Proxy Not Working: A 10-Step Troubleshooting Guide for Beginners

Introduction: What You'll Get from This Guide

A familiar situation: you bought mobile proxies, entered the details into your browser or program, and the page won't load. Or it worked yesterday, but today it's throwing an error. The first reaction is almost always the same: message support saying "the proxy isn't working." But eight times out of ten, the cause is on your end, and it can be fixed in five minutes if you know where to look.

This guide gives you a simple 10-step algorithm. You'll move from the most obvious causes to the more obscure ones. At each step, you test one hypothesis, get a clear result, and either solve the problem or move on. No magic, just sequential checking.

Who This Guide Is For

• Marketers and SMM specialists managing multiple accounts through proxies and antidetect browsers.
• Traffic arbitrage professionals whose ad campaign delivery depends on a stable connection.
• Developers using proxies in scripts, parsers, and automation.
• Business owners who don't want to dive into networking details but want to understand what's happening.

What You Need to Know in Advance

Nothing special. If you can open a command prompt and copy text, that's enough. All commands are provided in full, and all terms are explained as we go. If you're already an experienced user, jump straight to the advanced tools section and use the ten steps as a checklist.

How Much Time You'll Need

A full run through all ten steps takes 30 to 60 minutes. But most often the problem is found in the first three steps, and then you'll be done in ten minutes. Allow an hour if you're working with proxies for the first time.

Preparation: Tools and Data

Before you start troubleshooting, gather everything you need in one place. This saves time and keeps you from jumping between tabs.

What to Have on Hand

1. Proxy details. Open your proxy service's dashboard and find the connection parameters page. You need: the server address (host), the HTTP port and the SOCKS5 port, the username and password. Copy them into a text file. Always copy, never retype: one wrong character makes the proxy unusable.
2. IP change link. Mobile proxies have a special link that refreshes the IP address when you visit it. Find it in your dashboard and save it too.
3. Dashboard access. Make sure you can log in. Many checks require viewing subscription status and authentication settings.
4. A clean browser. Install any browser you don't use for work, like a fresh Firefox. You'll need it for tests without extensions and saved settings.
5. Command prompt. On Windows, press Win+R, type cmd, and press Enter. On macOS, open Terminal via Spotlight (Cmd+Space, then type Terminal). On Linux, use any terminal.
6. The curl utility. It's built into Windows 10 and 11, and available on macOS and Linux. Check it: type curl --version in the command prompt and press Enter. A line with the version number should appear.

System Requirements

Any computer running Windows 10 or newer, macOS, or Linux will do. You can troubleshoot from a smartphone, but it's inconvenient: some commands aren't available there. If you only work from your phone, do steps 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9; the rest will require a computer.

Backups

Before changing proxy settings in your antidetect browser, export your profiles or at least write down the current parameters. If you're going to edit system proxy settings on Windows or macOS, take a screenshot of the current state first. That way you can always return to the starting point.

Tip: create a separate text file called "diagnostics" and record the result of each step there: date, time, what you checked, what you got. If it does come down to contacting support, this file will cut the back-and-forth from ten messages to one.

Basic Concepts: How a Proxy Works and Where It Breaks

To understand what you're checking at each step, let's walk through the request chain. It takes two minutes but will greatly simplify the rest of the work.

The Request Chain

When you open a website through a proxy, the request travels this path: your device, your ISP, the proxy server, the carrier's mobile network, the target website. The response comes back along the same chain. If the proxy isn't working, the failure occurred in one of these links. Our job: find which one.

Key Terms in Plain Language

• Host — the proxy server address. It looks like a set of numbers (e.g., 185.xx.xx.xx) or a domain name.
• Port — a "door" on the server. One host can have many ports, each handling its own connection type. You're usually given separate ports for HTTP and SOCKS5.
• HTTP proxy — a protocol understood by most browsers and programs. Works with websites.
• SOCKS5 — a more versatile protocol that works not only with websites but with any traffic. Some programs require this one specifically.
• Authentication — the way you prove you're allowed to use the proxy. It can be by username and password or by IP address (where the server only accepts requests from your home or office IP).
• IP rotation — changing the mobile proxy's external address. It happens via a link, on a timer, or on every request, depending on the settings.
• Timeout — how long a program waits for a response before giving up. Mobile networks are slower than wired ones, so a short timeout is often the reason for a "broken" proxy.

