How to Test If Your Proxy Is Working (3 Methods)

A proxy that "doesn't work" is usually one of four things: wrong credentials, wrong protocol, a dead endpoint, or a blocked exit IP. Here's how to diagnose each in under a minute.

Method 1: The One-Click Tester (Easiest)

Paste your proxy details into our free tester — protocol (HTTP or SOCKS5), host, port, username, password — and get an instant verdict: connected or not, latency in milliseconds, and the exit IP the world sees.

Test your proxy now →

No signup, nothing to install. Use it before and after buying any proxy.

Method 2: curl (Developers)

# HTTP proxy with auth
curl -x http://username:password@host:port https://api.ipify.org

# SOCKS5 proxy
curl -x socks5://username:password@host:port https://api.ipify.org

If it returns an IP address, your proxy works. Compare that IP against your real IP — they must differ. Add -w "time: %{time_total}s" to measure speed.

Method 3: Browser Check (Quick Sanity)

Configure the proxy in your browser or a tool like Shadowrocket, then visit an IP-check site. Confirm the displayed IP and location match what your provider promised.

What the Results Mean

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix | |---|---|---| | Connection timeout | Dead endpoint / wrong port | Check host & port with provider | | 407 auth error | Wrong username/password | Re-copy credentials, watch for trailing spaces | | Works but slow (>2s) | Far gateway / congested route | Switch gateway region closer to target | | Works but IP is wrong country | Geo-targeting misconfigured | Check country/state targeting params | | Works but site still blocks you | Burned exit IP | Test IP reputation, rotate or replace |

Pro Tip: Test the Exit IP's Reputation Too

Connectivity is only half the story. A working proxy with a flagged exit IP will still get you blocked — run the exit IP through an IP reputation check as well.