Editor: SOCKS is a proxy mechanism that allows client PCs to gain full access to hosts outside their local network while providing a high degree of security for the local network. From its earliest implementation, SOCKS has been considered to be primarily a firewall, protecting local networks from unauthorized access from outside the network.
The Hummingbird SOCKS Client works in conjunction with SOCKS V4/V5 servers. When a SOCKS client application makes a request to a host outside the local network, the request is redirected to the SOCKS server. The SOCKS server authenticates the user, authorizes the request, establishes a proxy connection, and then transparently passes data Between the inside host and the outside host.
There are two major versions of SOCKS: SOCKS V4 and SOCKS V5. Hummingbird SOCKS Client supports both SOCKS V4 and V5 for Windows NT/2000 and Windows 95/98/ME.
