HTTP/HTTPS or SOCKS5: which should I use?
An HTTP proxy understands web requests. For HTTPS websites it opens an encrypted tunnel with the CONNECT method, so the page stays encrypted end to end. It is the easiest option for browsers, command-line tools and most HTTP libraries.
A SOCKS5 proxy works one level lower and forwards any TCP connection, not only web traffic. Choose SOCKS5 when your software is not a web client, or when it asks for a SOCKS proxy specifically. With the socks5h scheme, the proxy also resolves domain names, so DNS lookups do not leave your own network.
If you are unsure, start with HTTP. If a tool does not support HTTP proxies, use SOCKS5.
Examples
Replace HOST, PORT, LOGIN and PASSWORD with the values from My proxies.
curl -x http://LOGIN:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT https://example.com
curl -x socks5h://LOGIN:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT https://example.com# Python (requests; SOCKS5 needs: pip install requests[socks])
import requests
proxy = "socks5h://LOGIN:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT" # or http://...
requests.get("https://example.com", proxies={"http": proxy, "https": proxy})In a browser, enter the host and port in the network or proxy settings (or a proxy extension), and type the login and password when the browser asks.