Proxies, explained in plain English
Friendly, step-by-step guides for first-timers and small projects. Each one explains the jargon as it comes up, shows you how to check that your setup worked, and is honest about what a proxy can and can't do.
Just starting out? Read these three first
Taken in this order, they get you from “what is a proxy?” to a working setup you have tested yourself.
- 1 Learn what a proxy does The idea in plain words, the four types we sell and the details you'll type in.
- 2 Choose your first type Datacenter or residential: which one your project needs, and how not to overspend.
- 3 Set it up and check it Put the proxy into your browser one step at a time, then test that it really works.
Start with the basics
What a proxy is, how the main types differ, and what rotating and sticky mean. If the words are new to you, begin here.
What a proxy does, explained for complete beginners
Start from zero: what a proxy is, the main types, the four details you'll be given and how to check it works, with each new term explained as it comes up.
Read →Datacenter or residential proxies? Choosing without overspending
Datacenter is quicker and costs less per GB; residential looks like an ordinary home visitor. How to tell which one your project needs before you pay for it.
Read →Datacenter, residential or mobile: choosing your first proxy type
Three kinds of address, three kinds of job. What each proxy type is good at, where it falls short, and a simple table for matching it to what you want to do.
Read →Rotating or sticky IPs? Everyday examples to help you choose
One setting decides whether your address changes on every request or stays put for a while. What each does, when to use it, and the mix-up that logs people out.
Read →Setting up a proxy
Where the proxy settings live in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone and popular apps, plus first steps with cURL, Python and Node.js tools. Each guide ends with a way to check it worked.
Chrome proxy setup for beginners (Windows and Mac)
New to proxies? Get Chrome using one on a Windows PC or a Mac, keep it to Chrome alone if you prefer, and check that it really works before you rely on it.
Read →Firefox proxy settings, explained for first-timers
Firefox can use a proxy on its own while the rest of your computer stays as it is. Here's where the setting lives, what to type into each box, and how to check it.
Read →Microsoft Edge and proxies: a beginner's setup guide
Edge uses whatever proxy Windows or macOS is set to. Learn the standard route, a way to keep the proxy inside Edge, and a quick test window for trying things out.
Read →Turning on a proxy in Windows 11, the easy way
Set one proxy for your whole Windows 11 PC from the Settings app, deal with the password prompt, and check nothing is leaking. Plus an optional PowerShell shortcut.
Read →Setting a proxy on your Mac, one click at a time
Point your whole Mac at a proxy from System Settings: where each box is, why Wi-Fi and Ethernet need separate setup, and how to check the proxy is really in use.
Read →Adding a proxy to your Android phone, no rooting required
Android keeps its proxy box inside each Wi-Fi network's settings. Where to find it on Samsung and Pixel phones, what to do about passwords, and how to check it works.
Read →iPhone and iPad proxy setup, explained simply
Your iPhone stores a proxy with each Wi-Fi network, and Apple left room for a username and password. Where to tap, what to type, and how to check it worked.
Read →Telegram's built-in proxy setting, explained for beginners
Telegram can use a proxy on its own, leaving the rest of your phone or computer alone. Which option to choose on Android, iPhone and desktop, and how to check it.
Read →Discord has no proxy setting: here's what works instead
Discord's app has nowhere to type a proxy, so you set one in Windows, macOS or a separate browser profile. What works, why voice is different, and how to check it.
Read →cURL and proxies for beginners: the commands you need
cURL is a small command-line tool that fetches web pages. Learn the flag that sends it through a proxy, how to add your login, and how to tell whether it worked.
Read →Selenium with a proxy: a beginner-friendly Python guide
Selenium lets Python control a real browser. Add a proxy to it, get past the login pop-up that stops most first attempts, and check the IP, with code you can copy.
Read →Puppeteer and proxies: your first setup in Node.js
Puppeteer drives Chrome from a Node.js script. Give it a proxy at launch, answer the login with page.authenticate(), and stop images eating into your data.
Read →Playwright proxies made simple (Python and Node.js)
Playwright takes a proxy server, username and password as plain settings, in Python or Node.js. Use one proxy for the whole browser, or a different one per session.
Read →Python requests through a proxy: a starter guide
Send Python requests through a proxy with one small dictionary, then add sessions, retries and SOCKS5 support as your first scraper grows. Every step explained.
Read →Axios through a proxy in Node.js, explained step by step
Axios's own proxy option often trips over HTTPS sites. Use a small agent package instead, then add a reusable client, rotation and retries as your project grows.
Read →Postman proxy settings for first-timers, step by step
New to Postman or to proxies? See where the proxy settings live, what each box is for, how to test the change, and how to send one Newman run through a proxy.
