How to set up a SOCKS5 proxy on a virtual private server (VPS)
@lahmstache January 12, 2017
Proxies and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Proxies and VPNs differ in nature, although they can provide some of the same services. A VPN routes all of the network traffic on a client computer through a tunnel to some other server computer. No individual application configuration is required. In contrast, using a proxy requires each application to be individually configured to ensure its traffic goes through the proxy.
The intent of a VPN is to allow a remote client computer to access network resources in some other location as if it were physically located in the same office. One of those network resources can be access to the internet, which masks the IP address of the remote computer. For this reason, VPNs have recently seen a surge in popularity as both a geo-obfuscation tool to access content not available in the client computer’s country (such as US Netflix from outside the US), and as a privacy tool to prevent the client’s IP address from being discovered. A proxy is more limited in that it cannot provide access to remote resources, but it can mask your IP address and provide geo-obfuscation services.
Types of proxies
The two most common types of proxies are HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) and SOCKS5 (Secure Sockets 5). The SOCKS4 and SOCKS4a protocols do not support UDP or authentication. The current SOCKS5 and HTTP proxies differ in the following ways:
In general terms, the HTTP proxy can only proxy HTTP (TCP) traffic whereas a SOCKS5 proxy can handle any type of traffic using either TCP or UDP.
A SOCKS5 proxy does not interpret the traffic sent through it in any way whereas an HTTP proxy typically does. This means that a SOCKS5 proxy is more universal and can be used with more applications.
An HTTP proxy can only be used with HTTP clients such as a web browser, but since it is aware of the HTTP content, it can do clever things such as caching or rewriting headers in addition to the proxying service. For the purpose of anonymity and privacy, a SOCKS5 proxy is a better choice since it can be put to more general use.
In this post we’ll look at setting up the most simple kind of SOCKS5 proxy using SSH (Secure Shell). We’ll set up an inexpensive VPS at Digital Ocean, configure the SSH server and set up a few client applications to use the proxy.
Set up the proxy server
Almost any type of VPS will work for this. Some web hosting accounts might also work since all you need is non-root SSH access, but using a web hosting account as a proxy server may violate some hosts’ terms of service. Digital Ocean is a well-known and affordable cloud provider and one of their $5/month servers will work well for a SSH proxy.
Digital Ocean is a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) provider meaning that you don’t purchase a particular server. Rather, you create an account and link a payment method to it. Once you’ve done that, you can create as many virtual servers as you want. VPCs tend to offer more control over system specifications and can cost much less than a traditional VPS. There’s a good explanation of the differences between a VPS and VPC here.
To create a Droplet, click the Droplets menu item and make a few selections to customize it. I’ve selected Ubuntu 16. 04 LTS (Long Term Support) as the operating system and the smallest (least expensive) size. Droplets are charged by the hour. The least expensive option will work well and only cost about $5 for the entire month.
You’ll now want to select a location for your Droplet. Keep in mind that when you are using your proxy, your traffic will be seen as coming from the IP address of your Droplet. If you’re setting up a proxy specifically for geo-obfuscation purposes you should pick a location in or near the country that you wish to appear to be from.
Once your Droplet has been created you will receive a confirmation email from Digital Ocean with its IP address and login information.
Configure OpenSSH on the VPS
Digital Ocean Droplets come with SSH installed and ready to go. The root user’s password is supplied in the welcome email so there’s no additional setup required on the server. But the best practice is to change the default password and create a user specifically for proxying.
Connect to the Droplet using SSH on MacOS (OSX) or Linux
Open a terminal and type the following command to connect using the IP address from your welcome email:
You will be prompted to accept the key. Enter the password from your welcome email, and then change the password.
Connect to the Droplet using PuTTY on Windows
If you’re using Windows, you’ll need an SSH client to connect to your Droplet. The most widely used SSH client is PuTTY.
Enter the IP address of your Droplet into the Host Name field and click the Open button.
Ensure the system is up to date
It’s a good idea to make sure the system software is up to date. Outdated software is a leading cause of system hacks. The two commands to do this in Ubuntu are:
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
There was very little to upgrade on my Droplet which means Digital Ocean keeps their images updated.
Add a user
The Droplet comes with one user – the all-powerful root user. It is a good security practice to add a less privileged user to the system and connect to your proxy with that account.
Issue the following command to add a normal user named myuser:
Set a password and at least a proper username. You don’t need to complete any other information.
We now have everything we need to use the proxy.
Connect to the proxy
In order to use the proxy to tunnel traffic it has to be connected. Unix-like operating systems have a built-in SSH client whereas Windows will need a third party application such as PuTTY
Using SSH on MacOS (OSX) or Linux
The method for connecting to the proxy is the same for Linux and MacOS (OSX). Open a terminal and use SSH to connect like this:
ssh 66. 77. 88. 99 -l myuser -D 12345
Replace 66. 99 with the IP address from your Digital Ocean welcome letter.