What to Understand Before You Start

A mobile proxy is a real SIM card in a real modem connected to the carrier's network. It has quirks that server proxies don't: speed depends on cell tower load, the IP changes, and some carriers periodically reconnect the device. So brief delays of two to five seconds are normal, not a malfunction. Don't jump to conclusions after one failed attempt.

Stage 1. Ruling Out the Obvious: Steps 1-3

These three steps take five minutes and resolve most support requests. Don't skip them, even if you're sure "everything is definitely fine there."

Step 1: Check If the Internet Works Without the Proxy

Goal: make sure the problem is really with the proxy, not your connection.

1. Disable the proxy in the browser or program where the error occurred. In most antidetect browsers, this is a toggle in the profile settings; select "no proxy" or "direct connection."
2. Open any major website directly, like a search engine page.
3. If the site loads, your internet is fine. Move to the next step.
4. If it doesn't load, open the command prompt and type ping 8.8.8.8, then Enter. You should see lines like "Reply from 8.8.8.8" with time in milliseconds.
5. If there are no replies, the problem is your internet: restart your router, check the cable or Wi-Fi, call your ISP.

Expected result: sites load without the proxy, ping replies with no loss.

Possible issues: if ping replies but sites don't load, you have a DNS problem. Type nslookup ya.ru and see if an IP address appears. If not, change the DNS in your network adapter settings to 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1.

Check: without the proxy, the browser loads pages, and the command prompt shows stable ping replies.

Step 2: Check Subscription Status and Balance

Goal: rule out a trivial cause: the proxy is disabled because the paid period ended.

1. Log in to your proxy service dashboard.
2. Find the section with your proxies. It's usually called "My Proxies," "Orders," or "Connections."
3. Check the status of each proxy. It should be "Active" or marked green.
4. Check the expiration date. If the paid period has ended, the proxy shuts off automatically, and no settings will revive it.
5. Check your balance. If auto-renewal is on and there are no funds, the service couldn't charge you.
6. If the term has expired, renew your subscription. Activation after payment usually takes a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

Expected result: status "Active," expiration date in the future.

Tip: set a calendar reminder two days before each proxy expires. Especially if you have ten or more and they were bought at different times. An expired proxy in the middle of an ad campaign costs more than a few minutes spent setting up notifications.

Check: in the dashboard, all the proxies you need are green, and there's plenty of time left before expiration.

Step 3: Compare Connection Details Character by Character

Goal: make sure the correct host, port, username, and password are entered into the program.

1. Open the proxy page in your dashboard and the proxy settings in your program side by side, in two windows.
2. Compare the host. Check every digit and dot. A common mistake: a missing digit or an extra space at the end.
3. Compare the port. Make sure you're using the port for the protocol selected in the program. If the program is set to SOCKS5, the port must be the SOCKS5 port, not HTTP.
4. Compare the username and password. Watch for letter case, similar-looking characters (letter O vs. digit 0, letter l vs. digit 1), and spaces at the edges.
5. If the program accepts the proxy as a single string, check the format. The most common variants: host:port:username:password or username:password@host:port. The order of parts matters, and different programs expect different formats.
6. If in doubt, delete everything and paste it again, copying from the dashboard.

Expected result: all four parameters match the dashboard exactly.

Warning: some services change the host and port after you change your password in the dashboard or move the proxy to another server. If the proxy stops working after you've changed something in your account settings, compare this data first instead of hunting for complex causes.

Check: the data in the program matches the dashboard byte for byte, and the string format meets the program's requirements.

Stage 2. Checking the Network and Server Access: Steps 4-6

If the first three steps didn't help, it's time to look under the hood. Here we check whether your request reaches the proxy server and whether the server accepts your credentials.

