Guide to Solving Proxy Status Errors

Have you ever had to pause your scraping routines because of recurring proxy error codes? That’s a widespread problem, especially if you’re new to scraping with proxies. Since there’s a great variety of status codes, each having a distinctive meaning and solution, it may sometimes get very confusing.

In this article, we'll review the most common proxy server errors and explain how to fix them. By learning proxy status errors and how to handle them, you can swiftly complete your scraping activities and manage proxy server IPs efficiently.

What is a proxy error?

Briefly, a proxy server error is an HTTP error status. It occurs when the request you sent to a web server via a proxy server doesn’t succeed. Normally, the code reveals what kind of proxy issues you’ve run into. Since there are plenty of codes, proxy errors may seem quite puzzling. Depending on the error code, you’ll have to develop a solution to deal with it.

Officially, there are five HTTP response status classes. The first digit of the code signifies the category of the response.

While the 1xx and 2xx class codes are intended for information purposes and don’t require any actions, the 3xx, 4xx, and 5xx codes hint at an issue that needs attention and additional steps to be performed. 

It’s noteworthy that in this blog post, we’ll cover only the generic proxy status codes, meaning that most proxy server providers and websites use them. However, there are edge cases when the same status codes are used for different reasons. 

100 - Continue

Normally, the 1xx status codes are used when a server is processing a request. However, they are quite rare. The 100 error signifies that the server has already received a request header, and you can proceed with sending the body of the request.

101 - Switching protocols

If you bump into a 101 status code, it means that the client’s browser is requesting the server to alter the communication protocol during transmission. If you receive this code, it means that the server has accepted this request and is now sending you a notification of an acknowledgment.

102 - Processing (WebDav)

If a client is sending complex requests involving multiple requirements, the target server may take some time to process it. In order to avoid a timeout error on the client's end, the server informs the client that the request has been received and is now being processed.

103 - Early hints

The 103 status code means that the server is about to send a final response containing the header fields and included in the informational response. 

301 - Moved Permanently

You will receive a 301 error when there’s a permanent redirect set to an original URL. It forwards the user agent to another URL. Usually, such small proxy errors are not an issue, as many scrapers and browsers will follow the new URL.  

305 - Use Proxy

The 305 error code pops up when the web server you’re requesting can be accessed only via a proxy. 

The 305 error code is deprecated, meaning it shouldn’t be used these days due to security concerns. That’s why the chances of you running into this proxy error are quite low. 

How to fix: In this case, a client should connect to a proxy server and re-try the same request. 

306 - Switch Proxy

The 306 error code response is a bit different from the 305 proxy error code. It entails that an HTTP client is already using a proxy server, and this code is used to tell that you should connect via another proxy server. Again, this error code is a rare find these days. 

How to fix: Connect using a different proxy server. 

307 - Temporary Redirect

If you see the 307 proxy error code, it means that you will be temporarily redirected to a different location in order to access the resource. 

How to fix: In this case, you should simply follow the redirect link and make the request again.

400 - Bad Request

The 400 error message is a common response signaling that the target server or the proxy server can’t process your request. It can be caused by multiple reasons, for example, invalid formatting, receptive request routing, or malformed syntax. 

How to fix: If you encounter this error code, the first thing you should do is scan through your request to ensure it contains all the required information. After that, you can try sending the request again. 

401 - Unauthorized

If you stumble upon a 401 proxy error code, most probably, the resource you’re trying to access requires authentication. You can solve the issue by providing authorization details. However, you should keep in mind that scraping data hidden under authentication requirements may be illegal or at least unethical. 

How to fix: You need to provide authorization information. 

403 - Forbidden

The 403 error message is extremely generic and is used when something’s forbidden, for whatever reason. Since it’s not specified, most of the time, it’s hard to figure out the actual reason. This code might signify that you’re trying to do something only site administrators can do. So you either don’t have permission for this or logged in using the wrong credentials.   

404 - Not Found

Proxies return a 404 error code when the online resource you requested is no longer available. It means that the URL is either incorrect, was changed without redirection, or doesn’t exist anymore. 

How to fix: If you see this error, you should double-check the URL and try again. 

407 - Proxy Authentication Required

You’ll see the 407 status code error when authentication is required. It happens when your scraping tool is not authenticated correctly with the proxy server provider or when you enter the wrong credentials. Another reason for this proxy error is not whitelisting your IPs in the proxy server settings. 

How to fix: Fixing this issue is simple. You need to update your proxy server settings by including whitelisted IPs and use appropriate credentials. Besides, you should make sure that all the required information is included in the request. If you don’t succeed in solving these proxy issues for some reason, contact your proxy server provider for assistance.  

408 - Request Timeout

The 408 proxy error code occurs when a client hasn’t made a request while a server is configured to wait. A slow request can happen for many reasons, including poor or lost internet connection. 

How to fix: You should check your connection and try sending the request again. If this proxy error is persistent, check your web server’s load. 

429 - Too Many Requests

The 429 proxy error occurs when a client is sending too many requests within a limited amount of time, using the same IP. This way, a web server considers you a bot and restricts access. 

Also, some proxy providers use the 429 status code to rate-limit the customer before reaching the web server. It may be determined by the proxy provider’s terms and conditions. 

How to fix: To fix this proxy error, you should rotate your IP address and set time delays between requests. You can also use our Residential Proxies, which rotate automatically, so you won't need to care about sending too many requests from the same IP address.

502 - Bad Gateway

Normally, you would get this error when the server you’re trying to reach acts as a proxy or a getaway and receives an invalid response from another server. 

How to fix: If you encounter this error, you should try clearing your cache and cookie files. If it doesn’t help, the next step you can take is to change your DNS and try making a request without using a proxy server. 

503 - Services Unavailable

You'll see the 503 status code error when the server you’re trying to access is unavailable. Most of the time, it happens because the server is overloaded with requests or it’s undergoing a planned downtime. 

Another reason for this is that your proxy IP has been identified and blocked from the website. In this case, you should try using a different proxy. Also, you can always prevent blocking by rotating your IP. You can also read our other article, for a more in depth look on how to avoid IP ban.

How to fix: Try rotating your IP address. 

Conclusion 

Proxy status error codes are quite an unfortunate obstacle on the way to the desired data. Nevertheless, most of them are quite straightforward to address if you know their meaning and basic steps to take when crashing into them. 

If you found this guide useful, you may also like this article explaining how to extract data from a website.