Quick Answers

What Does host:port:user:pass Mean?

host:port:user:pass is the common way providers hand out proxies: the server address, the port, then your username and password, separated by colons.

By Team of Monkeys Editorial Updated 1 min read Affiliate disclosure

This guide contains affiliate links to Geonode, Webshare and Rayobyte. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

What Does host:port:user:pass Mean illustration: host:port:user:pass is the common way providers hand out proxies: the server address, the port, then your username and password, separated by colons 3jdej38j4

The short answer

A line such as 198.51.100.7:8080:alice:s3cret packs four things together:

  1. host: the proxy server's IP or hostname (198.51.100.7)
  2. port: the port it listens on (8080)
  3. user: your proxy username (alice)
  4. pass: your proxy password (s3cret)

Turning it into a proxy URL

Most code and tools want a URL instead: http://alice:s3cret@198.51.100.7:8080. Use socks5:// instead of http:// if the port is a SOCKS5 port. If your password contains @ or :, URL-encode it first, or the tool will read it wrongly.

If you use IP whitelisting instead of a password, you only need host:port.

A monkey meets a proxy server for the first time (animated GIF) 3jdej38j4
A monkey meets a proxy server for the first time. GIF via Tenor

Also known as

ip:port:user:pass, proxy string, proxy credentials format, authenticated proxy format.

Learn more

Affiliate disclosure: Team of Monkeys is an affiliate of Geonode, Webshare and Rayobyte. Links and banners marked as sponsored, and links to Geonode, Webshare and Rayobyte in the text, use our referral links, and we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our explanations and comparisons are written to be useful whichever provider you choose.

Editorial note: Proxy providers change their pools, features and prices often, so treat any figures here as typical ranges at the time of writing and confirm current terms with the provider before you buy.
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