Step 4: Check Host and Port Availability

Goal: find out whether the path from your computer to the proxy server is open on the right port.

1. Open the command prompt.
2. Type ping HOST, substituting your proxy's address, and press Enter. If the host replies, the server is alive and reachable over the network. If it doesn't reply, that's not necessarily fatal: some servers deliberately don't respond to ping. Let's move on.
3. Check the port itself. On Windows, open PowerShell (right-click the Start button, select Windows PowerShell or Terminal) and type Test-NetConnection HOST -Port PORT. After a few seconds, a result appears. The line TcpTestSucceeded : True means the port is open and reachable.
4. On macOS and Linux, type nc -zv HOST PORT. A reply of succeeded or open means success.
5. If the port is closed (False or refused), the request isn't reaching the proxy. Causes: a firewall on your computer, corporate network restrictions, ISP restrictions, or a wrong port.

Expected result: the port is reachable, and the test returns True or succeeded.

Possible issues and solutions:

• The port is closed only on your work computer. Corporate firewalls often block non-standard ports. Try from a home network or your phone's mobile internet (share Wi-Fi). If it works there, contact your system administrator.
• The port is closed everywhere. The proxy server may be temporarily down. Check the service's status page or dashboard notifications, then retry the test in 10-15 minutes.
• Ping works but the port is closed. You're probably using the wrong port. Go back to step 3.

Check: the port check command returns success, and the response time is no more than a few hundred milliseconds.

Step 5: Check Authentication with curl

Goal: make sure the server accepts your username and password and actually passes traffic through.

This is the most important step in the whole diagnostic. The curl utility shows the server's honest response without interference from the browser, extensions, or program settings. If curl works but the program doesn't, the problem is in the program. If curl doesn't work either, the problem is in the proxy or the network.

1. Open the command prompt.
2. Type the command to test the HTTP proxy, substituting your details: curl -x http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT https://api.ipify.org
3. Press Enter and wait up to 30 seconds.
4. If an IP address comes back, the proxy works and authentication succeeded. That IP is the external address of your mobile proxy. Compare it with your regular IP (run the same command without the -x parameter): they should differ.
5. To test SOCKS5, use the command curl -x socks5://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:SOCKS_PORT https://api.ipify.org
6. If your password contains special characters (@, :, #, %), you need to encode them or pass them differently: curl -x http://HOST:PORT -U USERNAME:PASSWORD https://api.ipify.org
7. For more detailed output, add the -v parameter: curl -v -x http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT https://api.ipify.org. You'll see each stage of the connection and the exact error if there is one.

Expected result: the command returns an IP address different from your regular one.

Decoding typical curl responses:

• An IP address came back. Everything's fine. The problem isn't the proxy but the program. Move on to step 7.
• 407 Proxy Authentication Required. The server didn't accept the username or password. Double-check the details. If you're sure they're correct, check the authentication type in the dashboard: IP-based authentication may be enabled, and the server expects a request from a different address (see step 6).
• Connection refused or Failed to connect. The port is closed or the server is unreachable. Go back to step 4.
• Connection timed out. The request goes out but there's no response. Possible causes: a firewall, mobile network congestion, or a modem-side failure. Try changing the IP via the rotation link and retry.
• Received HTTP code 403. The proxy server denied your access. Common causes: you've exceeded the concurrent connection limit, the proxy was blocked for violating the rules, or the term expired.
• Received HTTP code 502 or 503. The proxy server is alive but couldn't reach the internet through the mobile network. The modem lost the network or is overloaded. Wait a minute or two and retry, or change the IP.

Tip: save a working curl command in your diagnostics file. Next time something breaks, you'll know in ten seconds which side the problem is on. It's the fastest way to answer the question "is the proxy broken or did I break something."

Check: curl through the proxy returns the mobile carrier's IP address, not your ISP's.

Step 6: Check the Authentication Type and IP Binding

Goal: make sure the authentication method in the dashboard matches what you're using in the program.

