IPv4 proxy checker

An IPv4 proxy is simply a proxy that lives on a classic dotted-quad address like 203.0.113.5. It is the default flavor of almost every proxy on the market, and for a practical reason: every website on earth accepts IPv4 traffic, so an IPv4 proxy works everywhere without a second thought.

The catch is scarcity. The world ran out of fresh IPv4 addresses years ago, so the existing pool gets traded, rented, and reused. That is why IPv4 proxies cost more than their IPv6 cousins, and why the address you rent this month may have a colorful history you know nothing about.

1. 01Pick the protocol your proxy speaks: HTTP for most scraping proxies, SOCKS5 if your provider said so.
2. 02Paste the address, for example user:[email protected]:8080.
3. 03Hit Check proxy. The country in the report is worth a look: it confirms the region you paid for.

Because IPv4 addresses are scarce, providers stretch them. A shared proxy puts several customers on one address, which keeps it cheap but means someone else's abuse can get your address banned from a site you have never visited. A dedicated (private) proxy costs more and gives the address to you alone.

Either way, the address existed long before you rented it. If a target site blocks your brand new proxy on the first request, the previous tenant probably burned it. Checking the proxy here tells you it works and where it exits. Whether the address has a clean reputation on your specific target is a separate question, and one worth testing early. Our guide to residential vs datacenter proxies covers how sites decide which addresses to trust.