The -D switch tells the SSH client to forward traffic sent to port 12345 on your local machine to your proxy. You can use any port number you’d like as long as it is above 1024. From the help file, the -D switch:
Specifies a local “dynamic” application-level port forwarding. This works by allocating a socket to listen to port on the local side, optionally bound to the specified bind_address. Whenever a connection is made to this port, the connection is forwarded over the secure channel, and the application protocol is then used to determine where to connect to from the remote machine. Currently the SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 protocols are supported, and ssh will act as a SOCKS server.
Do not disconnect this SSH session. You can minimize it to get it out of your way because you won’t need to do anything further with it, but leave it running until you are done using the proxy.
Using PuTTY on Linux or Windows
When you open PuTTY you will be in the Session tab. Enter the IP address of your Droplet and leave the port as 22.
Navigate to the SSH -> Tunnels tab. Enter 12345 (or any port you’d like) into the Source port field. Select the Dynamic radio button and click the Add button.
If you don’t want to have to do this every time you open PuTTY, navigate back to the Sessions tab, highlight the Default Settings line in the Saved Sessions list, and click the Save button.
Configure your browser and other applications to use the proxy
Now that you’re connected to the proxy there are three basic ways to use it:
Set each application’s networking settings to use the proxy. Not all applications support proxies, but web browsers do.
Use a Plugin such as the FoxyProxy plugin for Firefox and Chrome to do the application configuration for you.
Configure the operating system itself to use the proxy for all applications.
The second option is the easiest because you can quickly enable or disable the proxy, and you can configure the browser to only use the proxy for certain sites. The other two options require a lot of flipping back and forth when you want to enable or disable the proxy.
Using the application’s built-in network settings
Any application that supports SOCKS5 proxies should be able to use the SSH tunnel. Simply use the proxy host IP of 127. 0. 1 (the localhost IP) and the port of 12345 (or whatever port number you’ve selected).
In Firefox the proxy settings are found in the Preferences -> Advanced -> Network -> Settings.
In Chrome, you will need to click the Advanced Settings link at the bottom of the Settings page and then navigate to Network -> Change proxy Settings. Chrome does not have its own proxy settings so this will just open your operating system’s proxy settings panel.
If you’re using Internet Explorer you will find your proxy settings at Internet Options -> Connections tab -> LAN Settings button. This opens up the Windows proxy settings control panel applet. Much like Chrome, there are no dedicated Internet Explorer settings for proxies.
Using a plugin for Firefox or Chrome.
There are a number of proxy plugins for Firefox and Chrome. A popular one is FoxyProxy. It sits in your browser bar and you can enable or disable the proxy by clicking on it, which is much easier than digging through your operating system or browser settings.
FoxyProxy can also be configured to exclude certain sites from using the proxy. This is useful if you want to keep the proxy running all the time, but don’t want to trip over your bank’s defenses by suddenly appearing to be in another country.
Download FoxyProxy for your browser.
When you first launch FoxyProxy, the main window contains a proxy that’s already set up but not active. There are many options and configuration settings within FoxyProxy but we’re just going to focus on the few we need to get the proxy up and running.
Highlight the existing proxy and click the Edit Selection button.
Go to the Proxy Details tab and enter 127. 1 as the Host IP Address and 12345 into the Port field.
Click the SOCKS Proxy? checkbox and select the SOCKS5 radio button.
Next, click on the General tab and ensure the Perform remote DNS lookups on hostnames loading through this proxy is checked. This will help to prevent DNS leaks. It won’t completely hide you because WebRTC lookups will still work to discover your real IP address. You can use this tool to check DNS leaks. There are plugins for Firefox and Google Chrome that will disable WebRTC functions.
Close the FoxyProxy settings window and then activate the proxy by selecting Use proxy default for all URLs. You can verify that your proxy is working by visiting a site like What is my IP, where you should now see your proxy IP address instead of your ISP’s.
If you want to identify specific URLs to use or exclude from the proxy, you will need to create a custom proxy. Click the Add New Proxy button and you will see an additional button at the top of the settings screen named URL Patterns. Click that button to set up custom filters.
You can enter sites and patterns to match or exclude in this screen.
Using the operating system network settings
Instead of entering the proxy settings into each application, it’s possible to set the details once at the operating system level. When that is done, you’ll just need to tell each application to use the system level proxy.
Windows
You can access the Internet Options applet in Windows in two ways. Access the Control Panel -> Internet Options, or access the Internet Options from the settings menu in Internet Explorer.
From there, you can follow the instructions for Internet Explorer in the section above.
MacOS (OSX)
Click the Apple icon at the top left of the menu bar on your screen and select System Preferences. Select Network and then Proxies.
Click the Advanced button to access the Network settings and navigate to the Proxies tab.