Many services offer two authentication methods to choose from. First: username and password. Second: a whitelist of IP addresses allowed to connect without a password. If the second method is enabled and your external IP has changed (your ISP assigned a new address, you moved to a different network, you turned on mobile internet), the proxy will stop letting you through. This is a very common cause of the sudden "it worked yesterday, today it doesn't."

1. Find out your current external IP. In the command prompt, type curl https://api.ipify.org without the proxy. Or open any IP-check service in your browser.
2. Open the proxy settings in your dashboard and find the authentication section. It may be called "Authentication," "Access," "IP Whitelist," or "Allowed IPs."
3. If IP-based authentication is enabled, compare the address in the list with your current one. If they don't match, update the address in the list or switch to username-and-password authentication.
4. If username-and-password authentication is enabled, make sure you haven't left the username and password fields empty in the program.
5. If your ISP assigns a dynamic IP that changes on every reconnection, IP-based authentication won't work for you. Use username and password.
6. After any authentication change, wait a minute or two and retry the curl check from step 5.

Expected result: the authentication method in the dashboard matches the data in the program; curl returns an IP.

Warning: if you work from an office or coworking space, your external IP is shared by all employees. Adding it to the whitelist gives everyone on the same network access to your proxy. For shared networks, choose username-and-password authentication.

Check: your device's external IP is in the whitelist, or authentication is switched to username and password, and curl passes successfully.

Stage 3. Checking the Program and Environment: Steps 7-8

If curl showed an IP, congratulations: the proxy itself works. Now we need to figure out why your program doesn't see it. Here we check the client settings and the system environment.

Step 7: Check the Settings in the Browser or Antidetect Browser

Goal: find the error in the settings of the specific program you're working through.

Detailed proxy setup in specific antidetect browsers is covered in separate blog materials, so here we'll focus on the diagnostic itself: what to check when the data seems correct but the connection won't go through.

1. Check the protocol type. In the profile settings, find the dropdown with HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4, SOCKS5 options. If you specified an HTTP port, HTTP should be selected (or HTTPS, which is the same in most programs). If it's a SOCKS5 port, choose SOCKS5. A protocol-port mismatch is the second most common cause after typos.
2. Use the built-in check. Almost all antidetect browsers have a "Check proxy" button next to the fields. Click it. If the check passes but the profile won't open, the problem isn't the proxy but the profile itself or the target website.
3. Check that the proxy is assigned to this specific profile. Sometimes a proxy is added to the general list but not assigned to the right profile, and that profile launches with a direct connection.
4. Check your extensions. If you're working in a regular browser, disable all extensions, especially those related to proxies, ads, or security. Extensions can intercept proxy settings and override them.
5. Check the system settings. On Windows, open Settings, Network & Internet, Proxy. Make sure another proxy isn't enabled there and overriding yours. In the command prompt, the same is shown by the command netsh winhttp show proxy. On macOS, open System Settings, Network, select the active connection, then Proxies.
6. Launch a clean browser. Open the clean browser you installed during preparation, manually specify the proxy in its network settings, and try to open a site. If it works in the clean browser but not in your working one, the problem is in the working browser's settings or extensions.
7. Check DNS through the proxy. Some programs have a "DNS through proxy" or "Proxy DNS when using SOCKS5" checkbox. For mobile proxies, it's recommended to enable it: then name lookups also go through the mobile network, not your ISP.

Expected result: the built-in proxy check passes, the profile opens, and the IP-check site shows the mobile carrier's address.

Possible issues:

• The check passes but pages load endlessly. Increase the timeout in the program settings to 30-60 seconds. Mobile networks are slower, and the standard 10 seconds isn't always enough.
• "Proxy connection failed" error only in one profile. Remove the proxy from the profile and add it again. Sometimes settings get cached.
• The program shows your ISP's IP instead of the proxy. The proxy didn't apply. Check that you saved the settings and restart the profile.

Tip: create a test profile without cookies and history where you connect any new proxy before assigning it to a working account. Five minutes of checking will save you from the risk of logging into an important account with a broken or misconfigured proxy.

Check: in the test profile, the IP-check site shows the mobile carrier's address and a city matching your proxy.

