What is Proxy Switcher extension?

Proxy Switcher consolidates all proxy-related configurations into a single, user-friendly panel. It supports multiple profiles, making proxy switching effortless. The interface leverages Firefox's native proxy settings UI, requiring no new learning curve. This extension allows you to configure your browser for a direct connection to bypass system-level proxy settings, use system-level proxies, or be configured to use HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS4/5 proxy servers with a custom bypass list. You can also provide an inline PAC (Proxy Auto-Configuration) script or specify a server to manage your PAC script as the proxy server. A PAC script is a JavaScript file used by web browsers and other applications to automatically determine which proxy server to use (or whether to bypass a proxy) for a given URL request. It provides a flexible way to configure proxy settings dynamically based on conditions like the URL, hostname, or network environment.

How do I set up and manage multiple profiles in "manual" proxy mode?

To create your first profile, enter the IP address and port in the provided text fields, choose a name for the profile, and click the "Save" button. To add a new profile, update the IP and port fields, enter a different name, and click "Save" again.

To switch profiles, clear the profile name field and click the arrow button on the right to display a list of all saved profiles. Alternatively, type part of the profile name, and when it appears in the suggestion list, use the down arrow key to select it.

To delete a profile, select it from the list and click the "Remove" button to remove it from storage.

What are the differences between the proxy settings available in the panel interface?

You have five operational modes to choose from:

• No Proxy: Select this to route your internet traffic directly without using a proxy server. It bypasses system-level proxy setting as well.
• Auto-Detect Proxy: Choose this to let your browser automatically identify the proxy settings for your network.
• System Proxy: Opt for this to use the proxy settings defined at your operating system level (This is the default mode).
• Manual Proxy Configuration: Use this when you need to switch between multiple proxy servers. Consult your system administrator for configuration details, including the hostname and port number for each proxy. If all protocols share the same proxy, enable the "Use this proxy server for all protocols" option. The "No Proxy For" field lists hostnames or IP addresses that will bypass the selected proxy server.
• PAC Script: Select this if you have a proxy auto-configuration (.pac) file. You can either provide a URL pointing to a PAC script or directly edit the PAC script code within the panel's editor for convenient modifications.

What does the badge number on the action button indicate?

The badge number reflects the count of resources that failed to load in the current tab, incrementing by one for each failure. To view details of these failed resources, open the panel and click the "Error" button, which appears only when at least one failure has occurred.

Where can I read more about the different proxy options available in this extension?

Read this blog post: Configure Proxy Settings in Firefox

**Can I reposition the action button?**

Yes, in Firefox, refer to the guide on customization at A Comprehensive Guide to Firefox Customization. In Chrome, click and hold the left mouse button to drag the button to a new location. You can also hide the button by selecting the appropriate option from the right-click context menu in Chrome.

What does the "Remote DNS" option mean in the manual tab of the panel (Firefox Only)?

The "Remote DNS" option determines whether DNS lookups for SOCKS v5 clients are performed on the client side or the proxy server side. For enhanced anonymity, it's recommended to enable this option when using a SOCKS v5 proxy. When enabled, hostname-to-IP address resolution occurs on the SOCKS server rather than on your local network.

Which proxy protocols are supported by the extension?

The extension supports the same four proxy protocols available in Firefox and Chrome: HTTP, SSL, FTP, and SOCKS.

Can I verify that the proxy settings have been applied correctly?

Yes. Open the toolbar panel and scroll to the bottom, where you'll find three external links. These let you check your current IP address, geographic location, and DNS resolution chain to confirm the proxy is active.

What is new in this version?

There are two logs: Either head to the extension's versions page to see a brief review over the new changes, or for more through log visit the GitHub's commit section.

How can I save a proxy configuration for future use?

You can store profiles on the Manual Proxy and PAC Script tabs. After entering the required details, click Apply. The configuration will be saved and can later be retrieved using the drop-down arrow next to the text box.

What is the recommended proxy method?

It really depends on your needs. If you want full anonymity, always use "Manual" mode with a SOCKS server (Leave other fields empty). If you want to maximum speed, then go with "Automatic" mode and introduce a PAC file to unblocked certain websites or hosts. To learn more on how to write a PAC file, read Configure Proxy Settings in Firefox blog post. Always use "Check External IP" and "DNS Leakage" button on the panel to make sure the configuration works as expected.

