NetShade Help

NetShade website

Getting Started

When you first launch NetShade, you'll be presented with a registration screen. If you've purchased a registration code this is where you'll enter it, otherwise you can start a free 10-day trial. Trial codes are sent out via e-mail.

NetShade Operation

NetShade works by modifying your system's proxy configuration. When the app is quit, it always puts your connection back to a direct, un-proxied state. If your computer crashes, or NetShade crashes (unexpectedly quits,) your connection may be left in a proxy state. To correct this, simply launch and quit NetShade.

NetShade Window

Collapse/Expand
The green button at the top-left will switch between large and small window modes. The window can also be changed to a simple, non-graphical window via Preferences.

Proxy Switch
The large Off/On switch at the top of the window shows the current state of the proxy connection, illuminated in blue. You can turn the proxy on and off by clicking this switch. The switch will also change to "On" when a proxy is selected and activated via the proxy menu.

Proxy Menu
This menu lists all available proxy servers. Selecting a server in the menu will activate it. The servers are grouped by their category: NetShade, Public, or User. The NetShade proxy servers are generally the fastest and most reliable, as they are available only to NetShade users. The public proxies come from a user-sourced list of servers. User proxies are ones you've added yourself.

Gear Menu
Contains advanced options for NetShade.

Current Proxy
The currently enabled proxy connection is represented graphically in the globe/flag view, and textually in the info view.

Test current proxy
This button causes your computer to retrieve a test page through the currently selected proxy, or to retrieve it directly in a case where no proxy is selected. The entire operation is timed, from the initiation of the request to the receipt of data.

Open test page in web browser
This button opens http://www.raynersw.com/my_ip.php in your web browser. This is a simple page displaying your connection information, and it can be used to verify that your connection is going through the expected proxy server. The IP address shown should be different from your own computer's if a proxy is currently selected.

Block current proxy
This blocks the currently selected proxy and de-activates it. When added to the block list, the proxy will never again show up in the menu until removed from the block list.