Step 8: Check the Firewall, Antivirus, and Connection Limit

Goal: rule out blocking by security software and exceeding connection limits.

1. Temporarily disable your antivirus. Find the antivirus icon in the tray (bottom-right corner of the screen), right-click, and choose to disable protection for 10-15 minutes. Retry the check in your program. If it works, add the program to the antivirus exclusions and turn protection back on.
2. Check Windows Firewall. Open Control Panel, Windows Defender Firewall, Allow an app through firewall. Find your program in the list and make sure the checkboxes are ticked for both private and public networks. If the program isn't in the list, click "Allow another app" and add it.
3. Check your router. Some routers have port filtering or "parental controls" enabled. Log in to the router's web interface (the address is usually printed on a sticker underneath) and check the security sections.
4. Check the concurrent connection limit. One mobile proxy is usually designed for a certain number of threads. If you've opened twenty tabs, launched a parser, and connected your phone too, the limit may be exhausted. Close the extra connections and retry the test.
5. Check whether you're using the same proxy in multiple places at once. For example, on your work laptop and your home computer. Some connections will drop.

Expected result: the program is allowed in the firewall and antivirus, and the number of active connections doesn't exceed the limit.

Warning: don't leave your antivirus disabled longer than needed for the test. After checking, be sure to turn it back on and set up exclusions. Disabled protection on a work computer with access to ad accounts is a far more serious risk than a broken proxy.

Check: after adding the program to exclusions and closing extra connections, the proxy connection stays stable for at least five minutes.

Stage 4. Special Cases of Mobile Proxies: Steps 9-10

The general algorithm is done. If the problem remains, it's most likely related to mobile proxy specifics: IP rotation, modem state, or target resource behavior. Let's cover them separately.

Step 9: Change the IP and Check the Modem State

Goal: restore the connection if the mobile device lost the network or got a problematic address.

A mobile proxy works through a real SIM card. The carrier may reconnect the modem, assign an address with a bad reputation, or simply slow down speeds on an overloaded tower. In such cases, forcing an IP change helps.

1. Find the IP change link in your dashboard. It looks like a long address with a unique key.
2. Open it in a browser without the proxy or run it in the command prompt: curl "IP_CHANGE_LINK". Quotes are needed because the link may contain special characters.
3. Wait for a response. Usually the server returns a success message or the new IP.
4. Wait 10-30 seconds: the modem needs time to reconnect to the network.
5. Retry the curl check from step 5. The IP should differ from the previous one.
6. If the link returns an error or a message like "too many requests," the service has a rate limit on IP changes. Wait the specified time.
7. If the proxy still doesn't respond after the IP change, check the equipment status in your dashboard. Many services show whether the modem is online and its signal strength.
8. If the modem shows offline, there's nothing you can do on your end. That's a reason to contact support, attaching the results of steps 4 and 5.

Expected result: after the IP change, curl returns a new address and pages load.

Possible issues:

• The IP changes but it's still slow. Check the time of day. Mobile networks are congested in the evening. If speed is critical, try a different carrier or region.
• The IP doesn't change after the request. Some carriers assign the same address several times in a row. Repeat the change after a minute.
• Automatic rotation kills sessions. If you have timer-based IP changes enabled and the site logs you out when the address changes, increase the rotation interval or switch to manual changes via the link.

Tip: if you're automating your work, put the IP change link call into your script as a reaction to connection errors: got a timeout, changed the IP, waited 20 seconds, retried the request. This way the system will self-heal most temporary failures without your involvement.

Check: the dashboard shows the modem online, and two consecutive curl calls through the proxy with an IP change in between show two different addresses.

Step 10: Check the Target Website and the Nature of the Error

Goal: distinguish a broken proxy from a situation where the proxy works but the problem is on a specific website's side.

Often a user writes "the proxy isn't working" when in reality the proxy is fine and one specific resource won't open. These are fundamentally different situations, and they're fixed differently.

