How to Set Up a SOCKS5 Proxy

What you need to set up a SOCKS5 proxy

To set up a SOCKS5 proxy you need four values, and the provider issues them in your dashboard:

• IP address (host), for example 192.0.2.10;
• port: a number, for example 1080;
• login and password: only if the proxy uses login authorization.

The list comes in one of two formats: IP:PORT (no authorization, access is bound to your own IP) or IP:PORT:LOGIN:PASS (with login and password). That is exactly what goes into the SOCKS5 proxy settings. SOCKS5 works at the connection level, so it covers most apps. The rule people trip over most often: in the proxy type field always pick SOCKS5, not HTTP, otherwise the software tries a different protocol and the connection fails.

Set up a SOCKS5 proxy on Windows

Open Settings, Network and Internet, Proxy. Under manual setup enter the host and port. For login and password authentication use the app you are connecting (Windows itself prefers SOCKS without auth), or a client like Proxifier that sends every app through the proxy.

Set up a SOCKS5 proxy in a browser

Chrome uses the system proxy, so a tool such as FoxyProxy or a separate profile is the clean way to scope it to the browser. In Firefox open Settings, Network Settings, Manual, pick SOCKS5, enter host and port, and enable remote DNS.

Set up a SOCKS5 proxy on Android

Stock Wi-Fi settings only take HTTP proxies, so for SOCKS5 use an app like Proxydroid or a client that accepts host, port, login and password. Enter the credentials, enable it, and traffic from supported apps goes through the proxy.

Set up a SOCKS5 proxy on a Keenetic router

Keenetic does not take a SOCKS5 upstream in the stock interface; route through it with the Shadowsocks or a proxy-client component from the app store, pointing it at your host and port. This sends the whole network through one IP.

Set up a SOCKS5 proxy in Telegram

Telegram takes a SOCKS5 proxy natively, which is why it is one of the most common setups:

1. Open Settings, then Data and Storage, then Proxy Settings (on Android the path can differ slightly, but the section is still called Proxy).
2. Turn on Use Proxy and add a proxy.
3. Pick the type SOCKS5.
4. Enter the server (IP), the port, and the login and password if you have them.
5. Save. Telegram shows a shield icon when the proxy is active.

Do not confuse this with an MTProto proxy: MTProto is a separate Telegram-only protocol, while SOCKS5 is a regular proxy that works with any software.

How to check the SOCKS5 proxy works

Open any IP-check service through the proxied app: it should show the proxy address. If the address has not changed after every check, the cause is usually one of four things:

• proxy type: it must be SOCKS5;
• port: check it matches the one issued in your dashboard;
• IP binding: for the IP:PORT format without a login, your current IP has to be bound in the dashboard;
• login and password: for the IP:PORT:LOGIN:PASS format, check them for typos.

In short

SOCKS5 covers far more than a browser. Enter host, port and credentials in the right place for each device, then verify with an IP check. Support is on 24/7 if a setup gives trouble.