Can I export the proxy settings from this extension to a new profile or another browser?

Yes. On the options page, you'll find both Import and Export buttons for transferring your settings.

What does the "Use Remote DNS" option in the Manual tab do, and why isn't it available in Chrome?

In Firefox, this option forces hostname resolution through the remote SOCKS server (only for SOCKS4 and SOCKS5), helping prevent DNS leaks. You can confirm this using the DNS leak test link in the popup. A DNS leak happens when your computer sends DNS requests outside of the secure tunnel of your proxy or VPN. Even if your browsing traffic goes through the proxy, leaked DNS requests can still go directly to your ISP's DNS server, revealing:

• What websites you visit
• Your true IP address or location
• That you're using a proxy server

In Chrome, DNS resolution is automatically handled by the SOCKS server, so there's no risk of leakage and no need for a separate option—therefore, it isn't shown.

How can I get a free proxy server?

Open the popup interface and go to the Manual tab. There you'll find an option to search for a free proxy server. When you click the button, the extension temporarily switches your browser to a direct (no-proxy) connection, then queries one of the API servers (listed in the options page) that provide free proxies.

If a server is returned, the extension validates it by pinging three remote servers at once. If the validation succeeds, the proxy details are automatically filled in the Manual tab and applied. You can also save this server as a profile for future use.

From the Options page, you can:

• Choose which API server to use.
• Control what types of proxy servers are searched.
• Adjust settings for special cases, such as when you;re already connected through a system-level proxy (set the System Proxy mode).

Can the proxy configuration be reset after restarting the browser?

Yes. By default, the extension restores the last used proxy on startup. If you prefer a different behavior, you can set your desired proxy mode on the Options page.

Can I use this extension in a corporate environment to configure proxy settings across multiple computers?

Yes. Since version 0.4.0, the extension supports managed preferences, allowing you to push proxy settings to all machines in your network. You can configure three key preferences:

1. import-version – A non-zero integer representing the version of the imported configuration.

2. import-json – A JSON string containing all the proxy settings to write to each machine's local storage. To create this JSON:

   • Apply your desired settings on one machine.
   • In the background console, run chrome.storage.local.get(null, prefs => console.log(JSON.stringify(prefs))) to generate the JSON string.
   • Increment the version number and distribute the JSON to all machines. After a browser restart, each machine will read the new JSON, overwrite its local storage, and synchronize proxy settings across the network.

Important: Updating the JSON version will reset any local changes on all machines to match the distributed settings.

For full instructions on using managed storage, see Configuring Apps and Extensions by Policy.

If I use this extension to change my IP address, can I assume my real location is hidden?

Using a SOCKS5 proxy ensures that all browser traffic goes through the proxy, protecting your IP address. In Firefox, make sure to enable the "Use Remote DNS" option in the extension to route DNS requests through the SOCKS server.

To verify your setup:

1. Visit webbrowsertools.com/ip-address/ to check your visible IP and DNS.

2. Note that your real IP may still be exposed via WebRTC. If it is, install the WebRTC Protect extension and disable or restrict WebRTC.

3. To fully align your identity with the proxy IP, adjust your timezone. Browsers reveal the local timezone to websites. You can:

   • Change your operating system's timezone to match the proxy location (more reliable).
   • Or use the Spoof Timezone extension, which automatically adjusts the browser timezone based on the proxy IP.

How can I use PAC script to route network traffic from different SOCKS servers?

You can do this with a PAC (Proxy Auto-Config) file that tells Chrome which proxy to use for which domain. Here is a sample script:

function FindProxyForURL(url, host) {
    if (dnsDomainIs(host, "example.com")) {
        return "SOCKS5 server1.example:1080";
    }

    if (dnsDomainIs(host, "google.com")) {
        return "SOCKS5 server2.example:1080";
    }

    // Everything else goes direct
    return "DIRECT";
}

My SOCKS5 server requires authentication. How can I configure the extension to provide a username and password for the SOCKS server?

Currently, browser extensions cannot supply authentication details for SOCKS proxies. To work around this, you'll need to use a native application that runs a local SOCKS server without requiring a password. That application will then connect to your actual SOCKS server and handle the authentication on your behalf.