← Docs / Proxies
Proxies: your first request
Start with your account key and some proxy credit. Your website password and general account credit are different from proxy credentials and the proxy balance.
The guide below starts with Standard over HTTP. Use the existing Proxies dashboard to find your credentials and check access. Sign in and verify your email when prompted.
Find your connection details
Your account key is the proxy username. The proxy password chooses the tier and supported settings. It is different from your website sign-in password.
Open my proxy setup- HTTP proxy
- proxy.privatebyte.com:3128
- Username
- YOUR_PROXY_KEY
- Example tier
- Standard $2.50/GB · paid from your proxy balance
Make one small request
Run the example on your own computer. It uses Standard over HTTP and asks an IP-check endpoint for a small JSON response.
curl --silent --show-error --fail --max-time 30 \ --proxy 'http://YOUR_PROXY_KEY:standard@proxy.privatebyte.com:3128' \ 'https://api.ipify.org?format=json'
ReplaceYOUR_PROXY_KEYwith your own account key.Requires cURL. The command stops after 30 seconds and reports HTTP errors. One real request uses a small amount of proxy credit. Copying this example sends no request.
Check the response
Illustrative responseJSON{ "ip": "203.0.113.42" }This reserved documentation address is an example. Your actual result contains the exit IP used for that request.
- The request completes and returns an IP in the expected response.
- The IP normally differs from your direct connection. That comparison alone is not proof of a successful setup.
- Check for the corresponding usage update in your dashboard. Reporting can take a little time.
A successful IP check does not guarantee access to a different website or a fixed exit IP. Try your intended target before scaling up.
If something goes wrong
Credentials rejected
Copy the account key exactly. Use it as the proxy username and the generated tier settings as the proxy password. Do not use your website password. Check connection format
No proxy credit or access
Check your proxy balance, not just account credit. Confirm the top-up or eligible trial is available before retrying. Open Proxies or read about proxy credit.
Timeout or cannot connect
Check the host, port, client proxy settings, DNS and local firewall. This HTTP example uses port 3128. SOCKS5 clients use port 1080 and different configuration. Protocol guide
The target website refuses the request
Try this IP-check endpoint first. If it works, your destination may be restricting the request. Screening does not guarantee target access. Review the target, your client and the tier limits. Acceptable-use policy
Still stuck? Open a support ticket with the time, client and a sanitized error. Keep keys, passwords and private request data out of the ticket.
Related
Still stuck? Open a ticket — tell us what was missing and the article gets fixed.