[furghella]

I am trying to configure Safari so I can access a database (Lexis Nexis) from home.
I have tried all kinds of browsers, to no avail. iCab almost worked - I was able to log onto the proxy server, but then iCab didn't play nice with the database.
Safary on the other end tells me to configure the proxy server in the "network" settings. I tried that - checked "web proxy", entered the URL, entered login and password information - only to find myself unable to access the Internet after that. What am I missing?

[MickS]

I suspect that "unable to access the Internet" means unable to download other web pages. The Internet != WWW.

If you configure a proxy in the Network Prefs then Safari will use that proxy for all HTTP web pages. If the proxy used to access the database only provides access to the database, and doesn't allow general WWW access, this would explain your problem.

If, using the proxy, you are able to access the database you can do one of two things. Either uncheck the proxy settings and apply them when you want to access other sites, or set up a different Location in Network prefs that includes the proxy settings.