Things To Know While Setting Up A Proxy Server On Android- Best In 2022

Setting Up A Proxy Server On Android

With the growth of VPNs and Proxy servers, internet users across the globe are increasing. We can bring our internet usage capability from one place to any location within seconds. Whether in a hostel or office, you can use the proxy and shield your digital footprint. A proxy server on Android hides the IP address of clients and lets them attain internet access via an intermediary server. In other words, it’s used to change their IP address to a different one plus vice versa. They’re widely used to unblock websites or hide someone’s identity among a crowd.

What is a Proxy Server?

Proxy servers are the middlemen between you and the internet. They mask your IP address and make it appear to be browsing from another location. When you connect to a website through a static residential proxy server, you connect to the proxy server, which connects on your behalf. This allows you to hide your true IP address from websites. You thus avoid any potential legal issues from accessing material that might be illegal in your country.

Why You Would Need a Proxy Server on Android

Here are the most common reasons for setting up a proxy server on an Android phone or tablet:

Access Blocked Content

If you live in a country that blocks certain websites, a proxy server can help you get around those restrictions. Suppose you live in China and want to access Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, all of which are blocked by the government. Using a VPN to connect to a server located in another country will allow you to bypass the censorship.

Unblock Streaming Services

Netflix uses customer IP addresses to determine what country they’re from. If you’re traveling abroad and want to watch Netflix, you’ll need to use a VPN service so that Netflix doesn’t know where you are located. Similarly, if you live outside of the US and want access to Hulu or HBO Go, then a VPN will allow you to do so by disguising your real location.

Prevent Eavesdropping By Third Parties

By connecting through an encrypted tunnel between your device and the proxy server, data sent over the internet is protected from prying eyes, such as hackers or governments who may be monitoring traffic on public Wi-Fi networks or other open connections.

How a Proxy Server on Android Works

A proxy server is a computer that acts as an intermediary between a client application and the server it’s communicating. The client sends requests to the proxy, which forwards them to the server, then sends back the response. The process is similar to how you might use a relay running along a racecourse; it takes your message and passes it on to you but doesn’t change the content of either message.

Android applications can use a proxy server to access content on the Web. An application can access resources on the Internet through a proxy without revealing its IP address. In addition, some mobile carriers use proxies to limit bandwidth usage and block certain types of traffic.

Proxy vs. VPN: What’s the difference?

A proxy server is a middleman between your computer and the internet. It works by receiving data from you, decoding it, and sending it to the destination server. This means that all website requests go through the proxy server first, making it possible for it to censor content or log your activity.

A VPN encrypts all of your traffic with a secure tunnel, meaning no one can see what you’re doing online unless they have access to your password. A VPN also hides your IP address from websites, so they can’t tell where you’re connecting from.

Setting Up a Proxy Server on Android

You will need:

Proxy Type

The first step is to decide which proxy type you want to use. The main types are HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5. HTTPS is the same as HTTP, but it uses an SSL certificate to encrypt your connection. It’s slower than unencrypted HTTP but still fast enough for most purposes yet more secure because it’s difficult for someone else to intercept your data in transit. 

SOCKS5 is a protocol that allows you to connect through an intermediate host. Your internet traffic appears to come from and go to this host rather than directly from your device. This can be useful if you want to hide what sites or services you’re accessing from third parties like network administrators or ISPs who may be monitoring your traffic.

Authentication

When using an HTTPS proxy server, ensure that it’s appropriately configured. You’ll need to enter your username and password into the settings panel before you can connect to the web safely. Some proxies don’t require authentication; you enter the website’s address you want to visit and start browsing!

Port Number

This refers to the port number, also called socket number or socket port number. This refers to how many connections can be made, depending on the bandwidth available at your location. Generally speaking, most users prefer using ports 8080, 80, or 1080 because most Internet Service Providers usually leave these ports open.

Host Name

The hostname is the name of your computer or the web address that you want to connect to. You can use this to connect your computer directly to another computer. 

For example, if you’re going to connect from your computer directly to another computer, the hostname would be the IP address of that other computer. If you’re going to connect from your phone directly to another website, the hostname would be the URL for that website.

To set up a proxy server on Android, you need to follow these steps:

Finding a Proxy Server

Before you can start using your proxy server, you need to find one fast enough for your needs. There are lots of free options available online and as paid ones. Additionally, most free proxies are only good for a few minutes before being blocked by sites like YouTube or Netflix. 

Paid proxies tend to provide more consistent results over time because they’re often not targeted by these blocks. They’re easier to maintain than free ones, which tend to go down quickly after being discovered by websites like YouTube and Netflix.

Connecting to the Proxy Server

Once you have found a proxy server, open your browser on your Android device and go to the website. All you need to do is enter the IP address into your browser’s address bar. Your browser should automatically connect to this new IP address and send any data through it instead of sending it directly from your device.

Installing Proxy Server on Android device

Some VPNs come with an app for Android devices that allows you to easily connect without manually configuring anything inside your browser or operating system settings.

Configuring Proxy Settings

Proxy servers are a common way to give yourself some privacy when surfing the web. They act as intermediaries between your device and the websites you visit to hide your IP address from the sites. 

All of your traffic goes through if you’re using a proxy server to access any website. If you want to use a proxy server on your Android phone or tablet, you can easily do so by configuring your device’s network settings.

Enter your proxy server’s IP address and port in their respective fields for automatic configuration. Leave them blank and click OK to save changes if they’re unknown.

What You Need to Know When Setting Up a Proxy Server On Android

1. Proxy server application. There are many proxy server applications available for Android. You can find these apps from the Play Store.
2. Proxy server configuration. After installing the app, you must configure it by entering your computer’s IP address and port number. Later, you can use this app to browse web pages blocked in your country.
3. Internet access permission. To use the proxy server application, you must grant it internet access permission. This is because it will be connecting to your computer over Wi-Fi or a mobile data network.
4. You will need root access to set up a proxy server on android. Some apps like ProxyDroid let you use proxies without root access if you don’t have root access. But some features might not work correctly, so it is better to go with the first option.
5. Setting up a proxy server is different for every device manufacturer, so make sure that you follow the steps for your specific device model. The steps below will only give an idea about how it works in general terms; they may not work for all devices or versions of Android OS.
6. Before setting up a proxy server on android, ensure that you have enabled developer options and USB debugging mode on your device.
7. You need to know your IP address before starting with this tutorial. If you don’t know your IP address, open your command prompt and type ‘ipconfig.’ You will see your IP address in IPv4 format, which looks like 192.168.1.2.
8. The proxy server can bypass the geo-restrictions and access blocked websites that are only available in certain parts of the world. These include Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, and other streaming services.
9. A good internet connection is required to run a proxy server on your Android device. If you don’t have a good Wi-Fi connection or if there are no Wi-Fi networks around you, then this guide is not for you either.

In Conclusion

Before installing the app, remember that a proxy server isn’t an application that allows you to become completely anonymous online. The proxy will simply allow you to mask your IP address when you’re browsing on your Android device. Plus, since the proxy only works with your Android device, you’ll still need a VPN if you want to access services and websites outside of your network.