SOCKS via SSH - not only for ICQ

Today’s problems with ICQ have reminded of one simplest way to start a SOCKS proxy. Many people know this method, but I suspect that not all, so I decided to share it.

So, what you need:
a) SSH-client (any, under Linux or under Windows, the main thing is that it allows you to set the parameters we need, under Windows putty will be fine)
b) Access to any server via ssh (in the case of ICQ any bourgeois hosting helps).


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Enter the command:

ssh -l login -D 9999 server_name

and log in.

Now, at the local host address 127.0.0.1 on port 9999, you have your own proxy server running SOCKS. We set up a browser or an ICQ client (I already did this with Pidgin) and go out to the world from my server's IP (http://whatismyip.com will confirm this to you).

This method, by the way, makes it possible to work with the important information of the network more safely, while staying anywhere and logging off the network from any provider (you can always log in “under the desired IP”).

UPD: Today Pidgin (apparently, and many other ICQ-clients) again began to work without a proxy.