In normal day to day internet use, maintaining your privacy is increasingly difficult. A lot of people use proxy servers as a way of achieving online privacy, gaining access to content that may be region restricted and also for controlling their network connection. The downside of using a proxy server is that you need to know the proxy server address and the port number. This detailed guide will go into what those are, why they matter and how to find and change your browser’s proxy settings.
What is a proxy server address and port?
A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your machine and the websites you visit. Rather than connecting directly to a website you’re trying to access, you connect to the proxy server which then forwards your connection request to the desired website. The result is that it’s far more difficult to trace your online activity as the websites you visit will appear to be the proxy server rather than you.
The proxy address is the server, the port is the service endpoint. Both are required to set up and configure a proxy.
For example a proxy config might be as follows: ‘192.0.2.10:8080’. The bit before the colon is the address and the bit after is the port (i.e. which service you’re going to).
Commonly used port numbers for proxies include:
- 8080 – commonly used by HTTP proxy services.
- 3128 – Again similar to 8080, another port commonly used for HTTP proxy services.
- 443 – Often associated with HTTPS, though the actual configuration will vary.
- 1080 – commonly used by SOCKS proxy services.
These are not universal requirements and each proxy service will use different addresses and ports. Double-check and use the address, port and protocol that is provided.
Why are proxy addresses and ports important?
Getting the proxy settings correct is essential to ensure your connection gets to the right server. If the address or port is wrong you can get connection errors and certain sites will simply fail to load.
Proxy servers also have some very practical uses such as SEO research, managing a range of online services that are geographically distributed and testing the data collection capabilities of websites. Depending on the service in question the proxy may be used to hide your IP address or to give you access to websites and content that you wouldn’t normally have access to in your location.
Remember that a proxy on its own won’t guarantee you’re anonymous online. Your level of anonymity is going to be dependent on a number of factors and you may well need more than just a proxy to be genuinely private.
How to Find Your Proxy Server in Your Browser
The steps for finding your proxy settings will vary depending on your browser and your operating system. A number of the more popular browsers will in fact just use the system wide network settings of the computer rather than have their own proxy settings.
Finding Proxy Settings in Google Chrome
On Windows, you can locate proxy settings through Chrome’s settings menu:
- Open Google Chrome and click the three dots in the top right hand corner.
- Select Settings and go to System.
- Click Open your computer’s proxy settings.
- Check the proxy configuration options available in your OS.
- If a manual proxy is configured then check the server address and port fields.
Remember that these settings could affect other apps on your computer, not just Chrome.
Finding Proxy Settings in Mozilla Firefox
Firefox may offer its own connection settings, depending on your configuration:
- Open Firefox and navigate to Settings.
- Go to the Network Settings section within Settings.
- Click Settings next to the connection options.
- Review whether Firefox is using a system proxy, an automatic configuration proxy or manual proxy settings.
- If manual configuration is enabled then check the server address and port.
If the browser is using your OS’s proxy settings then you may need to look at the system settings instead.
What should you check when configuring a proxy?
Before connecting, make sure the details match what your provider supplies. Check the following:
- Server address: check the IP address or hostname.
- Port number: Ensure the port number is the correct one for the selected protocol.
- Protocol: Make sure you’ve got the right option selected (e.g. HTTP, HTTPS or SOCKS5).
- Authentication: enter the required username and password if your proxy requires authentication.
- Connection status: Test the connection and look at any error messages.
If your browser won’t connect then double check those details before you go and change anything else in your network settings.
Conclusion
Finding your proxy server address and port is actually quite easy once you know where to look. Chrome users can usually access their system proxy settings via the browser itself, and Firefox users can check their network settings directly within the browser.
By knowing how proxy addresses, ports and protocols work you can be much more confident in setting up your connections and can troubleshoot the common problems that arise much more easily. For the sake of getting reliable results you should always use the correct connection details as provided by your proxy provider and ensure that your settings are correct for your intended use.
