How do I test whether my proxy is working correctly?

Here are a few practical ways to test whether a proxy is working correctly.

1) Check your apparent IP address

The simplest test is to compare your public IP with and without the proxy.

Using a browser

• Turn the proxy on
• Visit a site like:
  • https://ifconfig.me
  • https://ipinfo.io
  • https://whatismyipaddress.com
• Confirm the IP shown is the proxy’s IP, not your real one

Using command line

If your proxy is HTTP/HTTPS:

curl -x http://PROXY_HOST:PROXY_PORT https://ifconfig.me

If it’s SOCKS5:

curl --socks5 HOST:PORT https://ifconfig.me

If the output matches the proxy’s IP, that’s a good sign.

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2) Verify DNS is not leaking

A proxy can appear to work while your DNS requests still go through your normal network.

Test

• Use a DNS leak test site:
  • https://dnsleaktest.com
  • https://browserleaks.com/dns

If you see your ISP’s DNS or your local network’s DNS instead of the proxy/VPN’s DNS, you may have a leak.

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3) Confirm the proxy is actually being used by your app

Some apps ignore system proxy settings or bypass them.

Check with:

• A browser configured to use the proxy
• A command-line tool explicitly told to use the proxy
• An app-specific proxy setting

If the app still shows your real IP or fails to route through the proxy, it may not be honoring the proxy settings.

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4) Test connectivity through the proxy

Try accessing a site that logs request headers or returns request details.

Example:

curl -x http://PROXY_HOST:PROXY_PORT https://httpbin.org/ip

For HTTP proxies, you can also inspect headers:

curl -x http://PROXY_HOST:PROXY_PORT https://httpbin.org/headers

This helps confirm traffic is going through the proxy and lets you see if headers like X-Forwarded-For are being added.

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5) Compare behavior with and without the proxy

Run the same request both ways.

Example

Without proxy:

curl https://ifconfig.me

With proxy:

curl -x http://PROXY_HOST:PROXY_PORT https://ifconfig.me

If the IP, geolocation, or network path changes as expected, the proxy is likely functioning correctly.

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6) Check for authentication and protocol issues

A proxy may be “working” but misconfigured.

Look for:

• Authentication failures
• Wrong protocol type:
  • HTTP proxy used as SOCKS, or vice versa
• TLS/HTTPS interception issues
• Connection timeouts

Common signs in curl output:

• 407 Proxy Authentication Required
• Connection refused
• Failed to connect
• TLS handshake failed

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7) Use a packet capture if you need deeper verification

If you want to be sure traffic is going to the proxy:

• Use tcpdump, Wireshark, or similar
• Check whether your client connects to the proxy host/port
• Verify the destination traffic is not going directly out

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Quick checklist

A proxy is probably working if:

• Your public IP changes to the proxy IP
• DNS leaks are not present
• The app/browser is definitely using the proxy
• Requests succeed through the proxy
• Headers and routing look correct

If you want, I can also give you:

• a Windows/macOS/Linux-specific test
• a browser proxy test
• or a curl-based test script you can run directly.