1. Open three or four different sites through the proxy: an IP-check service, a major news resource, a search engine, and your target website.
2. If everything except the target loads, the proxy works. The problem is in how the target site responds to your request.
3. Look at the error text. A connection error (can't connect, timeout) points to the network. A page with a captcha, suspicious activity warning, or a blank page with code 403 means the site sees you but is restricting you.
4. Check your request rate. If you're parsing a site or quickly switching between accounts, the resource may temporarily restrict access from this address. Slow down, change the IP via the link, and try again later.
5. Check geolocation consistency. If the proxy is in one region but the language, time zone, and profile settings point to another, some services tighten their checks. Align the profile settings with the proxy's region.
6. Check whether the site is up at all. Open it without the proxy or from another device. Sometimes the site is just down.
7. Check HTTPS. If the site throws a certificate error through the proxy but loads fine without it, make sure you haven't enabled SSL interception in the program and that the date and time on your computer are correct.

Expected result: you know exactly which sites load through the proxy and which don't, and you understand the nature of the error on the problematic resource.

Possible issues:

• The target site shows a captcha on every entry. This is the resource's behavior, not a proxy malfunction. Reduce the number of actions per unit of time, don't open many accounts from one IP in a row, let the profile "rest."
• The site loads but throws an error when submitting forms. Check whether the IP is changing mid-session due to automatic rotation.
• Media and video won't load, but text does. Mobile network speed is low at the moment. Change the IP or wait for a less busy time.

Check: at least three independent sites load through the proxy; if only one won't open, you've recorded the error code and its nature.

Verifying the Result: A Working Proxy Checklist

After all ten steps, you've either solved the problem or precisely localized it. Below is a checklist confirming the proxy works as it should. Go through it fully: it will also become your standard test going forward.

What Should Work

• The ping to the proxy host or the port check returns a successful result.
• The curl command through the proxy returns an IP address different from your home one.
• The returned IP belongs to the mobile carrier and region you ordered.
• The built-in proxy check in the antidetect browser passes green.
• Three or four different sites load in the test profile.
• Changing the IP via the link gives a new address within 30 seconds.
• The connection stays stable for at least five minutes without drops.
• Page load speed is within acceptable limits: a typical page loads in 2-6 seconds.

How to Test in Two Minutes

1. Open the command prompt and run curl through the proxy to an IP-check service. Note the response.
2. Call the IP change link.
3. Wait 20 seconds and run curl again. The response should differ.
4. Open the test profile in your browser and load the IP-check site. The address should match the second curl response.
5. Load any two major sites. They should open in a reasonable time.

Success Indicators

If all five test points pass, your proxy is fully functional. If the proxy only fails in one program but curl passes, the problem is in that program, and you need to fix it in its settings. If curl also fails while everything is active in the dashboard, gather the results of steps 4, 5, and 9 and contact support: you'll have everything needed for a quick resolution.

Common Errors and Solutions

Here are the most frequent situations mobile proxy users encounter. Format: problem, cause, solution. Use this section as a quick reference.

Error 407 Proxy Authentication Required

Cause: the server didn't accept the username and password. A typo, an extra space, special characters in the password that the program passes incorrectly, or IP-based authentication enabled while your IP has changed.

Solution: copy the username and password from the dashboard again. If the password contains @, :, or # characters, generate a new one without them or use separate username and password fields instead of a single string. Check the authentication type in the dashboard.

Connection Drops Every Few Minutes

Cause: automatic timer-based IP rotation is enabled, and every IP change closes active connections. Or the concurrent connection limit is exceeded.

Solution: increase the rotation interval or disable it, switching to manual changes via the link. Close extra tabs and programs using the same proxy.

The Proxy Worked Yesterday, Today It Doesn't, and I Changed Nothing

Cause: the paid period ended, your external IP changed under whitelist authentication, the modem temporarily lost the network, or the program updated and reset its settings.

Solution: go through steps 2, 6, and 9 in that order. In 90 percent of cases, the cause is in one of them.

curl Through the Proxy Works, but the Browser Doesn't

Cause: the browser has the wrong protocol selected (HTTP instead of SOCKS5 or vice versa), an extension is intercepting the proxy, or the system proxy settings conflict with the program's settings.