Click the SOCKS Proxy checkbox and enter the host and port information.
Linux
Each Linux desktop environment has a different control panel item to configure the network settings. The two most common desktops are Gnome and KDE.
In the Gnome desktop (used by Ubuntu), the Settings -> Network panel is the place to set up the proxy.
Select the Manual option.
Then set the SOCKS proxy and click the Apply system wide button.
The KDE Desktop (used by Kubuntu) has the network settings in the Settings – System Settings -> Network Settings -> Proxy.
Once the proxy is set up in the operating system, each application will have to be configured to use it. That option will be in the network settings for each application. As an example, in Firefox this setting is at the top of the proxy settings.
What is SOCKS5 & 5 Best SOCKS5 VPNs in 2021 – ProPrivacy
Like a VPN, a SOCKS5 proxy is an effective way to bypass internet blocks. Some VPN providers include a SOCKS5 proxy in their service because it can provide location spoofing with faster speeds than a VPN. A SOCKS5 proxy does not provide the added privacy benefits you get with a full VPN connection. However, depending on your needs, a SOCKS5 proxy can be a useful extra feature. In this article, we have pinpointed the best VPNs with a SOCKS5 proxy. These SOCKS5 VPN services will provide you with a full premium VPN in addition to a SOCKS5 proxy you can use any time you want. What is SOCKS5? SOCKS stands for Socket Secure and it is an internet protocol commonly used to create a proxy. SOCKS proxies are often used by consumers sitting behind a firewall who need to be able to bypass it to establish a TCP connection with an outside server. You can find more information on this later in the guide. A SOCKS5 proxy is massively useful when it comes to accessing restricted, censored, or geo-blocked content. That is why we have listed the best VPNs with a free SOCKS5 proxy bolted on to the service. More details can be found below, but if you’re in a hurry, here is a quick look at our best SOCKS5 VPN providers: NordVPN – A VPN provider with a good reputation. They have great SOCKS5 Proxy which can easily be used with a torrent client of your choice. Private Internet Access – A very secure VPN service with a SOCKS5 proxy. It’s easy to set up to SOCKS5 proxy via their client control panel. IPVanish – A fantastic VPN service that offers a SOCKS5 proxy free with their VPN. They have plenty of SOCKS5 servers based in over 70 countries. – Has outstanding privacy features. They integrate their SOCKS5 proxy with their VPN to improve you security. Windscribe – Offers a free VPN service, however their SOCKS5 proxy is only available on their premium plans. It’s easy to use and set up. Our main consideration when compiling this list was to find reliable VPNs that include a SOCKS5 proxy with their service. That said, we also made sure only to recommend well-rounded services that also offer: Quick speeds Robust privacy features Good encryption Geo-unblocking capabilities The best VPNs for SOCKS5 – In-depth Analysis Here are the best VPNs with SOCKS5. If you need more information on these or any other services, check out our detailed VPN reviews. NordVPN is a reliable VPN that provides security, privacy. They have really useful guides on how to combine your torrent client with their SOCKS5 Proxy service. Pricing From $4. 13 – $11. 95 Available on Windows macOS iOS Android Linux Unblocks Netflix iPlayer Amazon Prime Hulu
Nord Demo
NordVPN is a veteran of the VPN industry and has more than earned its reputation for reliability. It has excellent apps for all platforms that are easy to use, whether you’re a tech wizard or a total newbie. NordVPN has a watertight zero-logs policy, great customer care, and a SOCKS5 proxy included within the subscription. I think NordVPN is one of the best services out there when it comes to providing top-notch features and access to sites like Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. Plus, a subscription won’t break the bank! You can even try this VPN for yourself without risking your money by using its 30-day money-back guarantee. Tried and tested security NordVPN is based in Panama, which is great in terms of privacy as it’s far beyond the reach of EU and US jurisdictions. You’ll also be getting access to some of the rarer VPN features, like double-hop encryption and VPN through Tor. NordVPN does come with all the essentials, though, so don’t worry – AES 256-bit encryption keeps your data out of the hands of snoopers and a kill-switch will prevent your original IP address from leaking in the event that your VPN connection drops out. I also like that NordVPN implements OpenVPN and WireGuard encryption, which are two standout protocols. Another huge plus for NordVPN in our books is the fact that the service has invited an auditing firm to comb through its zero-logs policy. We like seeing this sort of accountability and transparency from VPNs, and multi-factor authentication is another, very welcome, bonus. You’ll want to opt-in for this to keep your account extra secure. A free world wide web There are NordVPN servers dotted all over the globe in over 70 countries, and they’re all lightning-fast! You’ll be able to stream in HD and download torrents or files in a blink. However, for those who want to spoof their IP with the fastest possible speeds available – a SOCKS5 proxy is also included within the subscription. The list of streaming services that NordVPN can unblock goes on and on. Whether you’re a Netflix fiend or a fan of UK TV on BBC iPlayer, you’ll have a world of content to browse through. Plus, NordVPN comes with its very own SmartDNS feature if you prefer to stream via your smart TV! Just remember that this service does not offer any encryption itself. Affordable quality Because of its stellar reputation and popularity, you might think that NordVPN is a pricey provider that only a handful can afford. Subscription prices are very modest, however, especially when you consider how many features you’re getting access to. NordVPN will even banish ads and trackers from your browsing sessions so you can surf securely! NordVPN is also compatible with all platforms; Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux included. Up to 6 simultaneous connections are permitted at any one time, and a customer service team is available 24/7, via live chat or email support. Private Internet Access is a trusted VPN with a SOCKS5 proxy that’s easy to set up and incredibly secure – using a separate username and password to your VPN client. Pricing From $2. 08 – $9. 95 Available on Windows macOS iOS Android Linux Unblocks Netflix iPlayer Amazon Prime Hulu
