific) IM protocol/client?

This is specifically so a friend can get around their corporate firewall which is apparently blocking specific ports on specific servers. No IM service seems tobe working for them right now.

I'd like to install a proxy on either my hosted or local servers for him to use to connect to the IM servers on alternate ports. Adium (using libgaim) for Mac OS supports a proxy configuration per account, so the only piece missing is the actual proxy installation/setup. Mac OS X (local server) or Linux install (hosted server).

The proxy connection itself doesn't need to be encrypted as Adium has its own encryption which will hopefully continue to work through it.

EDIT: I remembered that OTR (the encryption lib Adium uses) is also available in proxy form. Should this be enough to do what we need:

http://chris.milbert.com/AIM_Encryption/ (the proxy section is below the default Adium setup stuff at the top)

Try http://meebo.com

Damnation... Looks like that will even pass my firewall that specifically blocks that type of traffic, regardless of port number.

Can't you then just block access to the site? Problem solved...?

To Bruno: If the company firewall blocks all IM services, don't you think there is a reason for it...?

Stig

The Meebo site is blocked. They're also blocking Yahoo and Gmail.

Stig - yes, it's to prevent employees from sharing information like trade secrets outside their company. Their own email is all logged so it can be tracked. This is pretty typical in a lot of large companies.

So yes, there's a reason. Now, consider this... If I'm asking, it's because I have a reason to want to get around it. And on top of getting around it, I want it to be encrypted so no one (else) from that company can see what is being discussed via that channel.

The OTR proxy software itself is very under-developed and can't reconfigure its ports. Unfortunately it wants access to 8080 which I'm already using on the server for something else.

How about an encrypted IRC session? You can probably find an IRC server that has a useful port for him to connect to.

"This server also listens with SSL on port 443" That one won't even look that odd if they're actively scanning traffic.

Oh, of course I can block access to it. But what a PITA to have to keep up with all of them.

Does he have a phone that has a im client? Might get expensive if the he doesn't have a good text/data plan.

Didn't there used to be a product called Proxomitron that did this kind of thing?

Does this do what you want?

AT32 Reverse Proxy
http://www.at32.com/doc/rproxy.htm