As we all know that if we constantly use proxies for security, there are chances that we can encounter some errors and issues sometimes that interrupt our overall experience.
These issues can cause problems like a page not loading, or your tool has just broken down, and all you are left with are random numbers, such as 403, 407, 429, or a number in the 5xx range.
Despite the intimidating appearance of these codes, most of them relate to straightforward issues that can be fixed with a small adjustment.
I’ll go over what each of these errors really means in this guide, why they happen when using proxies, and how to fix them practically without spending hours troubleshooting.
Let’s go!
Key Takeaways
- Mismatched settings, blocked IPs, or suspicious traffic patterns are the common causes of proxy errors.
- A 403 indicates that the site is rejecting the IP and a 407 indicates that authentication is missing.
- A 429 occurs when you are making requests at an excessive rate or at a limited number of IPs.
- 5xx errors are server-side problems and usually resolve themselves by re-trying or relocating.
- Majority of errors are not fatal and minor changes in settings, speed, or IP options tend to resolve them.
Most proxy-related issues arise when something in the chain of connections doesn’t work as the website expects it to. There are more moving components when you load a page using a proxy, including the target website, the proxy server, your device, and even extra routing layers.
Instead of returning the intended page, the website will return an error code if any of those steps seem odd or out of context.
In some instances, the problem lies on your side, such as wrong proxy settings or out of date credentials. On other occasions, it is the website responding to blocked IP addresses, excessive traffic or automated-looking patterns.
They may still occur even with reliable solutions, like ProxyWing’s proxy servers. These are simply indications that something in the chain requires a minor modification, not that your entire system is malfunctioning.
Interesting Facts
In 2024, 502 Bad Gateway was the most common proxy error, accounting for 28% of reported issues, followed by 503 Service Unavailable at 22% and 504 Gateway Timeout at 18%.
A 403 Forbidden error typically indicates that the site does not want to allow you to access it with the IP address you are using. This usually occurs when the site identifies the IP as a threat, blocked or misplaced.
Common causes:
How to fix it:
When the proxy server requests identification before allowing the connection, the 407 error happens. This indicates that your proxy is operational, but it needs the correct login credentials.
Common reasons:
How to fix it:
You have reached a rate limit if you receive a 429 error. The website temporarily slows you down or blocks new requests because it believes you are sending too many requests in a short amount of time. This can show up a lot during scraping and automation.
Common causes:
How to fix it:
5xx errors come from the server you’re trying to reach, not from your proxy or device. They usually mean the website is having trouble handling the request, it might be overloaded, unstable, or temporarily offline.
When using a proxy, these errors tend to occur more frequently because some sites respond differently when traffic originates from shared or congested IP ranges.
Common causes include:
– The target website’s server is down or overloaded
– Temporary outages or maintenance on the site
– Routing issues at the proxy endpoint
– The site is experiencing high traffic or unstable backend systems
– Slower responses from the server region associated with your IP
How to fix it:
Ans: To fix a proxy error, you should first disable the proxy server in your system’s network settings or browser.
Ans: Always ensure that your proxy uses the most up-to-date software and hardware.
Ans: Forward, reverse, and anonymous proxies.
