We use a proxy server in our school and having to put the network information into Firefox for each user would be a nightmare!

Step 1
Locate the file /usr/share/firefox/greprefs/all.js and open. In the terminal you can type:

sudo gedit /usr/share/firefox/greprefs/all.js

This will open the firefox preferences file in the terminal.


Step 2
Locate the string "proxy.type" using the find function (CTRL+F) and change the following appropreately:

pref("network.proxy.type", 1);
pref("network.proxy.ftp", "YourIPAddressToProxy");
pref("network.proxy.ftp_port", 8080);
pref("network.proxy.gopher", "YourIPAddressToProxy");
pref("network.proxy.gopher_port", 8080);
pref("network.proxy.http", "YourIPAddressToProxy");
pref("network.proxy.http_port", 0);
pref("network.proxy.ssl", "YourIPAddressToProxy");
pref("network.proxy.ssl_port", 0);
pref("network.proxy.socks", "YourIPAddressToSocks");
pref("network.proxy.socks_port", 0);
pref("network.proxy.socks_version", 5);
pref("network.proxy.socks_remote_dns", false);
pref("network.proxy.no_proxies_on", "localhost, 127.0.0.1, .yourlocal.domains");


Step 3
It's also possible to setup the global default homepage*, this time we edit /etc/firefox/pref/firefox.js. In the terminal type:

sudo gedit /etc/firefox/pref/firefox.js

Add the following lines:

//Setup Home...
pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.google.com");
pref("browser.startup.homepage_reset", "http://www.google.com");

Changing the urls appropreately. Save the file(s) and reboot.

*This step might not work as expected in Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon (7.10) It's a known bug: Bug Report

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