In this recent 2024 publication, you'll discover the process of establishing your own SOCKS5 on a VPS. Proxies (SOCKS5) and VPNs serve similar functions but differ in their operational mechanisms.
A VPN directs all network traffic from a client computer through a tunnel to another server.
No individual program setup is needed. Conversely, using a proxy requires configuring each application separately to ensure its traffic is routed through the proxy.
The purpose of a VPN is to allow a remote client computer to access network resources in another location as if it were physically present there.
One of these network resources can be internet access, which conceals the IP address of the remote computer. This is why VPNs have recently gained popularity as both a tool for bypassing geo-restrictions to access content unavailable in the client computer’s country (such as accessing US Netflix from outside the US) and as a privacy tool to conceal the original IP address.
A server proxy has more limited functionality as it cannot provide access to remote resources, but it can mask your IP address and provide geo-obfuscation services.
TYPES OF PROXIES IN 2024
The two most common types of proxies are HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and SOCKS5 (Secure Sockets 5).
The SOCKS4 protocol lacks support for UDP or authentication. The latest SOCKS5 and HTTP proxies differ in the following ways:
In general, an HTTP proxy can only handle HTTP (TCP) traffic, whereas a SOCKS5 proxy can manage any type of traffic using either TCP or UDP.
A SOCKS5 proxy does not alter the traffic passing through it, whereas an HTTP proxy typically does. Therefore, a SOCKS5 proxy is more versatile and compatible with a wider range of applications.
An HTTP proxy can only be utilized with HTTP clients like web browsers, but since it understands HTTP content, it can perform tasks such as caching or modifying headers aside from its proxying function.
For anonymity and privacy purposes, a SOCKS5 proxy is a preferable option since it can be used more broadly.
In this guide, we will demonstrate setting up the simplest type of SOCKS5 proxy using SSH (Secure Shell). We will configure an affordable VPS on Digital Ocean, setting up the SSH server to allow certain client applications to utilize the proxy.
PROXY SERVER SETUP IN 2024
Nearly any type of VPS can be used for this purpose, requiring only non-root SSH access. However, using a web hosting account as a proxy server may violate some hosts’ terms of service.
Digital Ocean is a reputable and budget-friendly cloud provider, and one of their $5 per month servers will suffice for an SSH proxy.
Digital Ocean operates as a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) provider, meaning you don’t purchase a specific server; instead, you create an account and link a payment method to it.
Once set up, you can create as many virtual servers as needed. VPCs offer more control over system specifications and can cost less than traditional VPS options.
To begin, you'll need to create a Droplet, selecting Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Long Term Support) as the operating system and the smallest size available.
Droplets are billed per hour, with the lowest-priced option being sufficient and costing approximately $5 for the entire month.
Select a location for your Droplet, considering that when you use your proxy, your traffic will appear to originate from the IP address of your Droplet.
If setting up a proxy specifically for geo-obfuscation, choose a location in or near the desired country.
Upon creation, you will receive a confirmation email from Digital Ocean containing your Droplet's IP address and login information.
OPEN-SSH CONFIGURATION
Digital Ocean Droplets come pre-installed with SSH, requiring no additional setup aside from changing the default password and creating a user specifically for proxying.
To connect via SSH on macOS (OSX) or Linux, open a terminal and enter the command provided in the welcome email. You will be prompted to accept the key, after which you should change the password.
For Windows users, an SSH client such as PuTTY is necessary. Enter the Droplet's IP address in the Host Name field and click Open.
PuTTY will connect to the server; ensure it is updated with no pending updates.
Outdated software poses security risks, so update Ubuntu using the command:
```bash
apt-get update
```
With the system updated, you now have your own SOCKS5 running on your VPS.
A VPN directs all network traffic from a client computer through a tunnel to another server.
No individual program setup is needed. Conversely, using a proxy requires configuring each application separately to ensure its traffic is routed through the proxy.
The purpose of a VPN is to allow a remote client computer to access network resources in another location as if it were physically present there.
One of these network resources can be internet access, which conceals the IP address of the remote computer. This is why VPNs have recently gained popularity as both a tool for bypassing geo-restrictions to access content unavailable in the client computer’s country (such as accessing US Netflix from outside the US) and as a privacy tool to conceal the original IP address.
A server proxy has more limited functionality as it cannot provide access to remote resources, but it can mask your IP address and provide geo-obfuscation services.
TYPES OF PROXIES IN 2024
The two most common types of proxies are HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) and SOCKS5 (Secure Sockets 5).
The SOCKS4 protocol lacks support for UDP or authentication. The latest SOCKS5 and HTTP proxies differ in the following ways:
In general, an HTTP proxy can only handle HTTP (TCP) traffic, whereas a SOCKS5 proxy can manage any type of traffic using either TCP or UDP.
A SOCKS5 proxy does not alter the traffic passing through it, whereas an HTTP proxy typically does. Therefore, a SOCKS5 proxy is more versatile and compatible with a wider range of applications.
An HTTP proxy can only be utilized with HTTP clients like web browsers, but since it understands HTTP content, it can perform tasks such as caching or modifying headers aside from its proxying function.
For anonymity and privacy purposes, a SOCKS5 proxy is a preferable option since it can be used more broadly.
In this guide, we will demonstrate setting up the simplest type of SOCKS5 proxy using SSH (Secure Shell). We will configure an affordable VPS on Digital Ocean, setting up the SSH server to allow certain client applications to utilize the proxy.
PROXY SERVER SETUP IN 2024
Nearly any type of VPS can be used for this purpose, requiring only non-root SSH access. However, using a web hosting account as a proxy server may violate some hosts’ terms of service.
Digital Ocean is a reputable and budget-friendly cloud provider, and one of their $5 per month servers will suffice for an SSH proxy.
Digital Ocean operates as a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) provider, meaning you don’t purchase a specific server; instead, you create an account and link a payment method to it.
Once set up, you can create as many virtual servers as needed. VPCs offer more control over system specifications and can cost less than traditional VPS options.
To begin, you'll need to create a Droplet, selecting Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Long Term Support) as the operating system and the smallest size available.
Droplets are billed per hour, with the lowest-priced option being sufficient and costing approximately $5 for the entire month.
Select a location for your Droplet, considering that when you use your proxy, your traffic will appear to originate from the IP address of your Droplet.
If setting up a proxy specifically for geo-obfuscation, choose a location in or near the desired country.
Upon creation, you will receive a confirmation email from Digital Ocean containing your Droplet's IP address and login information.
OPEN-SSH CONFIGURATION
Digital Ocean Droplets come pre-installed with SSH, requiring no additional setup aside from changing the default password and creating a user specifically for proxying.
To connect via SSH on macOS (OSX) or Linux, open a terminal and enter the command provided in the welcome email. You will be prompted to accept the key, after which you should change the password.
For Windows users, an SSH client such as PuTTY is necessary. Enter the Droplet's IP address in the Host Name field and click Open.
PuTTY will connect to the server; ensure it is updated with no pending updates.
Outdated software poses security risks, so update Ubuntu using the command:
```bash
apt-get update
```
With the system updated, you now have your own SOCKS5 running on your VPS.