If you want to use a proxy while surfing the web, you need to know how to set it up. This can help you increase your privacy, improve security, or block websites.
Windows has a dedicated settings page that allows users to manually or automatically configure a proxy. You can access it by pressing the Windows key and typing in Change proxy settings.
Windows
A proxy server sits between your computer and the Internet to help you access web pages. It can be useful for organizations, schools, or businesses that need to filter or monitor inbound and outbound web traffic from computers on their network.
Windows allows you to set proxy settings automatically and manually. The automatic option works for most scenarios with home WiFi and ethernet connections.
The manual option requires you to input the exact IP address and port number of a proxy server. This is usually done through a control panel window.
Alternatively, you can also use a script to configure your proxy service server. To do this, turn on the “Use setup script” toggle switch and then enter the pathway to your script in the Script address text box.
Mac
When you connect to a network that uses a firewall, your administrator may ask you to specify a proxy server. Your Mac can automatically set these settings, or you can configure them manually.
To do so, open the System Preferences application and select Network from the list of available interfaces. This will display a screen that shows the network connections you use, including both wired and wireless networks.
Click Advanced from this screen to manually enter your TCP/IP, DNS & Proxy Server settings. This will include the IP address, subnet mask, and router information.
If your proxy server requires a username and password, enable the “Proxy server requires password” option. Then, enter your username and password in the fields provided. This will allow you to access your proxy from multiple devices.
iOS
If you are using an iOS device, you can set proxy settings to hide your IP address and unblock websites. It is also useful for accessing geo-blocked content and hiding your location from hackers and other snoopers.
To configure a proxy on your iPhone, first head to Settings > Wi-Fi. Tap the name of the Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to and then scroll down to the HTTP Proxy option.
Select “Auto”. This will use the Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD) to determine whether your current network requires a proxy and then automatically configure it if needed.
You can also select “Manual” to manually enter the server and port details. Alternatively, you can enable “Authentication” to enter the username and password for the proxy server.
Android
Android is the world’s most popular mobile operating system, and it offers users an easy way to set proxy settings on their devices. These proxies allow users to access blocked websites, bypass government censorship, and perform data collection without revealing their true IP address.
Proxy settings can be configured in several ways on an Android device, depending on whether you want to use a Wi-Fi network or a cellular data connection. The process is similar no matter which method you choose.
The first step is to open the Settings app and select Network & internet. Next, tap on the network name you want to change your Wi-Fi proxy settings for.
A pop-up window shows the network name on top and asks for a password. Once you’ve entered the correct password, you can access the Advanced options to modify your Wi-Fi proxy.
