Firstly, I want describe problems I encountered. Next after that, I’ll go straightforward to things I want to suggest. I can’t think to whom else I can submit this feedback so that, for now, I choose WNDP. I’m sorry if I’m taking a wrong direction.

I'm not sure on how Windows network platform is being architected to support proxy authentication, but for me it is simply bad — very bad indeed.

I'm currently connected to the Internet through a Squid proxy server (apparently not an ISA one). Proxy authentication has always caused a lot of problems both in Windows XP and Windows Vista, for examples:
- RSS Reader in IE7 and IE7+ was UNABLE to perform RSS requests
- Windows Update in Windows Vista simply did NOT work
- Windows Defender both in Windows XP and Windows Vista could NOT be updated
- Help and Support both in Windows and Office that requires DIRECT Internet connection could NOT be performed
- Some Gadgets in Window Vista that require DIRECT Internet connection are simply UNUSABLE, such as Stocks Providers, Currency Converter, and Windows Soccer Scoreboard
- Standalone MSND Library application can NOT be used if using the ONLINE SEARCH feature

Both in Windows XP and Windows Vista, I’ve set the proxy server address and bypassed for local address from connection properties in IE. In Windows XP, I did try to set it up manually using [proxycfg -u] and in Windows Vista using [netsh winhttp proxy import source=ie], but simply could NOT make it work. It simply did NOT prompt for a proxy server credential NOR provide other ways to set it up.

It's really a BIG surprise that:
- IE6, IE7, and IE7+ PROMPTS for asking proxy authentication credential, instead of returning HTTP 407 Proxy Authentication Required error message
- Solutions Checking in Windows Vista CAN be performed and submitted
- Customer Experience Improvement Program WORKS in every single application

For me, I can CLEARLY see that there are NO CONSISTENT approaches to handle this way. Somehow, it should be handled manually by every application, not directly by Windows.

OK, here things I’m suggesting:
- Move support for proxy server authentication down to the Windows networking level
- Create a network connection manager so that a user can have a multiple list of connections. He then can set a default connection he wants to use for ALL application that needs Internet connection, whether direct ones (I mean multiple connections) or behind proxy servers (I also mean multiple ones). Specifically say about proxy server, please provide a way so that a user doesn’t keep to be prompted for such credentials; not as you can see in IE now (it made me tired to enter the credential over and over again in every time I launched IE). As you can see in every download managers, for example Free Download Manager, it provides a way to set a proxy authentication credential; simply to say: SET ONCE, CONNECT EVERYTIME, not SET ONCE, PROMPT EVERYTIME nor SET ONCE, FAIL EVERYTIME.
Here’s the example:
Connection List:
-- Direct Connection A
    Properties of connection A
-- Direct Connection
    Properties of connection B
-- Proxy Server C (Default Connection)
    Proxy server address: XXX, user name: YYY, password: ZZZ
-- Proxy Server D
    Proxy server address: AAA, user name: BBB, password: CCC
Note that XXX and AAA include DNS/IP Address plus port number and support IP version 6 addresses.
- Provide a way (using API maybe) that an application can choose to connect to the Internet using other than the default connection. This creates an abstraction on how an application should be connected to the Internet and leaves the detail of the connection to Windows.

I think that’s all want to say right now.

Please, this thing is going to sucker than ever and I’m already tired because of it, not to mention many other people who are also trapped in this kind of annoying situation. For real facts, go to http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/default.aspx?siteid=1 and search for “proxy authentication”. I’m sure you’ll see all of the “artifacts”.

Thanks.