The ip:port:user:pass Proxy Format: Read, Convert, Enter Correctly

Reading each part of ip:port:user:pass

The first two parts say where to connect; the last two authenticate you. If you receive only ip:port, that proxy relies on an allowed IP instead of a password; user/pass vs IP whitelist authentication explains the difference.

Common proxy formats

The same proxy can be written several ways. The content is identical; only the order and separators change.

Converting formats in bulk

A few proxies you can edit by hand. For dozens or hundreds of lines, use the proxy format converter: paste the list, choose the output format and copy the result.

From a terminal, sed converts proxies.txt from ip:port:user:pass to URLs:

sed -E 's#^([^:]+):([^:]+):([^:]+):(.*)$#http://\3:\4@\1:\2#' proxies.txt > proxies-url.txt

Or to user:pass@ip:port:

sed -E 's#^([^:]+):([^:]+):([^:]+):(.*)$#\3:\4@\1:\2#' proxies.txt

This only works when the password contains no colon. For special characters, see the errors section below.

Entering proxies in code and tools

In Python requests, use the URL form for both http and https, since an HTTP proxy handles HTTPS pages through the CONNECT method:

proxies = {'http': 'http://client01:[email protected]:8080', 'https': 'http://client01:[email protected]:8080'}

With curl: curl -x http://203.0.113.10:8080 -U client01:Abc123 https://api.ipify.org prints the proxy's exit IP.

Step-by-step setups are in Python requests proxy setup, curl proxy setup and Windows proxy setup. Note the prefix stays http:// even when you visit https:// sites.

Common input mistakes

• Trailing spaces or line breaks: copying from spreadsheets or chats often adds a space after the password, which usually ends in 407 Proxy Authentication Required.
• Wrong order: pasting ip:port:user:pass into a field expecting user:pass:ip:port makes the tool treat the username as the host.
• Special characters in URLs: characters like @, :, / and # must be percent-encoded inside a URL, for example @ becomes %40, or the string is split in the wrong place.
• Using https:// for an HTTP proxy: many libraries read https:// as a TLS connection to the proxy itself and fail the handshake. For a normal HTTP proxy, use http://.
• Whole string in the Host field: Host takes only the IP; port and credentials go in their own fields.
• Wrong or blocked port: test with the port checker; office networks may block unusual ports, see check proxy and firewall.
• Wrong protocol selected: an HTTP proxy must be set as HTTP or HTTPS, not SOCKS. See HTTP vs SOCKS5.

Checking after you enter it

• Open the what is my IP tool in the browser or profile using the proxy; it should show the proxy's IP, not your home IP.
• For long lists, paste them into the proxy checker to see which lines work and which are malformed.
• On a 407, recheck the username and password; on a timeout, check IP, port and your own network using the proxy timeout guide.

The VinaProxy proxy format

VinaProxy delivers proxies as ip:port:user:pass, over HTTP/HTTPS with username and password authentication. Copy the list from your dashboard and convert it to whatever your software needs. Each IP goes to one customer and stays the same for the rental period, so the string keeps working until you stop renewing. Current prices are on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions