Some of the important features of the Proxy Switcher addon are listed below. This is followed by an overview of this addon. This summary contains few words about the addon, its function, and its features. Next is FAQ, this section is useful to get information about how this addon works in your browser. If you couldn't find a specific answer, please fill the bug report form on this page or the contact form on the homepage to let us know about your question. Following the FAQ, is the bug report form. It is designed to collect user feedbacks and bugs about this addon. Users can suggest improvements or feature requests through this form too. The next section is for submitting comments about this addon which uses the Facebook comments plugin. The last section is dedicated to reports submitted through the GitHub website. We hope the information provided on this page, could help you get all the basics you need about this addon and enable you to have a better experience with Proxy Switcher.
In short, Proxy Switcher allows you to easily change different proxies from your browser toolbar popup. Badge icon changes color based on different proxies.
6 Reasons to Use Proxy Switcher
Access your browser proxy settings in one place.
Has various badge icon colors for different proxies.
Provides 5 different proxy settings to choose from.
Easily whitelist a domain(s) or website with bypass list.
Supports HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4 and SOCKS5 schemes.
Available for Opera and Chrome browsers.
YouTube Tutorial
This video gives you an idea of how the extension works in your browser.
Overview
A proxy server acts as a middleman between your computer and the internet. When you use a proxy, your computer sends a request to the server, which then passes the request along to the website you want to access. The website's response is then sent back through the proxy server to your computer. A proxy can be used for a variety of purposes, such as to improve performance, to protect against cyber threats, or to bypass internet restrictions.
When you use a proxy in your browser, it can help improve the speed of your internet connection by caching commonly accessed content, or it can encrypt your internet traffic to protect it from being intercepted by third parties. Additionally, a proxy can help you access websites that are blocked in your country or region by routing your traffic through a server in a different location. Furthermore, it can be useful in a number of different situations. For example, if you are on a shared network, a proxy can help protect your privacy by hiding your IP address from websites you visit. Additionally, a proxy can be used to bypass internet filters or censorship, allowing you to access websites that are otherwise blocked. Some companies also use proxy to control access to certain websites, such as to block employees from accessing social media or other non-work related websites during business hours. On the other hand, in some situations, using a proxy server could decrease the speed of your internet connection, because your requests have to be sent through an additional server before they can be accessed by the destination server. This can be especially problematic if the proxy is located in a different country or is experiencing a high amount of traffic. Additionally, proxys can be used to monitor and control your internet usage, which may be a concern for users who value their privacy. Finally, if the proxy is not set up properly, it can become a security risk, as it can be used to access sensitive information or to launch attacks against other systems.
To use a proxy in your browser, you first need to find a server to use. There are many different proxy servers available, and you can find a list of free proxy servers by doing a quick internet search. Once you have a proxy server to use, follow these steps to configure your browser to use it: Open your browser and go to the settings or preferences section (the location of this section will vary depending on the browser you are using). Look for the section on proxy settings or network settings. In the proxy settings section, select the option to use a proxy server. Then, enter the address of the proxy server you want to use, as well as any authentication information that may be required. Save your changes and exit the settings section. Try accessing a website to see if the proxy server is working. Keep in mind that using a proxy server may slow down your internet connection, and it may not work with all websites. Additionally, some proxy servers may not offer the level of security or privacy that you are looking for. If you encounter any problems, you may need to try a different proxy server or use a different method to access the internet. Another way to use a proxy in your browser is by installing a browser extension that offers proxy server capabilities. An example of such an extension is Proxy Switcher, which allows you to quickly switch between different proxy servers in your browser without changing your browser settings. To learn more about this extension and how to use it, please read the below sections.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Proxy Switcher?
Proxy Switcher is a multi-browser addon that helps you easily switch proxies from toolbar popup UI. Simply open toolbar popup and click on the desired proxy category. There are five categories available to choose from. Moreover, badge icon color changes according to the chosen category. Once the proxy is set, a notification popup shows you the current state. This addon supports PAC proxy as well. Moreover, you can whitelist any domain or website through toolbar popup UI. To get more info about this addon please read the following FAQs.
2. What is a proxy server?
In the context of a web browser, a "proxy server" is a server that sits between the browser and the internet, and is used to route traffic between the two. When a user makes a request to a website, the request first passes through the proxy server, which then forwards the request to the internet. The server then sends the response back to the proxy server, which in turn forwards it to the users web browser.
3. How can I download the source code for Proxy Switcher?
To download the source code for this extension from Chrome Web Store, it is recommended to use Extension Source Downloader. With this addon, you can download the source code as a ZIP or CRX format to your machine. If you want to download the source code from the Firefox addons store, please open the firefox download link (if available) in the Firefox browser and then right-click on the - Add to Firefox - button and select - Save Link As... - item. Choose the destination folder on your machine and then save the file in XPI format. You can then rename the XPI format to a RAR or ZIP file. Some extensions may have a GitHub repo address, which you can use to download the source code as well. But, it may not be the latest version of the addon. Therefore, downloading the source code from the official web stores is the best option as it always gives you the latest version of the addon.
4. How to work with Proxy Switcher extension?
To work with proxy switcher, please open toolbar popup UI and select the desired category. Please note that you need to fill all the required fields before choosing a category. For example, in manual mode, you need to fill at least one host and port, or in PAC mode please fill the URL area. Once a category is chosen and the proxy is successfully set, the badge icon will change to adapt itself to the new state.
5. What are the different kinds of proxy servers that exist?
Below is a list of some of the most common types of proxy servers:
• Web proxies: These proxies are used to proxy HTTP and HTTPS traffic. They are often used to access blocked websites or to browse the internet anonymously.
• SOCKS proxies: These proxies are used to proxy any network traffic, not just web traffic. They are often used in combination with other types of proxies to provide an additional layer of anonymity.
• Reverse proxies: These proxies are used to proxy traffic on behalf of a server, rather than on behalf of a client. They are often used to improve the performance of a server by caching content, or to provide additional security by filtering incoming traffic.
• Transparent proxies: These proxies are used to proxy traffic without the client's knowledge. They are often used by ISPs to manage internet usage, or by companies to monitor employee internet usage.
• Anonymous proxies: These proxies are used to proxy traffic without revealing the client's IP address. They are often used to access blocked websites or to browse the internet anonymously.
• Elite proxies: These proxies provide a high level of anonymity and are often used by professionals who need to access sensitive information online.
• Distorting proxies: These proxies deliberately modify the clients IP address in the request headers, making it appear as if the request is coming from a different location.
• High anonymity proxies: These proxies provide a very high level of anonymity, and do not reveal the client's IP address or any other identifying information.
• Chain proxies: These proxies use multiple proxy servers to create a "chain" of proxies, providing an additional layer of anonymity and security.
• PAC proxies: PAC or Proxy Auto-Configuration is a file that specifies the proxy settings for a network. It is typically used in corporate environments to automatically configure a user's web browser to use the appropriate proxy server for a given network. When a user attempts to access a website, their web browser will first consult the PAC file to determine which proxy server to use for that website. This allows for greater control and flexibility in managing proxy settings, as the PAC file can be easily updated to reflect any changes to the network's proxy configuration.
6. How can I set a PAC proxy?
To set PAC proxy, please add a PAC URL to the designated area (PATH input area). Please note that a PAC path should have a certain format. For example, if your PAC file is located in - C:// - folder (on a windows machine), please write - file:///C:/pac.data - in the PATH area. If you do not know how to write a PAC file, please read this (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_auto-config) Wikipedia page. Once you made a correct PAC file, please add the URL in popup UI for PATH.
7. How can I whitelist a domain or website?
To whitelist a domain, please add the domain to the bypass area in toolbar popup. For example, to whitelist - www.foobar.com - please add - *foobar.com - to the filed. Please note that all the entries should be comma-separated. Once you filled the bypass area, please mark the related checkbox as well (the checkbox next to the Bypass category).
8. How can I turn the extension OFF?
To turn the addon OFF, please choose system proxy from toolbar popup UI. System proxy will use the default proxy setting in your machine (PC/MAC). Alternatively, you can disable the addon from extensions page in your browser.
9. How can I set one host and port for all protocols?
To set a proxy for all protocols, please fill the - HTTP Proxy and port - in manual category. Then mark the - Use this proxy server for all protocols - checkbox. This way the addon will apply the proxy and port for all protocols. Please note that you need to choose a scheme as well. There are 4 schemes (HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5) available to choose from. The default scheme is HTTP, but you need to adjust this scheme according to the proxy server you have.
10. What happens when I set a proxy and restart my browser?
When you set a proxy from toolbar popup UI, it changes the proxy settings in your browser and stores the proxy to the memory. Next time you start the browser, the addon will read the proxy from memory and apply it to the browser proxy settings. Please note that, if you have more than one proxy extension in your browser, you might encounter conflicts in the proxy setup. So please disable all and only use one proxy addon.
11. Is this proxy addon available for all browsers and platforms?
Yes, this addon is available for all modern browsers in mobile and desktop machines.
12. Where can I find the privacy policy for Proxy Switcher?
Please read the privacy policy for this extension here.
Reporting Bugs
Your feedback goes a long way towards making this addon even better. With this feedback and bug report form, you can report bugs or suggest features/enhancements for the functionality or performance of this addon. Please note that this form will be sent to the developer(s) of this addon. You will not get an immediate or personal response at the moment. However, the developer(s) may contact you through the email address provided in this form for further clarifications or to request additional information regarding the reported bug(s).
Reviews | Discussions
Please note: keep these reviews/discussions clean, and avoid the usage of derogatory or inappropriate language or terminology in references to individuals or groups based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, gender, etc. Do not submit bugs in your reviews, use the above bug-report section instead. Also, never post any personal information in these reviews.