There are several reasons for which you would want to set up a proxy server on your iOS device. Networks in offices or schools often require you to use one or you might just want to stay secure and maintain privacy while surfing the web. Whatever the case may be, setting up a proxy server is not that complicated. This article will guide you through the whole process showing how to both configure and disable a proxy server on your iPhone or iPad.
What is a Proxy Server on an iPhone?
A proxy server is a setup that enables a user to use a proxy while online. A proxy, which literally means a representative, is an IP address that can be used in place of the actual IP address of a device. Usually, without a proxy, the internet request goes from the iPhone directly to the internet service provider (ISP). The ISP then connects the iPhone to the requested final destination revealing its actual IP address. When a proxy is used, the request from the iPhone gets rerouted. The ISP no longer sends the request directly to the website but now sends the request to a proxy that uses a different IP address to access the website thus concealing the IP address of the iPhone.
How to Configure a Proxy on iOS?
NB: a proxy can only work when you are connected to the internet via Wi-Fi.
Select “Auto” for automatic proxy detection. If the current network does not provide proxy details using the Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Protocol (WPAD), a proxy won’t be used since it is not required by the network.
How to Use a Proxy on an iPhone?
Once your proxy server setup is complete, your requests will now be sent through a proxy, masking your IP address. However, some applications can bypass proxy settings, while others may not run with proxy internet connection at all. This is because the proxy configuration in iOS is specifically for HTTP proxies. As a result, only HTTP traffic, like the ones used to load websites in Safari, gets sent through the proxy. Check if these applications provide any options to configure them to work with the proxy server in their “network and connection” settings. based on programming.
Also, a proxy server setup is needed for each Wi-Fi connection. The configuration done on one Wi-Fi connection will stop once you connect to a different Wi-Fi.
How to Turn Off Proxy on iPhone or iPad?
Now you know how to set up a proxy server on your iOS device. If you follow these steps, you will have a secure experience browsing the internet. However, we do not recommend that you use free proxies which get banned often. This happens because websites tend to ban IP addresses when several requests come from them within a short period of time. To avoid bans, it is required to route your request through a set of random IP addresses from an IP pool. These IP addresses must be frequently rotated so your requests would appear to come from thousands of users. SOAX, for instance, offers a pool with over 191 million IPs, making it almost impossible for you to get banned.