Solution: check that the protocol and port match. Disable extensions. Check the system proxy with the command netsh winhttp show proxy and disable it if it's not needed.

Very Low Speed, Pages Take a Minute to Load

Cause: the carrier's base station is overloaded, the modem's signal is weak, it's peak evening hours, or too many threads are running on one proxy at the same time.

Solution: change the IP via the link; this often switches you to a different tower. Reduce the number of parallel threads. If the problem persists, consider a proxy from a different carrier or region.

The Target Site Shows a Captcha or Restricts Access

Cause: this isn't a proxy malfunction. The resource is reacting to your request rate or to a mismatch between your profile parameters and the IP's region.

Solution: reduce the intensity of your actions, align the profile's language and time zone with the proxy's region, let the address rest by changing the IP.

Connection Timed Out Error on All Requests

Cause: a firewall or antivirus is blocking the outgoing connection, a corporate network is closing non-standard ports, or the modem is offline.

Solution: check the port with Test-NetConnection. Temporarily disable protection for the test. Try from another network. Check the modem status in your dashboard.

The Program Shows My Real IP Instead of the Proxy

Cause: the proxy didn't apply to the profile, the settings weren't saved, or the program launched with a direct connection because of a proxy connection error and didn't notify you.

Solution: open the profile settings and make sure the proxy is assigned and saved. Restart the profile. Enable the option in the program that blocks launching when the proxy is unavailable, if such an option exists.

Advanced Tools for Power Users

If you're automating your work or managing dozens of proxies, manual troubleshooting becomes too expensive. Below are approaches that turn the ten steps into a script and let you see problems before they hit your business.

Automatic Availability Monitoring

Write a simple script that every five minutes makes a request through each proxy to an IP-check service and records the result: response time, returned IP, error code. Example in Python with the requests library:

import requests, time proxies = {"http": "http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT", "https": "http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT"} start = time.time() try: r = requests.get("https://api.ipify.org", proxies=proxies, timeout=30) print("OK", r.text, round(time.time() - start, 2)) except Exception as e: print("FAIL", type(e).__name__)

Expand this code into a loop over your proxy list and send a notification to a messenger after two consecutive failures. That way you'll learn about a problem before your ads stop running.

Self-Healing Through IP Changes

Add logic to your script: on a timeout error or code 502, call the IP change link, wait 20 seconds, and retry the request. Limit retries to three to avoid hitting the IP change rate limit. This covers most temporary mobile network failures without human involvement.

Decoding Detailed curl Output

The -v parameter shows each stage of the connection. Pay attention to these lines:

• Trying HOST:PORT... followed by Connected to — the TCP connection is established, the port is open.
• CONNECT host:443 HTTP/1.1 — curl is asking the proxy to establish a tunnel to the target site.
• HTTP/1.1 200 Connection established — the proxy agreed and let it through.
• HTTP/1.1 407 — authentication denied at this point.
• HTTP/1.1 502 — the proxy couldn't connect to the target; the problem is on the mobile network side.

By understanding which line breaks the chain, you can tell support exactly where the failure is.

Traceroute

If curl shows a timeout while the port is open, run tracert HOST on Windows or traceroute HOST on macOS and Linux. You'll see at which node the replies stop. If the break is at the first nodes, the problem is with your ISP. If it's at the last ones, closer to the proxy server, that's a reason to contact the service.

Isolation in a Separate Session

For tests, use curl with the --proxy-header parameter and different User-Agents to see whether the target site reacts to headers. Keep a separate clean browser profile just for diagnostics, with no account logins. That way you'll never confuse a proxy problem with a specific account's problem.

Accounting for Limits and Load Distribution

If you have several proxies and several tasks, note which task runs through which proxy. Don't run a parser on the same proxy where your working accounts live. Mixing loads is a common hidden cause of "the proxy stops working" exactly when you need it most.

Tip: keep a table with columns: proxy, carrier, task, purchase date, expiration date, last successful test. Update it automatically from your monitoring script. After a month, this table will show you which proxies are stable and which need replacing.

FAQ: Common Questions About Proxy Troubleshooting

How do I quickly tell whose side the problem is on: mine or the service's?

