What Is My Proxy?

A proxy is an intermediary that forwards your web traffic. From a website’s point of view, the TCP connection may come from the proxy’s address rather than your home router’s WAN IP. Classic HTTP proxies sometimes add headers such as Via or X-Forwarded-For. Transparent enterprise gateways and some CDNs also inject forwarding metadata. This Routerpedia tool performs a simple check: we show the IP our application server sees, we ask your browser for a public IP via a client-side lookup, and we list any common forwarding headers on the request.

Home users typically open this page after enabling a VPN app, configuring a browser proxy, or wondering why a geo-restricted site thinks they are in another country. It also helps when an office network forces traffic through a security appliance. For ISP identity of the exit IP, use What is my ISP? alongside this check.

If the server-seen IP and the client public IP match, and no forwarding headers appear, you are likely connecting fairly directly (or through a tunnel that does not advertise itself with HTTP headers). If headers list additional client addresses, something in the path is forwarding HTTP. If the two IPs differ, a proxy, VPN exit, carrier-grade NAT quirks, or IPv4/IPv6 path differences may be involved — compare carefully and retest with VPN off.

Cloudflare or other reverse proxies in front of websites can set CF-Connecting-IP for the site owner; seeing such headers on requests to Routerpedia depends on how this site is hosted. Their presence is a clue about the path, not a moral judgment about “hiding.” Many people use VPNs for privacy on public Wi‑Fi, which is reasonable.

A browser proxy usually affects that browser only. A system VPN typically tunnels most traffic from the device and changes the public IP for every app. Carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) used by some ISPs means many customers share public IPv4 addresses; inbound port forwarding may not work even though you are not “on a proxy” in the HTTP sense. This tool will not fully diagnose CGNAT — symptoms include inability to host services and a public IP that differs from what an ISP account portal shows.

School and corporate networks often require explicit proxies. Hotels may use captive portals. In those environments, headers are more common. At home, a mismatch often means a VPN is still connected in the background. Toggle the VPN, reload this page, and compare with What is my IP?.

Modern privacy tools intentionally avoid leaking proxy headers. Residential VPN products exit on ordinary-looking ISP IPs. SOCKS proxies and encrypted tunnels may leave no Via header at all. Therefore a “no proxy detected” result is not a forensic certificate of a direct path. Conversely, headers alone do not prove a user is trying to hide — they may simply be behind a compliant enterprise forwarder.

Routerpedia provides this utility for education and light troubleshooting, not for blocking users or surveillance. We do not claim commercial VPN-detection accuracy. If you need to secure your own network, focus on strong Wi‑Fi passwords, guest isolation, and firmware updates rather than obsessing over outbound proxy signals.

Operating systems and browsers can route HTTP traffic through a manual proxy host and port, a PAC (auto-config) file, or “system proxy” settings inherited from VPN suites. Firefox maintains its own proxy panel; Chrome and Edge usually follow the OS on Windows and macOS. When a proxy is active, only applications that respect those settings use the tunnel — games and BitTorrent clients often bypass browser proxies entirely.

To disable a accidental proxy, open OS network settings, turn off manual proxy and PAC, quit corporate security agents you no longer need, and disconnect VPN apps. Reload this page and compare the server-seen IP with What is my IP? on a clean profile. Document any required workplace PAC URL before wiping a laptop you are repurposing for home use — you can always reapply it later.

Geo-restricted streaming services key off the exit IP and sometimes DNS leaks. A browser proxy might unblock a website while the smart-TV app still shows the home region because TVs ignore desktop proxy settings. Online games report latency through whichever path the game executable uses — often direct, not proxied. Banking sites may block datacenter IPs commonly used by commercial VPNs even when you are the legitimate account holder.

If performance tanks after enabling a privacy extension, test with it disabled and revisit this check. Split-tunnel VPNs route only selected apps through the tunnel; others show your residential ISP address. When remote workers access a home NAS, ensure the VPN does not hijack LAN traffic meant for local IPs — many clients offer “local network access” toggles for exactly that reason.

Corporate forward proxies inspect TLS traffic with installed root certificates — necessary for malware scanning, incompatible with some personal banking flows. They often append X-Forwarded-For chains visible in the header table above. Consumer VPNs usually encrypt to an exit node without corporate inspection, and they may leave no HTTP proxy headers at all. Neither scenario is “good” or “bad” by default; context matters.

School Chromebooks and managed iPads may force cloud proxies transparently. Home users more often encounter VPNs for privacy on public Wi‑Fi. If you suspect malware redirecting traffic, compare DNS answers via DNS Lookup against known-good resolvers and scan the router DNS fields through the admin gateway listed in our IP addresses library. Strong Wi‑Fi keys from the WiFi Password Generator reduce the chance someone on your LAN injects a rogue proxy via ARP tricks.

When remote access fails, people sometimes blame proxies when the real issue is double NAT, CGNAT, or incorrect port forwards to a stale local IP. Confirm WAN IP, forward to a reserved LAN address, and test from a cellular network outside the home. DNS problems can also look like “the internet is proxied” when only names fail — verify with DNS Lookup.

Explore more free utilities on our network tools page, including Wi‑Fi password and QR generators for safer guest sharing. Routerpedia’s goal is practical, SEO-friendly explainers that help real router setups — not scareware. Re-run this check after each network change so you build a clear picture of how your connection presents itself to the web.