Getting Steam.exe to run through a http proxy

Question

I'm sitting behind an http proxy which Steam refuses to go through. Trying Proxifier to fix the solution rendered an error about having to use an https proxy, though research shows that it shouldn't need one.

Is it possible to make a target parameter in a shortcut?

ie. "C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe" --http-proxy=myusername:mypassword@SERVERNAME:8080

I have the server name and port number, though I'm yet to understand the relevance of 'myusername:mypassword', or infact which username and password these instructions were referring to.

Of course, if a target parameter wouldn't work, would there be another way to get Steam to work?

Answer 1

I think I tried to achieve this once before, the main issue is whether or not your HTTP proxy supports traversing of UDP, which is unlikely. UDP are necessary for almost any game you might want to play but because it's not used in the HTTP, I don't think you're going to find your proxy will forward them.

Update to above: SOCKS proxies can forward UDP traffic and work in reverse: HTTP proxies cannot.

This is the reason why Steam doesn't make it easy to configure an HTTP proxy. You need to bypass your proxy by opening up port forwards for Steam to get out on. If you don't have control of the proxy server, I'm afraid you're out of luck.