Proxy Connections: How You Can Check and Fix Them

Proxies are a great way to protect your privacy online. However, they involve some technical know-how, especially if something goes wrong. The most common proxy issue is refusing to connect. But what is a proxy connection in the first place?

That’s a great question. Another one is “How do I connect to a proxy server?” Keep reading to learn how to set up your proxy connection correctly and fix some of the most common proxy connection errors.

What Is a Proxy Connection?

Proxies aren’t stored on your computer. They’re in an entirely separate computer or proxy server through which all your digital traffic is routed before it reaches the world wide web.

Proxy servers can be anywhere in the world. Think of a proxy server like an airport. It can take you anywhere, but you need to make it to the airport or miss your flight. Your computer needs to connect to that server for your proxy to work.

Proxy connections are a two-way communication between your computer and the proxy server. Your computer sends the proxy your commands, and then the proxy performs them for you. Then it returns the results just like if you use your own IP address.

How To Make Sure Your Proxy Connection Is Set Up Correctly

The easiest way to make sure your proxy connection works is to set it up correctly in the first place. The right way to set up a proxy depends on your computer’s operating system, and connecting to a proxy is different for Windows and macOS.

In Windows, go to Settings. If you’re on Windows 8, click the Network & Internet tab, then go to Proxy. On Windows 10, just click Network Proxy from the Settings menu.

You’ll need to go to System Preferences in macOS, then click Network. Choose the network type you use, then click Advanced and switch to the Proxies tab. Under protocols, select “Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS).”

Once you get to this point, the process is the same for both operating systems. Enter the proxy server’s IP address under “Address” and the port number in the box next to it. If the proxy server requires an address, click the box below and enter the username and password your proxy provider gave you. Click OK or Save at the bottom of the window, and you’re all set.

Now it’s time to test the connection. There are a couple of ways you can do this. One of the best methods to test proxy connections is to use the proxy checker directly from the provider you purchased your proxies from. That way you can reach out to their support team if you have any questions or issues. Another way is to visit an online IP checker like WhatIsMyIP.com. If you can access the website and it lists your proxy’s IP address and location, everything is working. Always check that the connection is working before using your proxies. This helps ensure nothing has gone wrong to avoid risking your actual IP address.

Common Proxy Connectivity Issues

Unfortunately, sometimes your proxies may have connectivity problems. Here are some of the most common proxy connection issues, how to diagnose them, and how to fix them quickly:

No connectivity to the proxy server

This error is often caused by Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) script configuration issues. Your computer isn’t successfully getting in touch with the proxy in the first place. The error may also read “unable to connect to the proxy server.”

This usually means that the browser you’re using needs to have the latest PAC script version installed. The best way to fix “unable to connect to the proxy server” errors is to restart the browser and try the proxy again. You can double-check that your PAC script is up-to-date by visiting HTTPS://[Proxy Public DNS Name]/proxy.pac to see if it’s installed correctly.

Proxy server connectivity refused

If you get an error stating that the proxy server is refusing connections, your computer is talking to the server, but the server won’t let it in. The most common reason for this is that your settings aren’t configured correctly.

To fix it, go back to the proxy settings window for your OS. Click the “automatically configure proxy settings” option and save, then try again. Check the individual settings against your provider’s configuration guidelines if that doesn’t work.

Access failure: 402 errors

If you’re getting a 402 error when trying to use your proxy, the proxy may not recognize your IP address. Make sure you’re accessing the proxy through the device you registered for the proxy service. You can go to your proxy management dashboard, double-check the IP addresses you’ve connected, and try again.

Authentication failure: 407 errors

A 407 error most likely indicates that your proxy needs valid authentication credentials. Double-check the login information you entered under the proxy settings tab for your OS. If they’re incorrect, retype them and try the proxy again. Otherwise, reach out to your proxy provider to reset your account details.

Why Proxy and Server Locations Matter for Scraping Bots

The location of your proxy and server can also impact your connection, especially if you’re running a scraping bot through them. In general, proxy servers closer to you will have stronger connections than those farther away.

Latency is why these connections can vary. While electrical signals travel incredibly fast, they’re not instant. The farther away a server is from your location, the farther the electrical signals need to travel. This introduces latency, adding milliseconds of delay and weakens the connection between your computer and the server.

Weaker connections mean that there’s a greater chance your server or computer fails to deliver data correctly. It will also make high-speed activities like data scraping take significantly longer. When you’re performing something as crucial as a data collection scrape, latency will negatively impact the speed and efficiency of your bot. It’s essential to have your server as close to your actual location, or the location you purchased your proxies from, as possible to prevent this from happening.

You can solve these kinds of proxy connection problems before they start by choosing the right proxy provider. Rayobyte makes it easy to minimize latency in your proxy connections by offering servers in some of the most sought-after U.S. locations. If these solutions don’t solve your problems, don’t worry. You can reach out to the expert support team at Rayobyte for more help. They’ll diagnose your problem and walk you step by step through the solution.

You can connect to Rayobyte proxy servers in major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and Ashburn. No matter what region of the country you’re in, these city centers ensure that you’ll face minimal latency, and you can run your bots efficiently and reduce lag.

Use the Right Proxies To Minimize Connection Problems

The location of proxy servers is just one way your proxies themselves can impact your connection. The type of proxy you use will also affect how strong your connection is.

You can use three kinds of proxies: data center, residential, and ISP. Data center proxies are the most common because they’re hosted in server farms in bulk. These proxies are fast, but they’re easier to detect by websites since they have no physical address. They’re inexpensive, but you will usually need to use multiple addresses and rotate through them to accomplish a full scrape.

The next type is residential. A residential proxy is an IP address issued by an ISP to an actual residential address. This makes them look more like a real human visitor and harder to detect and block. As a result, they cost a little more and are not as fast as data center or ISP proxies.

The final option is a mixture between data center and residential proxies. An ISP proxy is hosted in a data center, but connected to an ISP or internet service provider. As a result, it’s harder to detect than data center alternatives and faster than residential proxies. Truly the best of both proxy worlds.

Choosing the right type of proxy can make all the difference in maintaining a solid connection. The best solution depends on your individual needs. Rayobyte offers all three kinds of proxies, so you can choose the one that works best for you.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know what a proxy connection is, you can start solving proxy connection errors faster. By setting up your connection correctly and choosing the right proxy type and server location, you can minimize the number of connectivity problems you experience.

If you have connection issues, you can reach out to the Rayobyte team to get help. You can also get started with Rayobyte proxies today if you need a proxy provider prepared to set you up for success.

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