PIA Demo
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a US-based provider that’s a long-standing favorite of Reddit users. The VPN is also a solid all-rounder that has all the features you’ll need to stay secure online and keep your details private, and it has even proven its zero-logs policy in court on numerous occasions. As with most premium providers, you can try PIA before you buy, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. An ever-growing network With PIA, you’ll have access to super-fast servers in 78 countries, which is more than enough to geo-hop across the globe and check out content that’d otherwise be restricted. Plus, PIA can unblock sought after services like Netflix US and Hulu. As you might’ve guessed, PIA does have a “domestic focus” in the US, so if you’re outside the States and want to keep up with sports, shows, and news from the U. S of A, then PIA is perfectly positioned. Streaming is a dream with PIA, too. When tested, I didn’t have any trouble with buffering streams or low-quality images. The service is seriously fast, and can also handle online gaming and any VoIP calls you need to make. ISP throttling will also become a thing of the past with PIA, a service that also doesn’t impose its own bandwidth or data restrictions. Cross-platform compatibility PIA is compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS devices, and users get up to 10 simultaneous connections to play with – which is pretty generous. These clients look fresh and come fully featured with all broad spread of tools. PIA will even remove those annoying ads from your browsing sessions, as well as any trackers trying to snoop on you. If at any point you need help setting up or troubleshooting an issue, you can field your questions to the PIA customer service team. They’re available 24/7 via live chat and boast a full 10 years of industry experience, so you’re bound to find a solution. Stay covered I’m glad to say that OpenVPN encryption is available throughout, and users also get a high level of granular control over the strength of that protection – though this might be too techy for casual users. You’ll also benefit from a kill-switch, DNS leak protection, obfuscation (stealth), port forwarding, split tunneling, and a SOCKS5 proxy. This makes PIA one of the better stocked services on the market, and a great pick for anyone really looking to put their privacy first. One less-than-great point to consider is that PIA is based in the US. This isn’t ideal, as the United States is infamous for its use of gag orders and warrants, which could force a VPN to hand over user info and data logs. Fortunately, PIA’s no-logs claim means that there’d be no information to hand over even if it was served a warrant. IPVanish is a US-based VPN with an excellent SOCKS5 Proxy. They have an extension proxy server list including servers in the UK, USA, UAE and many more countries. Pricing From $3. 20 – $10. 99 Available on Windows macOS iOS Android Linux Unblocks Netflix Amazon Prime Hulu
IPVanish Demo
IPVanish easily claims a spot in our top five, as it’s a well-known and well-trusted VPN service ideal for gaining online privacy and hopping geo-restrictions. Best of all, IPVanish has a reliable SOCKS5 proxy that you can access and control in the member’s area of its website. Anyone with an IPVanish subscription can use this SOCKS5 proxy without paying an extra penny, too! I also like that IPVanish provides excellent setup guides for accessing and using the SOCKS proxy, either inside of torrent clients or browsers. Security-focused As you’d expect from a VPN of its caliber, IPVanish abides by a strong no-logs policy – though the fact that the service is based in the United States might make some prospective users wary. In brighter news, OpenVPN encryption ensures that your browsing sessions are kept secure, whether you’re using the VPN at home or whether you’re on the go and relying on public Wi-Fi hotspots. I’m also pleased to see that IPVanish offers WireGuard, which hasn’t been around for as long as OpenVPN, and therefore hasn’t been tested as extensively, but it’s a protocol that’s lightweight, quick, and super secure, and very much the way of the future. Additionally, it’s great to see that IPVanish also comes with DNS leak protection and a kill-switch, which is vitally important for anyone who’ll be torrenting. Unblock the world With more than 1, 900 servers in over 75 locations, IPVanish is an excellent choice for anyone looking to unblock restricted, censored, or geo-blocked content. Users should have no trouble unblocking in-demand American streaming services, as well as Netflix US. However, because IPVanish does not officially support other Netflix libraries, we can’t say for certain that you’ll be able to access them. IPVanish likewise cannot access BBC iPlayer. When I was testing IPVanish, I found that the service was surprisingly fast and more than capable of handling HD streaming. In addition, video calling is a breeze and