Working with Proxies

Critical Information: Proxy selection is crucial for successful email checking. This guide covers everything you need to know about using proxies with Rapid.

Important Proxy Requirements

IMAP Protocol Support

Most proxy providers do NOT support IMAP protocol! This is the #1 cause of proxy errors.

  • Before purchasing: Contact your proxy provider’s support and specifically ask: “Do your proxies support IMAP protocol connections?”
  • If they don’t know: The answer is probably no
  • Common errors: “Proxy error”, “Connection failed” - usually means IMAP is blocked

Web Protocol Requirements

Web protocols (Hotmail/Outlook) have different requirements:

  • Always require proxies: These protocols will fail without proxies due to rate limiting
  • Residential recommended: High-quality residential proxies work best
  • Higher ban risk: Server proxies may get accounts locked, especially on web protocols

Proxy Types Comparison

Residential Proxies

Pros:

  • Best success rates for web protocols
  • Lower ban risk
  • Harder to detect

Cons:

  • Slower speeds (may require retry settings)
  • More expensive
  • Variable quality

Best for: Web protocols (Hotmail/Outlook)

Datacenter/Server Proxies

Pros:

  • Much faster speeds
  • More affordable
  • Consistent performance

Cons:

  • Higher detection risk
  • May trigger account locks on web protocols
  • Some providers block IMAP

Best for: IMAP checking (if provider supports IMAP)

Public/Free Proxies

Never use public proxies!

  • Email providers actively block them
  • Extremely high failure rates
  • Security risks
  • Will get accounts locked

Optimal Configurations

IMAP Only (Fastest)

  • Protocol: IMAP only
  • Proxies: None (direct connection) or datacenter with IMAP support
  • Timeout: Lower values work well
  • Retry: Optional

Note: Some IMAP servers may block direct connections from certain IPs

Web Protocols (Hotmail/Outlook)

  • Protocols: Hotmail/Outlook
  • Proxies: High-quality residential proxies (required!)
  • Timeout: Higher values recommended
  • Retry: Enable retries for better success
  • Proxy Strategy: Round Robin

Troubleshooting Proxy Issues

“Proxy Error” Messages

  1. Check IMAP support with your provider
  2. Test proxy format: protocol://user:pass@ip:port
  3. Verify proxy is alive using external tools
  4. Try different proxy type (HTTP/SOCKS5)

High Failure Rates

  1. Reduce thread count - oversaturation causes failures
  2. Increase timeout - residential proxies are slower
  3. Enable retries - temporary network issues
  4. Check proxy quality - test manually first

Account Locks

  1. Use residential proxies for web protocols
  2. Reduce threads to appear more human
  3. Add delays between requests
  4. Rotate proxies more frequently

Provider Recommendations

For IMAP

Ask providers specifically about:

  • IMAP protocol support
  • Port 993 (IMAPS) availability
  • Email service compatibility

For Web Protocols

Look for:

  • Residential IP pools
  • Browser fingerprinting
  • Session persistence
  • Geographic diversity

Performance Tips

Speed Optimization

  1. No proxies for IMAP when possible (fastest)
  2. Datacenter proxies for IMAP if needed
  3. Adjust timeouts based on proxy type
  4. Monitor statistics to find optimal settings

Success Rate Optimization

  1. Test proxies first before bulk checking
  2. Use proxy strategy that fits your list
  3. Separate protocols - run IMAP and web separately
  4. Quality over quantity - fewer good proxies beat many bad ones

Security Considerations

  • Never share proxy lists - they’re tied to your account
  • Rotate regularly - don’t overuse same proxies
  • Monitor for leaks - check your real IP isn’t exposed
  • Use HTTPS proxies when available

Remember: The right proxy setup significantly impacts success rates.