CONFIGURE AND USE A PROXY SERVER – STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Configuring and using a proxy server allows the user to register and work on various resources with minimal blocking risk. Access to the websites is anonymous. To use the proxy successfully, it must be configured properly. Otherwise, it will not be possible to connect to the target website. You can use a proxy on any stationary or mobile device that has access to the network. The configuration is possible on devices running Windows, MAC OS, Linux, Android, iOS. The browser type does not matter either.

The main advantages of using proxy

Connecting to network resources and websites on the Internet from a PC, laptop, tablet without using a proxy server is not always the best option. Some websites are unavailable and users may face blocking. There are difficulties with the promotion of groups in social networks, the publication of a large number of ads on special boards. Using a proxy offers the following advantages:

•  the physical location of the user’s computer or mobile device is not visible on the network, the real IP is also hidden;
•  by connecting to resources with the virtual IP prevents blocking, there is the possibility of anonymous communication on the network;
•  if content is blocked while connecting to a physical IP, you can bypass the ban using a virtual address;
•  caching data through a proxy server often enables higher speed and lower amount of traffic;
•  work tasks related to handling accounts and groups, parsing data effectively solved when anonymous IP;
•  users of corporate resources with proxy servers circumvent prohibitions and restrictions on downloading content, viewing resources with restricted access.

The above reasons make proxy one of the best ways to connect to the network for personal or business purposes. To use a proxy, you need to make the correct settings according to the following instructions.

Configuring proxy on pcs and mobile devices with different operating systems.

For users connecting to the network from a laptop or desktop PC, proxy configuration is performed in the System Configurator. Performing a series of simple operations takes no more than 5 minutes. Installation of additional software is not required, after configuration the owner gets the possibility to work through a single proxy. The installation of specialized software is required to use the pool of anonymous addresses. How to configure a proxy server on a Windows 7 PC The system settings of a laptop or desktop PC running Windows 7 provide the necessary tools for proxy configuration. The procedure is as follows:

•  user to the Start menu and selects „Control Panel“;
•  in the search bar enter the phrase „browser properties“, usually it is enough to enter the first syllable or word, after which the system will give a hint;
•  in the opened section select the menu item „Properties: Internet“ and then the „Connection“ tab;
•  the user should click on the „Network settings“ icon and check the „Use proxy server for local connections“ checkbox;
•  in the extended menu the IP address and the port of the proxy server are specified, the data are saved;
•  additional functions are available for selection and configuration. The user can use a proxy to connect to any resources or exclude the use of a proxy when working on certain websites.

This approach is standard for the Windows 7 operating system. Any user can configure the proxy, it is only important to know the IP address of the server and the connection port. How to configure a proxy server on a Windows 8 PC The Windows 8 operating system can also be used to work through a proxy on the network. Proxy configuration takes little time and requires the user to perform several consecutive steps:

•  to configure the PC, you need to go to the system settings, to do this, press the key combination „Windows + C“, go to Settings;
•  in the next step select the Change PC settings button to change the default settings, then go to the Network submenu;
•  proxy settings are available to the user. At the bottom of the section, you need to enable the „Configure proxy manually“ or „Manual proxy setup“ button, depending on the operating system version;
•  to configure the proxy server, the corresponding flag is enabled, the IP address and connection port are explicitly specified. Exceptions can be configured. In this case, the addresses of the websites accessed by the proxy are specified;

The settings are applied after saving the data. Configuration usually takes no more than 5 minutes, especially if you do not want to configure exceptions. To configure a proxy server on a Windows 10 PC For laptops and desktop pcs with the Windows 10 operating system installed, the proxy server configuration is performed on a similar principle. Only a few steps are required: * the user types the word „Proxy“ in the search bar next to the main menu;

• next, the „Proxy settings“ menu is activated, at the bottom of the opened page the „Configure proxy manually“ item is selected;
• from the user it is necessary to activate the toggle switch of the manual proxy configuration, in the opened tab to register the IP address and the connection port;
• the following are the websites accessed by the proxy server from the physical IP of the computer; * save data makes the setting complete.

The user must verify that the configuration is correct. To do this, simply go to any resource that was previously blocked or unavailable. How to configure a proxy server on macOS and Linux devices. For users of Macbook and other Apple devices, configuring the hardware to work via a proxy also takes a minimum of time. First, you need to go to the main menu and select „System Preferences“ and the „Network“ submenu. In most cases, the connection to the Internet is established via the Wi-Fi module, so the corresponding service, the „Add-Ons“ menu and the „Proxy“ tab are selected. In the opened window select the protocol for the proxy, specify the IP address, connection port, user name and password for authorization. The configuration will be finished after saving the data. If you use the normal Safari browser, you need to go to the „Preferences“ menu and the „Add-Ons“ submenu. Next to „Proxy“ select „Change settings“ and go to the „Network“ section. After entering the required proxy settings, the data will be saved, the user will get access to the network via an anonymous IP. How to configure a proxy on Linux devices Self-configuration of the proxy on a Linux PC is more difficult than on any Windows version. The proxy parameters are set from the command line. It is best to use the services of a qualified specialist. Self-configuration on the network will display all the necessary materials and instructions.