torrenting is permitted on specified, dedicated servers. The SOCKS5 proxy also makes it possible to torrent safely and with even better speeds, as well as access any stubborn services that the VPN can’t reach without it. Real value for money With IPVanish, users get a robust VPN service that is available for all platforms – you can even install it on your router. And, if you need help at any point, you can get in touch with the IPVanish customer service via live chat and phone, 24/7. Thus, this is a superb all-rounder VPN with a SOCKS5 proxy for those who need it. Finally, the cost of a subscription is extremely competitive, which makes it well worth testing using its 30-day money-back guarantee. I’d like to see IPVanish accept cryptocurrency payments one day in the future, but all in all, I’d recommend giving the service a test drive. integrate their secure VPN with a SOCKS5 proxy which helps you to maintain your internet speeds whilst gaining privacy online. 43 – $12. 95 Available on Windows macOS iOS Android Linux Unblocks Netflix iPlayer Amazon Prime Hulu
Demo
comes packed with advanced VPN apps for all platforms and a wide spread of features. It’s also one of the best VPNs in the world that also provides a SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting or getting around firewalls. puts a focus on quality and privacy, which is why it snags a place in our top five – plus, consumers always have good things to say about the service! For privacy advocates Right away, I was reassured by the fact that is based in Malaysia, a country beyond the reach of invasive jurisdictions (like the UK and US), and with no mandatory data retention laws that’d force the VPN to keep logs. This is a win for user privacy! ‘s no-logs policy has also been audited by an independent analyst, so you can rest assured that nobody is keeping tabs on what you do online. To further bulk up its privacy offering, protects users from IPv6 leaks and runs its very own DNS on each server. Users also get their pick of a number of solid protocols, including OpenVPN and WireGuard, which are two of our favorites. A kill-switch also keeps your sensitive information from leaking if your VPN connection drops, and I was glad to see that this kill-switch is enabled from the moment you download the software until (or unless) you switch it off yourself. A multi-hop double VPN feature is a nice addition, too, as it encrypts your traffic twice, for maximum privacy. Server selection has a broad network of VPN servers, with over 2, 000 to choose from in more than 75 worldwide locations. All of these servers are managed by the team, so there’s no risk of outsiders getting involved where they shouldn’t. Unfortunately, struggles to unblock some of the most in-demand streaming services – though sites like Netflix do work incredibly hard to keep VPNs at bay, so it’s a constantly evolving game of cat and mouse, anyway. That being said, we were unable to access Netflix US, and other users have reported similar difficulties when trying to browse Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer. If you’re an avid streamer who needs reliable access to these services, you might be better off looking elsewhere. Pay your way is widely available for any platform you can imagine, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. Browser extensions are also available for Chrome and Firefox users, and you can install the VPN on your router if you have the compatible firmware. offers 10 simultaneous connections, which is just what I like to see, and will be enough to cover all of your important devices. You’ll also be spoiled for choice when it actually comes to paying for your subscription, too. The service allows credit card and PayPal payments and even accepts cryptocurrency. This is a more secure way of paying, though bear in mind that it’s not totally anonymous, as will always know your original IP address. Windscribe provide a SOCKS5 proxy on their premium plan. It’s easy to set up using the SOCKS5 Profile generator on their website. 00 Available on Windows macOS iOS Android Linux Unblocks Netflix
Windscribe Demo
Plenty of people are familiar with Windscribe thanks to its limited free subscription plan that anyone can test without forking over any cash. This is great, and well worth checking out, but if you need a SOCKS5 proxy, you’ll also need a premium subscription. Fortunately, a Windscribe subscription is well worth investing in. The VPN abides by a no-logs policy and provides strong OpenVPN encryption, a kill-switch, and DNS leak protection. That means you can trust it to give you digital privacy both at home and on public Wi-Fi. This VPN is also great for unblocking international content or for bypassing local censorship. Feature rich Windscribe also has some of the most intuitive and useful VPN tools on the market, all designed to enhance your digital security – like R. O. B. E. R. T. This tool can be used to block ads and trackers, malicious domains, and IPs, to make your browsing experience more secure. You can select from a variety of block lists or create custom lists of your own. I also liked seeing a split tunneling feature, which gives you the ability to decide which applications route to the internet through the VPN and which don’t. In terms of security, Windscribe puts together a very solid package. AES 256-bit encryption is used alongside various secure protocols, like OpenVPN and WireGuard. Instead of a kill-switch, Windscribe utilizes a firewall, which prevents leaks by blocking all connectivity outside the VPN tunnel. Browse global content The Windscribe server network is dotted across the globe in a few odd locations, but coverage in 63 countries and 110 cities is nothing to be sniffed at. Users should have no trouble bypassing geo-restrictions or spoofing their location. When I tested