For some tests, a proxy or VPN is needed to connect to our customers' test environments. If that's the case and only when the test requires that separate connection, you will see it below the test environment URL towards the top of the test overview page.

In this article, you'll find information how to connect to a proxy or VPN and what VPN tools you can use.

Proxy

In a test, when a proxy is required to connect to the customer's website, all relevant information is displayed in the Access section on the test detail page: URL and port of our test IO proxy server as well as your credentials to connect to it.

The URL and port information is needed to set up the connection to our proxy server. Check out chapter Setup on how to set it up for your operating system and browser.

After setting up the proxy and trying to connect to a website via your browser, your browser will show a prompt and ask for your credentials (username and password).

Rules

Regarding our test IO proxy, please stick to the following rules:

The test IO proxy may only be used for customer projects; it is not for private use.
The test IO proxy may only be used for tests that require using a proxy. For all other tests, you must deactivate the test IO proxy before you start testing.

Setup

In the following text, we will show you how to setup a test IO proxy on different environments:

Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Super Proxy app on Android
Streaming Devices

Windows

Open the Settings app.
Click on Network & internet in the left menu.
Open Proxy settings.
Under the Manual proxy setup section click on the Set up button.
Enable Use a proxy server
Enter the test IO Proxy URL and Port under the Proxy IP address and Port, and click on the Save button.

7. Open the browser and access the website which needs to be tested. You will be asked for a Username and Password, please enter here your credentials which are given to you under the Access section - Proxy part on the Test Cycle Overview page.

macOS

Open the System Settings app.
Click on Network.
Select the option where are you connected to the Internet (Example: Wi-Fi).
Open Details of the connected network.
Click on the Proxies tab.
Enable Web Proxy (HTTP) and Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)
In both options, enter the Test IO Proxy URL and Port under the Server and Port input fields. Also, check and the Proxy server requires password, and enter your Username and Password which are given to you under the Access section - Proxy part on the Test Cycle Overview page.
After you have entered all details click on the OK button to apply settings.
Open the browser and access the website which needs to be tested. If you are asked again for a Username and Password, please enter here your credentials which are given to you under the Access section - Proxy part on the Test Cycle Overview page.

Android

Open the Settings app.
Navigate to Wi-Fi part.
Long tap on your wifi connection and tap on Manage network settings.
Tap on Show advanced options.
Tap on Proxy and change it to Manual.
Enter the test IO Proxy URL and Port and click on the Save button.

iOS

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Wi-Fi.
Tap on the info (i) icon on a currently connected network.
Scroll down to HTTP PROXY section and tap on Configure Proxy.
Select Manual.
Enter the test IO Proxy URL and Port under the Server and Port.
Enable Authentication and enter your Username and Password which are given to you under the Access section - Proxy part on the Test Cycle Overview page and click on the Save button.
Open the browser and access the website which needs to be tested. If you are asked again for a Username and Password / Proxy Authentication, please enter here your credentials which are given to you under the Access section - Proxy part on the Test Cycle Overview page.

Super Proxy on Android

Download the Super Proxy app from the Play Store.
Open the Super Proxy app and tap on the Add proxy button.
Here please fill out the Server, Port, Username, and Password.
In the Server, you should enter the test IO proxy URL. In the Port, you should enter the test IO proxy port. In Username and Password, you should enter your Username and Password which are given to you. All these details (Server, Port, Username, and Password) you can find under the Access section - Proxy part on the Test Cycle Overview page.
When you are done with filling out the necessary information, please click on the Save button which is located in the top right corner.
After you save the proxy, you should see now a green "Start" button, so please tap on it to start the proxy. NOTE: A "Connection request" window may appear after this action, you can allow this by clicking on the "OK" button.

Video - Proxy setup for Android and Windows

Streaming Devices

Setting up a proxy on streaming devices with webOS, TizenOS and many others can be a bit tricky, as these operating systems do not natively support proxy configurations in its settings. However, you can work around this limitation by using a few alternative methods. Here are some approaches you can consider:

Wi-Fi Hotspot with Proxy
You can create a Wi-Fi hotspot on a computer or a mobile device that has proxy settings configured, and then connect your streaming device to this hotspot.
- Configure the proxy on your computer or mobile device. You can refer to the corresponding sections in this article.
- Create a Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Connect your streaming device to the newly created hotspot.
Router Configuration
The most straightforward method is to configure the proxy settings directly on your router. This way, all devices connected to your network, including your streaming device, will route their traffic through the proxy server.
- Access your router’s admin panel: This is usually done by entering the router’s IP address in a web browser.
- Find the network settings: Look for sections like Internet Setup or WAN Settings.
- Enter your proxy details: If your router supports it, you can enter the proxy server IP and port number. Save the settings and restart your router.

VPN

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is used to establish a secure connection between remote networks across the Internet, so you can access e.g. private company networks or websites that are only accessible from a specific country. In order to use a VPN, you need a special software tool that enables you to set up a connection to it.

Both for mobile and desktop environments, there are multiple apps and programs that you can use. You can download it to your mobile device or as a program for your desktop computer. There are also add-ons for common browsers like Firefox and Chrome.

Below, we present you a few tools – both free and fee-based – that you can use to set up a VPN connection for testing. In case your device does not support installing VPN apps, please refer to our "How to set up a VPN router" article.