Tunneling over HTTP

Question

I have a network at work that is locked behind a firewall and Internet connection is available only by using a proxy server. At work, I can connect to databases that are distributed across the network.

However, at home, I cannot connect to the proxy server or the databases.

How can this be done? I can access my workstation via LogMeIn, so I can install anything on it.

I thought of installing some kind of tunneling mechanism in my workstation. Then, at home, I could connect to this mechanism, which would in turn do the required connections.

So essentially, what I'd like to do can be represented by the following diagram: Home => Workstation => Database. For example, whenever I connect to, say, 10.140.0.1:1234 at home, this would be redirected to 10.140.0.1:1234 of my Workstation, because 10.140.0.1:1234 is only available through the corporate network.

NOTE: I'm using Windows XP.

Answer 1

You can create a SSH tunnel that'll allow you to do that pretty easily. Just install an SSH server (you didn't mention what OS you're using or I'd be more specific) on your workstation, then at home you would fire off this command to connect and create a tunnel on a specific port:

ssh -D 50505 work_username@work_computer_ip

Then you can setup your browser or your computer to use 127.0.0.1:50505 as a SOCKS HTTP proxy.

Answer 2

The best solution would be for your workplace to setup a VPN that you could connect to from home. I'm assuming that they don't have that and do not want you to connect to the workplace network from outside.

Are you sure your employer is OK with you connecting from home?