the service and tried to access Netflix, I found that it was particularly good at getting into the US library, although my success levels did vary here and there. If accessing content like this is your main concern, you might want to check out a more reliable option. Also, Windscribe just isn’t the fastest VPN on the market – though it certainly isn’t slow, seeing as it’s still in the top 20 fastest VPNs. So, you should still be able to stream and HD and torrent without issue. In fact, Windscribe’s port forwarding feature should help any torrenting endeavors considerably. Cover your bases Windscribe prides itself on having clean, minimalist clients that are easy to use and intuitive even for beginners. You can install the VPN on any Windows, Mac, iOS, Android or Linux device, and even check out Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. These extensions even come with some exclusive features of their own, like Double Hop (which encrypts your traffic twice) and ad blocking (which prevents trackers from keeping tabs on your activity). Overall, it’s an excellent VPN that is great for gaining privacy and accessing content. You can test it thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee and even pay for a subscription with Bitcoin! What is a SOCKS5 proxy? A SOCKS proxy is a bolt-on feature that some VPNs provide to their users to allow them to engage in location spoofing. Like other proxies, a SOCKS5 proxy works by allowing you to conceal your IP address from online services. This lets you pretend to be in a different location and allows you to bypass localized blocks and restrictions. By using a SOCKS proxy, anybody can bypass IP blocks when their IP has been blacklisted from an online service. It can also be a useful workaround when a VPN’s IP addresses have been blocked by an online service, by offering a secondary method for accessing that service. SOCKS5 is the latest version of the SOCKS protocol. It can send data via UDP (in addition to TCP). This means it can provide a highly reliable and efficient connection. It can also proxy data from a large cross-section of request types, including HTTP, HTTPS, POP3, SMTP, and FTP. This flexibility is what makes SOCKS5 useful, because it can easily be used for email, web browsing, peer-to-peer file sharing, file transfers, VoIP, and more. A SOCKS5 proxy using UDP is highly desirable because it can provide extremely fast speeds. This makes it valuable for people who want high-speed IP spoofing. On the other hand, a SOCKS5 proxy provides no encryption. This means your traffic can still be monitored by your ISP or the government. As a result, it is important to remember that you do not get the privacy you get with a full VPN connection when you use a SOCKS5 proxy. SOCKS5 vs VPN – what’s the difference? VPNs and SOCKS5 both function as a proxy that can be used to conceal your real IP address from online services. However, this is where the similarity largely ends – because a SOCKS5 proxy does not provide other benefits that you get with a VPN. A VPN creates a securely encrypted tunnel between the VPN client (application) and the proxy (VPN) server. This gives you online privacy and data security – in addition to the location spoofing functionality you get with a SOCKS5 proxy. The benefit of a VPN is that you can conceal your online browsing habits from your ISP, the government, and local network administrators in workplaces, schools, and public Wi-Fi networks. The encryption provided by the VPN stops anybody from accessing your data and tracking your online habits. However, it also causes some slowing of internet speeds, which is why some people prefer to use a SOCKS5 proxy. If you require IP spoofing without the need for internet privacy (to connect to a gaming server in another country, for example) – you may be happy using a SOCKS5 proxy. However, if you intend to access restricted torrent sites to download movies (or to engage in other online activities that you would prefer to do in private); you will need to stick to using a VPN with its added encryption. What are the pros and cons of a SOCKS5 proxies? SOCKS5 proxy services are really useful services, however, there are also some drawbacks with using them. In this guide, we look at both the pros and cons so you can make a more informed decision. Pros of SOCKS5 proxies SOCKS5 offers three main benefits over other proxies out there: The greatest benefit of a SOCKS5 proxy is its ability to process an almost unlimited number of request types. This allows it to be used for VoIP, HTTP, HTTPS, POP3, SMTP, and FTP. Unlike other proxies, SOCKS5 does not rewrite data packet headers. This improves efficiency by making it less likely that there will be mis-routing or mislabeling issues. Finally, SOCKS5 proxies can be set up with one of the following authentication methods: Username/password authentication in which the user must provide their credentials to access the proxy server GSS-API authentication in which both the user and the server use authentication to verify the user’s identity Cons of SOCKS5 proxies However, there are also a number of disadvantages to consider before you use a SOCKS5 proxy. SOCKS5 proxies are not encrypted. The performance benefits you get with a SOCKS5 proxy (and the added security you get when password/username authentication is implemented, as is the case with most SOCKS5 proxies provided by VPNs) is counterbalanced by a loss of privacy and security. Similarly, SOCKS5 packet headers contain metadata that can identify you, which is why anybody who requires online privacy is strongly advised to use a full VPN connection rather than a SOCKS5 proxy. A proxy will conceal your original IP address, but that address will still be visible to your proxy provider – which is why it’s important to ensure you’re using a reliable service that