FREE TOOL · SOCKS4 & SOCKS5
SOCKS proxy checker
Test any SOCKS proxy in seconds, whether it speaks SOCKS4 or SOCKS5. Paste the address, hit check, and get its status, exit IP, country, and response time.
SOCKS PROXY TEST BENCH
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About SOCKS proxies
SOCKS is a lower-level protocol than HTTP. Instead of understanding web requests, a SOCKS proxy just relays raw connections, which means it can carry any kind of TCP traffic: web pages, email, game traffic, custom bots, whatever your software produces. That flexibility is why SOCKS proxies are popular for anything that is not plain web scraping.
Two versions are still in use. SOCKS4 is the older one, with no authentication and TCP only. SOCKS5 added username and password auth, UDP support, and remote DNS resolution. Almost everything sold today is SOCKS5, but SOCKS4 proxies still float around in free lists.
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How to check your SOCKS proxy
- 01Pick SOCKS5 if your proxy uses a username and password. SOCKS4 does not support credentials, so if you have auth details, it is SOCKS5.
- 02Paste the address, for example user:[email protected]:1080. Port 1080 is the classic SOCKS port.
- 03Hit Check proxy. If the version is wrong, the check fails quickly, so trying the other version costs you five seconds.
ACCEPTED FORMATS
protocol://username:password@host:port
protocol://host:port
host:port (protocol taken from the dropdown)
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Not sure which version you have?
Start with SOCKS5. It is what nearly every paid provider ships. If the check fails with a protocol or handshake error and your proxy has no username or password, run it again as SOCKS4. Free proxy lists in particular are full of old SOCKS4 servers.
One thing worth knowing: SOCKS proxies do not encrypt anything. They forward your traffic exactly as your application sends it. If you need encryption on an open network, that is a job for a VPN, and we compared the two honestly in Proxy vs VPN.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SOCKS4 and SOCKS5?
SOCKS5 supports username and password authentication, UDP traffic, and remote DNS resolution. SOCKS4 has none of those and only handles TCP. If your proxy came with credentials, it is SOCKS5.
Related: SOCKS5 vs HTTP proxies
Is a SOCKS proxy faster than an HTTP proxy?
Marginally, sometimes. SOCKS does less work per request because it does not parse your traffic. In practice the location and load of the server matter far more than the protocol. A nearby HTTP proxy beats a distant SOCKS proxy every time.
Does a SOCKS proxy encrypt my traffic?
No. SOCKS relays your traffic as-is. Encrypted traffic stays encrypted and plain traffic stays plain. For an encrypted tunnel you want a VPN or SSH tunnel instead.
Related: Proxy vs VPN
What port do SOCKS proxies use?
Port 1080 is the traditional default, but providers use all kinds of ports. Use whatever your provider dashboard says.
Why does my SOCKS proxy work in one app but not another?
Some applications only support SOCKS4, some only SOCKS5, and some claim SOCKS support but ignore the authentication fields. If the proxy passes here, the proxy itself is fine and the app configuration is the thing to look at.
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More checkers
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From the blog
SOCKS5 vs HTTP proxies: which one should you use?
What is a proxy server and how does it work?
Common proxy errors and how to fix them