Read →Checks, leaks and small fixes
Short how-tos for the jobs that come up once a proxy is running: testing it, finding its address, changing or hiding your IP, choosing between SOCKS versions, and closing DNS and WebRTC leaks.
Proxy working but your real IP still shows? Fixing WebRTC leaks
A browser feature called WebRTC can reveal your real address even when your proxy works. What it is, how to test for it, and how to switch it off in each browser.
Read →5 ways to hide your IP address, and what each can't do
A plain-English look at five ways to hide your IP address (proxy, VPN, Tor, public Wi-Fi, a new address from your provider) and the honest downside of each.
Read →Changing your IP address: router, device or proxy
You have two IP addresses, and each changes differently: renew the local one on your device, get a new public one from your router, or pick one with a proxy.
Read →What is a proxy checker? Testing a proxy, step by step
A proxy checker tells you whether a proxy works, how quickly it answers and what it gives away. Here's what each result means and how to run a check yourself.
Read →SOCKS4 vs SOCKS5 in plain English: which do you need?
SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 sound almost identical, but only one handles logins, UDP traffic and remote DNS. The difference without jargon, and how to use SOCKS5.
Read →What is a DNS leak, and how do you fix one?
Your proxy or VPN can carry your traffic while DNS look-ups still tell your provider every site you visit. How to test for a leak, and how to close it.
Read →Where to find your proxy server address (and test it)
Find the proxy host and port on Windows, on a Mac, in your browser, on a work network or in code, then check that the address you found really works.
Read →Proxies for everyday tasks
Worked examples for real situations, such as running a few Instagram accounts or following sneaker releases, with each platform's rules up front.
Managing more than one Instagram account without breaking the rules
A shop, a personal profile, maybe a client's account: use Instagram's own tools first, add a proxy only where it genuinely helps, and stay inside Instagram's terms.
Read →Following sneaker releases and restocks: a beginner's proxy setup
How a simple restock monitor works, which proxy type suits it, why your own connection is the one for entering a draw, and the store rules you need to respect.
Read →Before you spend anything
How to try a provider with a small order, what to check in the first half hour, and the signs that mean you should walk away.
First steps in web scraping
Small, slow Python projects that read public pages, from search results and shop prices to listings and video details. Every one covers what is allowed before any code.
Web scraping for beginners: fewer blocks by being a polite visitor
Most blocks come from how a scraper behaves, not from the proxy. A beginner's checklist: the right proxy type, normal headers, a gentle pace and the rules to respect.
Read →Scrape Google search results with Python: a starter guide
Build a small, slow Python script that reads public Google results for a handful of searches, with every line explained and the ground rules spelled out first.
Read →Track Amazon prices with Python: a small, polite scraper
Follow the price, rating and stock of a few Amazon products with a short Python script, explained line by line, plus when Amazon's official API fits better.
Read →LinkedIn data with Python: the rules first, then the code
LinkedIn is strict about scraping. See what's off-limits, which official tools to try first, and a slow Python script that reads public company details only.
Read →Instagram data in Python: a responsible starter guide
Before you scrape Instagram, try Meta's official Graph API. For public profile basics, here's a slow, tiny Python script that stops at the first sign of trouble.
Read →eBay listing prices with Python: a beginner's scraper
Pull titles, prices and links from public eBay search results into a spreadsheet file using a short Python script, a pause between pages and a proxy.
Read →Getting YouTube data with Python: API first, browser second
Collect public YouTube video details in Python: the official Data API does most of the work, and Selenium with a proxy covers the few pages the API can't show.
Read →Scrape Google Maps listings with Python and Playwright
Google Maps builds its pages with JavaScript, so this beginner walkthrough drives a real browser with Playwright to read public business names, ratings and links.
Read →BeautifulSoup for beginners: reading HTML with Python
Learn BeautifulSoup from zero: turn HTML into something Python can search, find elements by tag, class or CSS selector, move around a page and read live pages.
Read →When you are ready for more
How rotation works behind the scenes, and multi-profile browsers for people who manage several accounts. Handy once the basics feel comfortable; you won't need them on day one.
Multi-profile (antidetect) browsers: do you need one, and which?
What these browsers really do, an honest answer on whether a beginner needs one, how the well-known names differ, and how to give each profile its own proxy.
Read →Rotating proxies, one step further: sessions, pools and testing
For when the basics make sense: what happens behind a rotating proxy, how a session ID keeps one address, why pool sizes mislead, and four tests worth running.
Read →Is this allowed?
A proxy changes the address a website sees, and nothing more. Whatever you use one for, that website’s own terms and the law where you live still apply. Our acceptable use policy spells out what isn’t allowed on our network, and the FAQ answers common beginner questions about buying and setup.
