How do I know the ping of a proxy server?
The question about proxy ping is asked by clients who need connection speed. Most often they are traders on stock exchanges, parsing specialists or users who need a stable connection to automate processes.
Ping requirements depend on the tasks: for some clients a delay of 100 ms is acceptable, for others even 20 ms is critical. In any case, understanding what the ping on a proxy is will help to understand. Let's understand what ping is, what it depends on and how it is on our proxies.
What is ping and why is it important?
Ping is measured in milliseconds and shows how long it takes for data to travel from the device to the server and back. For example, if you send a request through a proxy to access a website, the ping shows how long it takes to get a response.
For some people, ping is critical. For example, if tasks require instant response - when scalping on the stock exchange, working with captchas or online games. And if you are engaged in parsing or multi-registration of accounts, a delay of 50-100 ms often does not affect the overall result.
What does the ping depend on?
- Geographical location of the server
The farther the proxy server is from your device or target site, the higher the ping. For example, requests from Europe to a server in the USA will show a delay of 100-150 ms, while within the same country - from 10 to 30 ms. - Connection type
Mobile proxies use the networks of cellular operators. They usually have higher ping than server proxies due to the peculiarities of the infrastructure. To compare: a mobile proxy will show ping in the range of 50-300 ms, while a server proxy in the same location - 5-50 ms. - Server congestion
Servers that process thousands of requests simultaneously will inevitably increase ping due to queues. It is important to choose an ISP that limits the number of clients per server and supports load balancing. - The client's internet speed
The proxy ping you see always includes your local network. If you have an unstable connection, even a proxy with minimal latency will show high numbers.
What's the ping on our proxies?
On server proxies:
- Within a single country: 5 to 20 ms.
- Between countries (e.g. Europe to US): 30 to 150 ms.
On mobile proxies:
- Average: 50-300 ms.
How to measure ping on a proxy?
The easiest way to find out the ping is to enter the ping command at the command line and spell out the IP of the proxy.
But it doesn't work with proxies that are accessible only with login and password. That is, with any rented private proxies. In this case, there are several other options to check ping. Let's tell you about all of them.
Use curl or HTTP requests
You can check the availability and speed of the proxy via the curl tool in the same cmd.
Example command for authorization via proxy:
curl -x [proxy-server]:[port] -U [login]:[password] http://example.com -w "Time: %{time_total}\n" -o /dev/null -s
- -x - specifies the proxy.
- -U - specifies login and password.
- http://example.com - address of the target site through which the proxy is checked.
- -w “Time: %{time_total}\n” - displays total connection time (delay).
- -o /dev/null -s - disables output of page content to the terminal.
The result will show how long it took to connect through the proxy.
Use proxy-enabled network utilities
HTTP Debugger Pro or similar tools
HTTP Debugger Pro is a program for diagnosing and testing HTTP/HTTPS requests. Ideal for tasks with proxy servers. You can download a one-week trial version from the official website.
The program allows you to:
- Test the proxy with login and password.
- Verify that the proxy works correctly.
- Check the connection speed through an authorized proxy.
Analyze HTTP/HTTPS requests:
- Track application and browser traffic.
- View request headers, responses, and authorization parameters.
Diagnose connection problems:
- Find out the cause of connection errors through the proxy.
- Check how the proxy communicates with the target servers.
Measure latency (ping):
- Evaluate the execution time of requests through the proxy.
- Determine how stable the connection is provided by the server.
Request module in Python
If you know Python, you can write a script to check the proxy:
import requests
import time
proxy = {
"http": "http://login:password@proxy-server:port",
"https": "http://login:password@proxy-server:port",
}
start_time = time.time()
try:
response = requests.get("http://example.com", proxies=proxy, timeout=10)
latency = time.time() - start_time
print(f"Proxy ping: {latency * 1000:.2f} ms")
except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
print(f"Error: {e}")
This code measures the latency (ping) to the target site through the proxy.
Use other special software
Some programs support authorization and provide detailed results:
- Proxifier. Configures proxy access for any application, allows connection tests.
- PingPlotter. You can configure to work through a proxy (with login/password) to analyze the route.
Through online services
- Set up a proxy in your browser (e.g. Chrome or Firefox).
- Go to a website such as speedtest.net or ping.eu.
Why might the ping be different?
The question is often asked: “Why does the ping jump?”. For example, at the time of the first connection was 20 ms, and an hour later - already 50. Reasons:
- IP address rotation
If you use mobile proxies with automatic IP change every 5-10 minutes, the new server may be located in another part of the operator's network, which affects the delay. - ISP network load
For example, during rush hour, mobile networks experience increased loads, which affects data transfer speeds. - Response speed of the target site
High ping is not always related to proxies. If the site you are connecting to is slow, the resulting latency will increase, even if the proxies show minimal values.
On our proxies, ping is measured in the range of 5 to 300 ms depending on the type of server and task. If minimal latency is important, in-country server proxies are the best choice.