Run curl through the proxy to an IP-check service. If you get an IP, the proxy works, and the problem is in your program. If you get an error, check the port with Test-NetConnection. If the port is closed, try from another network. If it's closed there too while the proxy is active in the dashboard, the problem is on the service's side.

Why doesn't the proxy work in the antidetect browser even though the browser's own check passes?

The check only tests the connection to the proxy server. The profile itself may fail to open due to a timeout, the wrong DNS mode, or the target site restricting access. Increase the timeout, enable DNS through the proxy, and try a different site.

Can I use one mobile proxy on two computers at the same time?

Technically yes, if the connection limit allows. But it's bad practice for account work: different devices from one IP look suspicious to many services, and connections will compete for speed. It's better to dedicate a separate proxy to each workstation.

How often should I change the IP on a mobile proxy?

It depends on the task. For social media account work, it's best not to change the IP mid-session: keep one address for the entire time you're working with the profile. For parsing, frequent changes are useful. If the proxy fails after every rotation, increase the pause after the change to 30 seconds.

What if the proxy password contains special characters and won't pass in the string?

Use programs and commands where the username and password go into separate fields rather than one string. In curl, that's the -U parameter. Or change the password in the dashboard to one containing only letters and digits.

The proxy works, but the site detects the wrong city. Is that a malfunction?

No. IP geolocation databases aren't always accurate for mobile carriers, since addresses come from shared pools. The same address may be assigned to different cities by different services. If a specific city matters to you, verify it with the service you're working with, not third-party databases.

How long should I wait after payment if the proxy doesn't work right away?

Activation usually takes a few minutes. Wait five minutes, refresh the dashboard page, and check the status. If the proxy is still inactive after 15 minutes, contact support with your order number.

Should I restart my computer when I have proxy issues?

A restart rarely helps specifically with proxies, but it clears the network cache and closes hung connections. If you've gone through steps 1-8 with no result, a restart won't hurt. But don't make it your first action: you'll lose the information about what exactly broke.

How do I prepare a support request to resolve the issue in one message?

Include: the proxy host and port (without the password), the exact time the proxy stopped working, the Test-NetConnection result, the full curl output with the -v parameter, your external IP, the authentication type, and what you've already tried. With this information, support will immediately see where the failure is.

Can I troubleshoot a proxy from my phone?

Partially. You can check the dashboard status, change the IP via the link, and open a site through the proxy in a browser with manual settings. But curl commands and port checks aren't available without a computer. Full troubleshooting requires a laptop or PC.

Conclusion

You've completed the full troubleshooting cycle. Let's sum up what you did and what you can now do.

Summary of Actions Taken

• Checked that the internet works without the proxy and ruled out your own network problems.
• Made sure the subscription is active and paid.
• Compared the connection details character by character and checked the string format.
• Checked host and port availability from your network.
• Tested authentication and traffic pass-through with curl, getting the server's honest response.
• Matched the authentication type in the dashboard with the program's settings.
• Checked the protocol settings, extensions, and system proxy in the browser.
• Ruled out firewall and antivirus blocking, and checked connection limits.
• Changed the IP and checked the modem state.
• Distinguished a proxy problem from a specific site's reaction.

The main thing you gained is not a one-time fix but a method. Now, the next time the proxy stops working, you won't be guessing. You'll open the command prompt, run curl in a minute, and know exactly where to look. This saves hours and nerves, especially when an ad campaign with a daily budget is on the line.

What to Do Next

Save this guide and your diagnostics file with working commands. Set reminders for subscription expirations. Create a test profile for checking new proxies. If you work with several proxies, set up the simple monitoring from the advanced section: it will pay for itself in the first week.

Where to Grow

The next level is understanding how target platforms evaluate connection quality and properly distributing tasks across proxies: which tasks require a stable IP, which benefit from rotation, and how to align antidetect browser profile settings with proxy parameters. These topics are covered in related blog materials. But you've already mastered the basics: you know how to check a proxy, how to read server responses, and how to find any connection problem in ten steps.