won’t collect and sell any sensitive data or expose you to cyberattacks. Should I use a SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting? Some people use a SOCKS5 proxy to gain added security when downloading peer-to-peer using a torrent client. The great thing about torrenting with a SOCKS5 proxy is that it is extremely easy to set up from within your torrent client itself. A SOCKS5 proxy for torrenting improves your security by concealing your real IP address from the swarm (all the peers seeding or leeching the torrent). This provides security against exposure to a malevolent peer who may attempt to scan your IP address for open ports; which could potentially allow you to be victimized. Although the security benefit (IP concealment) provided by a SOCKS5 proxy is useful, it is important to remember that it is not as effective as a VPN tunnel. Like a SOCKS5 proxy, a VPN conceals your real IP address from the peers you connect to. However, a VPN also encrypts your data so that all your downloads are private and cannot be detected by your ISP. This ensures that your ISP and the government are never able to identify the torrent services you use, the seeds you leech from, and the content you download. If you intend to torrent online and you want to do it securely, a SOCKS5 proxy will provide better security than nothing at all. And a SOCKS5 proxy will usually provide more bandwidth and better speeds. However, unless you live in a country where copyright piracy is tolerated, it is generally recommended that you use a VPN rather than a SOCKS5 proxy. How to connect to a SOCKS5 proxy Unlike a VPN, which ensures that all your internet traffic is always tunneled via the VPN server, a SOCKS5 proxy must be set up inside your browser or torrent client. This means that the SOCKS5 proxy will only ever ‘spoof’ your location inside that software; rather than for your entire computer or mobile device. If you want to connect to your VPN’s SOCKS5 proxy, it will be necessary to set up that connection manually either in your torrent client or browser. The best way to achieve this is to contact your VPN for a setup guide, which will include how to set up your SOCKS5 authentication on its website. If you are a Firefox user, the easiest way to set up a SOCKS5 proxy is by using the third party extension FoxyProxy: Download and install the FoxyProxy Standard add-on from the FireFox Add-ons page. Click on the FoxyProxy icon that appears in the toolbar in the top right of your Firefox browser. Choose Options from the drop-down menu. You will now be redirected to a webpage. Select Use proxy Default for all URLs from the drop-down menu in the middle of the screen. Next, click the Add button on the top left of the screen. Now, click Edit and add the details for your VPN SOCKS5 proxy. (You will need to get the server address, port number, username, and password from your VPN’s website. ) Finally, turn on the slider next to Send DNS through SOCKS5 proxy and click Save. Now check your IP address by clicking What’s My IP in the left-hand menu. Your IP address should appear in the location of your VPN’s SOCKS5 proxy server. Can I use a free SOCKS5 Proxy? In 2021 it has become almost impossible to find a reliable and trustworthy SOCKS5 proxy that you can use for free. Thus, if you do want to make use of a SOCKS5 proxy, we strongly recommend that you purchase a VPN subscription. By paying for a VPN, you will gain access to both the full VPN tunnel and the SOCKS5 proxy. This gives you the flexibility to gain privacy (both at home and on public Wi-Fi) and to perform IP spoofing whenever you need to. With a VPN and SOCKS5 proxy in your quiver, you will be able to bypass restrictions and gain unprecedented levels of privacy online. This is why a VPN subscription is by far the best way to use a secure SOCKS5 proxy. Admittedly, you can find lists of free proxy addresses online. Those lists provide you with all the information you need to connect, including the proxy type (SOCKS4, SOCKS5, HTTP, HTTPS, etc) the IP address, the port, where it’s located, and the type of server it is. It’s true that you could use one of these free proxy addresses. However, remember that it’s impossible to know who’s running those free proxies, and your data could be at risk. In fact, the reality is that the lists of free proxy IPs found online are extremely dangerous to use. Unfortunately, these proxies are almost always hacked machines or honeypots designed to spy on you. They’re primarily leveraged to engage in Man-in-the-Middle attacks and to engage in cyberattacks on their users by doing things like SSL stripping or injecting code into your session to hijack your browser. For this reason, it is vital that you stick to using a SOCKS5 proxy provided by a legitimate, trustworthy VPN provider with a no-logs VPN policy. This will allow you to spoof your location and unblock online services without fear of cyberattacks or data theft. Conclusion A SOCKS5 proxy is a useful tool that many internet users want, and it can be a superb additional tool if you like to torrent. If you want to have access to both a VPN and a SOCKS5 proxy, the best option is to subscribe to a respected VPN service that also includes a SOCKS5 proxy. A number of leading VPNs now provide a SOCKS5 proxy for their users at no additional cost. Best of all, anybody who uses this SOCKS5 proxy will know that their connection is secure, and is being routed to god knows where! It is important to remember that a SOCKS5 proxy does not provide encryption, so if you want to gain strong levels of online privacy and security you should always stick to using a VPN. But, if you are confident that a SOCKS5 proxy is what you need, then the VPNs recommended in this guide will have what you need! NordVPN – A VPN provider with a good reputation. It’s easy to use and set up.
