MATLAB: Do web-based workflows fail when MATLAB Web Preferences specify a web proxy that uses Basic authentication

authentificationbasicMATLABPROXYurlreadurlwrite

When I configure MATLAB Web Preferences to use a proxy with Basic authentication, then workflows that connect to web servers via HTTPS will fail.

If I use workflows that connect to web servers, such as using urlread and urlwrite, I see an error like the following:

Unable to tunnel through proxy. Proxy returns "HTTP/1.1 407 Proxy Authentication Required".

The *Request Support* button in the MATLAB desktop displays a dialog box that reports "Unable to Contact MathWorks".

Best Answer

This issue is caused by a change in behaviour in Oracle's JRE 8 - described here: <http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/8u111-relnotes-3124969.html>

See the section: *Disable Basic authentication for HTTPS tunneling.*

The following workaround restores the less secure proxy authentication behavior present in earlier versions of Java. Before applying this workaround, please consult the person(s) responsible for your web proxy to determine if the following workaround is appropriate.

After you have confirmed that you want to use a proxy that uses Basic authentication, then follow these steps:

1. Close MATLAB.

2. Create or edit a java.opts file as described in the documentation here:<https://uk.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/java-opts-file.html https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/java-opts-file.html>

3. Add this code on a separate line:

-Djdk.http.auth.tunneling.disabledSchemes=

4. Restart MATLAB.

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to set a proxy server to use with the URLREAD and URLWRITE functions in MATLAB

In order to specify a proxy server for use in MATLAB, you will need to set two Java system properties: 'http.proxyHost' and 'http.proxyPort'. These properties correspond to the hostname of the proxy server, and the port that is used to connect to the proxy server, respectively.

If you are using MATLAB 7.0 (R14) or later versions, you can set these properties by going to "File -> Preferences -> Web". Then, check the "Use proxy to connect to the internet" checkbox and enter the values in the "Proxy server" and "Proxy port" editboxes.

If you are using a previous version of MATLAB, you will need to set these properties from the Command Window using the following commands:

java.lang.System.setProperty('http.proxyHost','myproxy.mycompany.com')
java.lang.System.setProperty('http.proxyPort','1234')

replacing 'myproxy' and '1234' with the appropriate values. You may want to add these commands to a startup.m file, so they are executed every time you start MATLAB. See the following for more information regarding startup.m:

http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/startup-options.html#brlkmbe-1

Alternately, use the following lines of code in your file:

com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setUseProxy(true)
com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setProxyHost('HostName')
com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setProxyPort('1234')
%%the proxy authentication is required
com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setUseProxyAuthentication(true)
com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setProxyUsername('test')
com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setProxyPassword('test')

If you are compiling and deploying your MATLAB code to a target machine, in order to set the same settings for your compiled application on the target machine, add the following lines to your MATLAB code before you compile:

if isdeployed
   com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setUseProxy(true)
   com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setProxyHost('HostName')
   com.mathworks.mlwidgets.html.HTMLPrefs.setProxyPort('Port')
end

where 'HostName' is the name of the Proxy Host and 'Port' is the port number on which the user needs to connect to the proxy server.

MATLAB: Am I unable to download data to use with Datafeed Toolbox when connecting via a proxy server that requires authentication

The ability to specify a username and password with a proxy server has been implemented in MATLAB 7.7 (R2008b).

See the following for information on configuring the Proxy server in MATLAB Web Preferences:

 <http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_env/web-browsers-and-matlab.html>

For previous versions, read below:

The ability to connect to the Internet using a proxy server that requires a login and password is not available in MATLAB.

As a workaround, you can take advantage of commercial and freeware proxy tunneling programs that support just about any type of proxy server.

You can configure a tunneling program to listen at a specific port and to forward the connections to the specified proxy in the specified format (HTTP, SOCKS etc). You can connect MATLAB to the local proxy tunneling program and the tunneling program can handle the proxy server that requires authentication. Users behind a firewall will need to contact their network administrator to find out if they are allowed to use such a program to bypass the firewall.

Tunneling programs can be found by searching for "HTTP tunnel" or "proxy tunnel" in a search engine.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: How to set a proxy server to use with the URLREAD and URLWRITE functions in MATLAB

MATLAB: Am I unable to download data to use with Datafeed Toolbox when connecting via a proxy server that requires authentication

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