Before trusting any proxy with your traffic, you should verify it with a proxy checker. Free proxy lists are full of dead servers, compromised IPs, and transparent proxies that expose your real IP instead of hiding it. A proper proxy check takes under a minute and confirms three things: the proxy is online, it is actually masking your IP, and it is not a transparent proxy passing your real address through. This guide explains how to check any proxy correctly.
What a Proxy Checker Verifies
A proxy checker does more than confirm a proxy is online. It verifies the IP address the proxy presents to destination servers — confirming it differs from your real IP. It checks whether the proxy is transparent, anonymous, or elite. Transparent proxies forward your real IP in the X-Forwarded-For header — they provide zero privacy benefit. Anonymous proxies hide your IP but reveal that you are using a proxy. Elite proxies hide both your IP and the fact that you are using a proxy. Knowing which type you have determines whether it is safe for your use case.
How to Use the SitusProxy Proxy Checker
The SitusProxy Proxy Checker verifies proxy IPs quickly and for free. Enter your proxy in the format IP:PORT — for example, 103.152.112.145:8080. The checker queries the proxy server, identifies the IP it presents, determines the anonymity level, identifies the country and ISP, and reports whether the proxy is online and responding within an acceptable timeout. Use this before configuring any proxy in your browser to avoid relying on a dead or compromised server.
Understanding Proxy Anonymity Levels
| Level | Name | What It Hides | Safe For Privacy? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elite / High Anonymity | Your IP and proxy use | Yes |
| 2 | Anonymous | Your IP only | Partially |
| 3 | Transparent | Nothing — passes your real IP | No |
Never use a transparent proxy for any privacy purpose. It actively reveals your real IP address to destination servers despite routing your traffic through an intermediary. Elite proxies are the only type suitable for masking your identity, though even these do not encrypt your traffic — see below.
Full Proxy Verification Process
Checking a proxy is not complete with just the proxy checker. A proxy can appear to work but still leak your IP through other channels. After verifying the proxy is online using the Proxy Checker, configure it in your browser and then run these additional checks. First, use the IP Checker to confirm the IP shown matches the proxy server IP — not your real ISP connection. Second, run the DNS Leak Test to check whether DNS queries are going to your real ISP despite the proxy being active. Third, run the WebRTC Leak Test to detect browser-level IP leaks that proxies cannot prevent.
Where to Find Working Proxy Lists
Free proxy lists have a very high failure rate — most listed proxies are offline within hours of being published. The most commonly cited sources include free-proxy-list.net, proxyscrape.com, and proxy-list.download. Always verify any proxy from these lists with the Proxy Checker before configuring it. For reliable, consistent proxy access, paid proxy services or a premium VPN are significantly more dependable than free lists. NordVPN provides an alternative that eliminates the need for proxy lists entirely — consistent, fast, encrypted access without the verification overhead.
Why Proxy Checking Is Not Enough
Even a verified, working, elite proxy does not encrypt your traffic. Your ISP can still see data volume and timing patterns even if they cannot see the destination. The proxy operator sees all your unencrypted traffic. DNS queries still go to your ISP unless you use a SOCKS5 proxy with remote DNS resolution or change your system DNS. For genuine privacy, a VPN with encryption is the appropriate tool. Use the proxy checker as a quick verification step — not as a substitute for understanding the fundamental limitations of proxies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a proxy is working?
Enter the proxy IP and port in the SitusProxy Proxy Checker to verify it is online and check its anonymity level. After configuring the proxy in your browser, use the IP Checker to confirm the displayed IP matches the proxy server, not your real ISP.
What is the difference between elite and transparent proxy?
An elite proxy hides your IP and does not reveal you are using a proxy. A transparent proxy forwards your real IP in request headers — websites see your actual IP despite the traffic routing through the proxy. Never use a transparent proxy for privacy.
Why do free proxy lists have so many dead proxies?
Free proxy servers are often compromised or misconfigured systems that go offline quickly. Operators shut them down when detected, bandwidth limits are reached, or the server host removes them. A proxy listed an hour ago may already be offline.