Proxy configuration in popular browsers

Access to the Internet realizes the majority of users with the use of normal or additionally installed browsers. The most popular of them are Chrome, Opera, Yandex browser, Safari. Also use such software as Explorer, Firefox, Tor, Edge. How to configure a proxy server in Google Chrome Owners of Pcs, laptops and mobile devices working with Chrome browser can configure the proxy as follows:

•  after launching the application, press the „Ctrl + H“ key combination and select the „Clear History“ menu. The „Clear data“ button must be enabled;
•  in the search bar enter the phrase „Proxy“. In the suggested list of options select „Open proxy settings for computer“; * the user is redirected to the system settings menu, moves down the page, activates the „Use proxy server“ button;
•  in certain fields the IP address, connection port, other settings are entered, to save the changes the corresponding button is pressed.

If necessary, the user specifies a list of resources that the proxy accesses. You can also prevent proxy from being used to access internal websites and pages. How to configure a proxy server in the Opera browser. Opera’s proxy configuration technology is practically no different from similar operations for Google Chrome. In an open browser, the query history is cleared by pressing the „Alt+P“ key combination. To do this, select the „Delete browsing history“ action under „Privacy and security“. When searching for settings, the word „Proxy“ is entered and the action „Open proxy server settings for computer“ is activated. The configuration is done manually. To do this, the IP address and port for the connection are entered at the bottom of the page and exceptions are specified. Depending on the operating system variant, the procedure may differ slightly, but the principle remains unchanged. How to configure a proxy server in Internet Explorer browser, Mozilla Firefox, Yandex browser and other specialized software To clear the Internet Explorer cache, use the key combination „Ctrl+ Shift+ Del“. The Clear checkbox is checked in all items except web form data and passwords. Proxy configuration and required exceptions can be found in the Browser Options section, in the Connections menu and in the Network Settings submenu. Optionally, you can specify separate proxies for HTTP, Secure, FTP, and Socks. Firefox browser configuration is done even after clearing the cache. The settings menu is selected from the search bar. The user selects the „Manual proxy configuration“ option, fills in the fields of IP address, connection port, specifies additional options for bypassing the proxy. After saving the data, the requests to the network resources are forwarded through an anonymous IP. For the popular browser from Yandex, the operating history is cleared in the „Settings“ menu. To configure the proxy, the word „Proxy“ is entered in the search bar, and then the item „Proxy settings“. The data about the server and the addresses for the exception are entered in the system settings menu that opens after selecting this item. In a similar way, the proxy server is configured in other popular browsers. Usually, the setup takes a few minutes. If you want to prescribe exceptions, the process increases a bit over time. Any PC user can make the setting. No special knowledge is required to do it.

How to set up a proxy on your smartphone or tablet

Many users connect to the Internet through mobile devices. On tablets and smartphones, you can also use an anonymous IP address. Connect to resources and avoid blocking. If your mobile device is running Android OS, the proxy is configured as follows:

•  user go to the WLAN settings and select the desired connection name;
•  in the „Advanced“ menu, enable the „Manual“ option;
•  next you need to enter the information about the proxy server used and click „Connect“.

The tablet or smartphone must have one of the popular browsers installed. It is necessary to search for the desired menu in the settings, make the server settings and save the data. In this case, the work becomes available through an anonymous IP. For Apple tablets and smartphones with iOS, the setting is similar. The user goes to the configuration area of Wi-Fi, selects the desired network, then the flag of manual proxy configuration. In the corresponding fields, server data, login and password are entered, if required. After saving the data, resource requests are executed through the proxy server.

How to configure a proxy on a router

If you connect to the Internet from your home or office, most often a router is used for this purpose. Depending on the type of equipment, the proxy configuration procedure is different. In some cases the user can configure it himself, but more often the services of a specialist are required. The standard technique is as follows:

•  the user enters the router settings menu using the given login and password;
•  in the corresponding menu you explicitly specify the IP-address of the proxy, as well as the credentials for connecting to the network;
•  The router communicates with the local network via its WAN interface. PCs and mobile devices send requests to the router, which redirects information to the resource from an anonymous IP.

With any configuration option the user can quickly reject the connection to the network via proxy. To do this, go to the settings of your browser or operating system and uncheck the „Use a proxy server“ box. If you need to bypass bans again and avoid blocking, proxy is promptly activated.