How to set up proxy socks in Browsers FireFox/Opera/IE/Chrome
How to use SOCKS v4/v5 on Browsers without the use of any
External Applications
As time advances, there are also developments within the web
browser’s scene. These web browsers that we use nowadays keep on getting
improvements as time passes by. Long ago, on their early sprout within the web
and IT world, these browsers did not support many features, such as the use of
SOCKS proxies. With this reason, there came those external applications to
fulfill this need.
Now, it is good news that we do not need any of these
anymore. Thanks to updates on our favorite web browsers, they now support input
and configuration of SOCKS proxies.
How to get SOCKS Proxy
Before you can even use SOCKS proxies on your browser, first
you must get it from a proxy listing service. One good source of SOCKS proxy is This is how you can find alive SOCKS proxies.
1. Go to and then login with your account.
2. After successful login, you can now get the access
to the admin panel, in which you are now able to search for specific proxy, or
even just list all the current alive SOCKS proxies.
3. The easiest way to harvest proxies, is via the
‘List Proxys’ button. Just click it and a new page will load. This will contain
the recently checked proxy on a list.
4. Click any of the results under the hostname column.
Then a pop-up window will appear.
5. To reveal our needed proxy server address and proxy
port, we have to click on the “click here to view” link. It will check the
proxy’s status at that moment, if it is okay, then you will have the proxy
server address, as well as the port. If not, just try looking at another
hostname from the proxy list results.
6. Now we have a SOCKS proxy that we can use. In this
case, it’s 1. 36. 114. 198:53052
7. We can now proceed on setting up our browsers for
using this SOCKS proxy.
1. To use it on FireFox, just go to Options.
2. Navigate to the Advanced tab.
3. Then select Network tab and click on the Settings button. A new settings window will
appear. From here, you can now input the proxy you got. Just be sure to select
the radio selection button for “Manual configuration” and uncheck the “Use this
proxy server for all protocols” checkbox.
4. Then proceed on inputting your SOCKS proxy, click
on OK when finished.
5. Checking it at your IP is now changed!
1. On Opera browser, open Menu > Settings. 2. Select “Browser” tab and click to “Change proxy settings… ” button. 3. A pop-up settings window will appear. 4. Go to the Connections tab and click the Settings button. (if you are connecting throught local network or router – click the LAN Settings) 6. Put a check on �Use proxy server�, that will allow you to use proxy of your choice. 7. From there, click on Advanced. You can now input your SOCKS proxy. 8. Click on the OK button, and then OK once again. To check your current IP, just head on to and see
1. On IE, press the Gear button and select Internet
Options.
2. Go to the Connections tab and click the Settings
button.
3. A pop-up settings window will appear.
4. Put a check on “Use proxy server”, that will allow
you to use proxy of your choice.
5. You can now input
your SOCKS proxy.
6. Then click OK, you shall do this for three times
just to exit settings window and save your settings.
7. Done! You are now done, you can check your IP at if it has changed
1. Click on the wrench tool and open the settings for
Chrome.
2. In the bottom of page click to Show advanced settings….
3. Click on the Change Proxy settings… button. A pop-up settings window will appear.. 5. Put a check on �Use proxy server�, that will allow you to use proxy of your choice.
5. From there, click on Advanced.
8. From there, you can now use the SOCKS proxy you
got.
9. Click on a series of OK buttons to save the
configuration settings.
10. Checking your proxy:
11. Done!
Frequently Asked Questions about setup socks5 proxy
What is the best proxy for SOCKS5?
The best VPNs for SOCKS5 – In-depth AnalysisNordVPN. www.nordvpn.com. NordVPN is a reliable VPN that provides security, privacy. … Private Internet Access. www.privateinternetaccess.com. … IPVanish. www.ipvanish.com. … Hide.me. www.hide.me. … Windscribe. Windscribe provide a SOCKS5 proxy on their premium plan.Sep 29, 2021
How do I use SOCKS5 proxy on Chrome?
How to use SOCKS Proxy on ChromeClick on the wrench tool and open the settings for Chrome.In the bottom of page click to Show advanced settings….Click on the Change Proxy settings… … A pop-up settings window will appear..Go to the Connections tab and click the Settings button.More items…
Is Proxy and SOCKS5 the same?
Unlike HTTP proxies, which can only interpret and work with HTTP and HTTPS webpages, SOCKS5 proxies can work with any traffic. HTTP proxies are high-level proxies usually designed for a specific protocol. While this means you get better connection speeds, they’re not nearly as flexible and secure as SOCKS proxies.
