[squid-users] NTLM Authentication using the SMB helper - need help with access log problems

Hi everyone,

I have setup a test server using Redhat Linux 8 and Squid 2.5STABLE2 from the source distribution. Squid was configured to use NTLM authentication and in particular the SMB helper. Test clients are using IE 6.0 SP1 (all current patches) on Windows 2000.

The server operates fine, and the authentication works as expected. My problem lies with the access.log file. Every request from a client is first denied and then accepted after being authenticated. This happens to *EVERY* request. The log files are twice the size they need to be and the huge number of denieds makes analysing the logs more difficult.

All of this is transparent to the client. IE is able to display the websites with no problems (apart from twice requests in the background). I assume that IE is just re-authenticating when it recieves the denied reply to every request.

My previous experience using Basic authentication and squid access logs showed that only the 1st request was denied, prompting the authentication prompt. After successful authentication all requests were allowed. ie. the browser seemed to hold the authentication.

My questions are:
1) Does anyone else with a similar setup using NTLM authentication and SMB experience this log problem?
2) Is the problem with the client or with the squid setup?
3) Is there a way to fix it?
4) What is the winbind NTLM helper? How does it differ to SMB?

Thanks in advance to any help or discussion people can provide.

Regards,
Ken.
Received on Mon Mar 24 2003 - 18:00:18 MST