Mobile carrier
A mobile carrier is a mobile network company whose network owns the address of a mobile proxy.
Updated · Prokso editorial team
Each carrier has its own network with its own number, the ASN. From it, a website sees that the address belongs to a mobile carrier and knows which one.
Choosing a carrier is needed when it matters how a site or an ad looks to subscribers of a specific network: mobile ad verification, app testing, services with terms for a particular carrier.
Carrier addresses are shared: many subscribers sit behind one address through CGNAT. The carrier changes a subscriber's address itself, so you cannot hold one IP for long.
In Prokso the carrier is set by its network number in the advanced mode of the generator. Traffic with a carrier selected is counted double. See the mobile proxies page for details.
How to find the network number of the carrier you need
The simplest way is to take an address that definitely belongs to that carrier. For example, turn off Wi-Fi on a phone with that carrier's SIM card, open the My IP page and look at the ISP line: it shows the name and the network number. For someone else's address, use the "Check any IP" field on the same page.
Keep in mind that a large carrier often has several networks: one for mobile data and separate ones for home or business connections. Make sure the number you take belongs to the mobile network. More on network numbers in the ASN article.
Why the proxy may not respond with a carrier selected
The network number goes into the username the same way as a city: LOGIN__cr.de;asn.3320. If at that moment the pool has no devices from this carrier, the proxy returns an error. Availability changes during the day, so try again later or remove extra filters.
The most common reason is a combination that is too narrow. A carrier together with a small city may not give a single address. Start with the carrier and the country, and add a city only when you really need it. On a sticky port, the device address may change before the set time if the device goes offline. The port then gets a new IP from the same country, and it is worth checking the carrier again.
What to check after connecting
- On the My IP page the ISP matches the chosen carrier, and the country matches the username.
- The city is shown by the carrier gateway and may be far from what you expect.
- Voice calls in messengers and online games do not work: UDP is not supported, whatever the carrier.
Other features of this address type are described on the mobile proxies page.
FAQ
Why choose a specific carrier?
When the result depends on the network: ads for a carrier's subscribers, the mobile version of a service, app testing.
How do I find a carrier's network number?
IP lookup services show it next to the organization name. The same information is visible on the My IP page.
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