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How to Check if a Proxy Works: 4 Ways in 2 Minutes

Test a proxy with an online checker, curl, your browser or an antidetect browser. What each method should show and what to do if the proxy doesn't respond.

Prokso editorial team Updated 3 min read Guides
Key takeaways
  • The fastest way is to paste the proxy line into the free checker on our site
  • The real sign it works is a different IP address and country
  • Error 407 almost always means a wrong username, password or used-up traffic
  • Test with the same protocol you'll work with: HTTP or SOCKS5

You bought proxies and copied the line — but does it actually work? Before plugging it into an antidetect browser or a scraper, spend two minutes checking it. You'll spot a wrong username, the wrong country or used-up traffic right away, instead of wondering why an account won't log in.

Method 1. Online checker

Open the Proxy Checker and paste the line in any format: host:port:username:password or username:password@host:port. Up to 100 lines at once.

  • a green status means the proxy responds;
  • the IP column shows the address websites see;
  • the country and response time help you compare several proxies.

Method 2. The curl command

If you work with scripts, test the proxy the same way your code will use it (more in the curl and Python requests guides):

curl -x "http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@gw.prokso.com:823" https://api.ipify.org

You should get back an IP address different from yours. For SOCKS5, replace http:// with socks5:// and port 823 with 824.

Method 3. In your browser

Set the proxy in your system settings or an extension and open the My IP page. It shows not only the address but also the country, time zone and browser language — useful to confirm your profile doesn't reveal your real location.

Method 4. Right in the antidetect browser

AdsPower, Dolphin Anty, Octo Browser and GoLogin have a Check button next to the proxy fields. It shows the IP and country before you launch the profile. Step-by-step setup for other apps is in the guides section.

The proxy doesn't work: what to check

  1. 407 — wrong username or password, or the plan is out of traffic;
  2. 503 NO_RAY — no free addresses for your geo: remove the city or carrier;
  3. timeout — check the port: 823 for HTTP, 824 for SOCKS5, 10000–20000 for sticky sessions.

Test the proxy type you'll actually work with: addresses and behaviour differ. Residential proxies are residential IPs for accounts and scraping, mobile proxies are carrier IPs for social networks, and datacenter proxies are the cheapest and fastest for bulk requests. If the IP should change on every request, see rotating proxies; for apps without HTTP support, use SOCKS5.

Check not only the IP but also the environment

A working address is not everything. The site compares it with the rest of the browser's data, and mismatches give the proxy away:

  • A WebRTC leak. The browser can tell the site your real address, bypassing the proxy. Check it on the WebRTC leak test page.
  • Time zone and language. If the address is German but the browser's clock and language are set to Kyiv, the site sees it. The My IP page shows all three values side by side.
  • Address type. Sites recognize datacenter addresses from databases. For sites with protection, use residential or mobile proxies.

Check speed and stability

One successful request does not mean the proxy will hold up under work. Before starting a large task, run a series of 10-20 requests and see how many of them went through and how long they took. For home and mobile addresses, variation in speed is normal - set a generous timeout, around 30 seconds.

If errors come one after another, look at their code: what each of them means and what to do is collected in the proxy error codes section.

FAQ

Does checking use traffic?

Yes, but very little: one check is a few kilobytes. You won't notice it on your plan balance.

Why does the check show a different country than I chose?

Make sure the country parameter goes after “__” in the username without spaces, for example username__cr.de. Without it, the address can come from any country.

How do I check that the proxy does not reveal my real IP?

Open My IP and the WebRTC leak test through the proxy. Your internet provider's address should not appear on either page.

Why do sites open more slowly through a proxy?

The request goes through an additional server, and home and mobile addresses depend on the speed of a real connection. This is normal; for bulk requests, datacenter proxies are the fastest.

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