Why proxy does not work?

Proxy connection failure

In our world, there is nothing perfect and more permanent than temporary. Unfortunately, all of our technologies are imperfect and while we work to improve them every day, trying to bring them to the ideal, we will always be in a state of “perpetual development” and constant improvement.

Even though the proxy service industry has probably existed since the advent of the Internet and the first restrictions on the part of Internet resources, we still face such problems as the unavailability of proxy servers. And we usually ask ourselves — why might proxies not work? Why don’t proxies open this or that site? How to set up a stable proxy? Why did the proxies stop responding?

The series of these questions can be continued for a very long time. But even though there can be a lot of problems during work, ranging from incorrect proxy server settings to restrictions on the part of the server or Internet provider (since not all hostings allow the use of a proxy)

403 Forbidden / 401 Unauthorized

Authorization problems. This problem is one of the main problems when we talk about authorization in a proxy server. In the case of such errors filling out our software, we first need to check that they are using the correct login and password (if authorization in a proxy occurs through a login and password). In the case when authorization is used through our IP address, we do not need to specify a login and password. But in this case, we need to control the IP from which we connect to the proxy. In the case of a dynamic IP address, using an IP-authorized proxy can be difficult.

The good news is that these errors are very easy to fix. It is enough to double-check the data that we use to connect to the proxy. Or check if the IP address matches if we are authorized in the system in this way.

Note that 403 and 401 are HTTP error codes. And this does not mean at all that the proxies do not work. To check that the problem is in proxy authorization, you need to check access to several sites. Since on the same site, we can simply be blocked. As a result of 403 or 401 responses, these will be site responses and not proxy

Proxy Unstable Connection

Connection issues

The next group of problems associated with problems in the work of the proxy is related to the quality of the connection.

This is seen as a problem on the part of the one who connects, and on the part of the servers that act as a bridge between the request and the site.

This problem is usually much more difficult to diagnose than just authorization issues.

The difficulty lies in understanding and sorting out on whose side the problem is. And despite the popular belief that if the proxies do not respond, then this is a proxy problem, the problem may not be hidden in the proxies themselves.

To figure out which side the problem is, you can use a VPN connection. Usually, when using a VPN, the equipment becomes a virtual network, between which a secure channel is created, which is very difficult for telecom operators to track and determine what exactly is transmitted through it. Therefore, if after connecting to a VPN, the problem “passed”, you need to think about whether the Internet communication provider restricts the freedom to use traffic. Ask a question about the limitation and understand the reasons.

If even after the VPN connection test has been passed, and the problem persists, it makes sense to start suspecting that the problem is on the side of the serving servers. In this case, it is necessary to collect the maximum possible amount of evidence that the proxies do not work and contact the support that maintains the proxy.

In case the problem is really on the side of the provider, adequate sellers and service providers will always meet the needs of their customers and correct their mistakes.

Website down or very slow

Proxy: website is not available

Needless to say, even the best proxies will not be able to do anything if they are faced with a situation where the website is simply “lying”. In this case, there is no point in doing anything other than waiting until the site owner turns his attention to the idle offspring. Since the use of a proxy is primarily aimed at obtaining data from a resource from another IP. And if this very site is simply not available (servers are disabled for non-payment, a DDoS attack occurs on the site, the site is overloaded with a surge of visitors, or just blocked the whole continent). In this case, apart from being patient, nothing can be done. Perhaps if the resource began to behave so unstable or introduce too rough restrictions (hard limits), which we already talked about in our article about site restrictions and the role of a proxy, it is worth considering the option of its competitor. Since it is possible, the website will simply soon become a pariah or cease to exist.

Unfortunately, problems happen. And communication problems happen even more often than we would like.

But the main thing is not that these problems happen, but how we try to solve them.