How to fix ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED in Chrome
ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED means Chrome is set to use a proxy and couldn’t open a connection to it. Nothing reached a website. Either the proxy address or port is wrong, the proxy drops your connection because your IP isn’t authorized, something on your computer blocks the connection, or an old proxy setting is still switched on.
Chrome shows ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED (net error -130) when it can’t even reach the proxy server. Chromium’s own error list describes it as a failure to resolve the proxy’s name or to connect a socket to it. That rules out a lot: the website isn’t down, it hasn’t blocked you, and the proxy didn’t reject a request. The connection to the proxy never happened.
The error shows up in two very different situations. Either you’re setting up a proxy on purpose and something in the address, port, authorization or firewall is off. Or you aren’t using a proxy at all, and an old setting from a VPN, an extension, malware or a previous job is still telling Chrome to use one. Every site then fails at once, which is why this error looks like “the internet is down.”
This guide gives you a quick test that tells the two apart, then a checklist in order of likelihood, with the exact menus and commands for Windows and macOS.
Which Storm plan fits
For browsing through a proxy in Chrome, rotating proxies on the 3- or 15-minute gateway keep one IP long enough for a site to work normally. One tab uses around 10 threads, so the 10-thread package is only for testing; 40 threads or more is comfortable. If you need one fixed IP for an account, a private dedicated proxy fits better.
Rotating proxies (from $14/mo): 700,000+ IPs behind fixed gateway IP:PORTs. New IP on every request, or every 3 or 15 minutes. USA, EU, USA+EU or Worldwide. Unlimited bandwidth on every plan.
Get 40 threads for $39/mo See all rotating proxies plansBefore you start
- Log in to the member area and copy your gateway
IP:PORTs. They never change; the rotation happens on our side. - Add the public IP of the computer or server that will run your tool under Authorized IPs, click Save, and allow up to 15 minutes before testing. Rotating and residential proxies use IP authentication, so there is no username or password.
- Dedicated proxies work with either IP authentication or a username and password. Use user:pass if your IP changes or the tool runs on several machines.
- Count your threads: the tool’s total open connections must stay within your plan (for example 40 threads on the 40-thread plan).
Troubleshooting checklist, most likely cause first
- Decide whether you want a proxy at all
Open
chrome://net-internals/#proxy. It shows the proxy settings Chrome is actually using. If you see a proxy you don’t recognize, skip to step 5 and remove it. If you see your own gateway, keep going. - Test the gateway port outside Chrome
On Windows run
Test-NetConnection GATEWAY_IP -Port PORTin PowerShell; on macOS runnc -vz GATEWAY_IP PORTin Terminal. If the TCP test fails, the address, port or network path (a firewall) is wrong, not Chrome. If it succeeds, the port is open, but that doesn’t prove your IP is authorized: Storm gateways accept the TCP connection from any IP and reset it later if the IP isn’t on the list. Check authorization next, then Chrome’s configuration. - Check that your IP is authorized
Rotating and residential gateways only accept connections from IPs saved under Authorized IPs in the member area. Compare it with your current public IPv4 address (checked with the proxy off), save it if it changed, and wait up to 15 minutes. A VPN changes the IP the gateway sees, so authorize the IP you’ll really connect from.
- Check the address, port and field
Copy the
IP:PORTagain from the member area. Put it in the HTTP and HTTPS (“Secure Web Proxy”) fields only. Storm gateways are HTTP(S) proxies, not SOCKS, so a SOCKS field makes Chrome speak the wrong protocol to them. Don’t addhttp://to the address field in Windows or macOS settings. - Remove leftover or competing proxy settings
In
chrome://settings/system, a line saying an extension controls your proxy settings means that extension wins over the system settings. Disable it, or remove its profile. VPN apps sometimes leave a system proxy behind after you quit them. On a work computer,chrome://policyshows proxy rules set by your organization. - Let the connection through firewalls and antivirus
Corporate firewalls, school networks and some antivirus “web protection” features block outgoing connections to unusual ports. Try the same gateway from another network, such as a phone hotspot. If it works there, ask the network owner to allow the gateway port, or run your tool from a different machine.
- Stay inside your thread limit
If the error shows up on some tabs while others load, you may be opening more connections than your plan allows. One tab can use around 10 threads, so a 10-thread plan fills up with a single busy tab. Close tabs, or move to a larger package.
- Reset and restart
After any change, fully quit Chrome (on Windows check the tray icon too) and open it again. In
chrome://net-internals/#proxy, click Re-apply settings and Clear bad proxies, because Chrome temporarily marks a failed proxy as bad and skips it.
Commands to test and reset proxy settings
Replace GATEWAY_IP and PORT with a gateway from your member area. These commands only read or reset settings on your own computer.
# 1. Can this computer open a TCP connection to the gateway?
Test-NetConnection GATEWAY_IP -Port PORT # look for TcpTestSucceeded : True
# 2. What proxy does the per-user (Chrome/Edge) setting point to?
Get-ItemProperty "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" |
Select-Object ProxyEnable, ProxyServer, AutoConfigURL
# 3. WinHTTP proxy (used by some services and apps, not by Chrome)
netsh winhttp show proxy
netsh winhttp reset proxy # run as administrator to clear it# 1. Can this Mac open a TCP connection to the gateway?
nc -vz GATEWAY_IP PORT
# 2. List network services, then read the proxy settings of yours
networksetup -listallnetworkservices
networksetup -getwebproxy "Wi-Fi"
networksetup -getsecurewebproxy "Wi-Fi"
networksetup -getautoproxyurl "Wi-Fi"
# 3. Turn a leftover proxy off
networksetup -setwebproxystate "Wi-Fi" off
networksetup -setsecurewebproxystate "Wi-Fi" off# Windows
"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --user-data-dir=%TEMP%\proxytest --proxy-server="http://GATEWAY_IP:PORT"
# macOS
open -na "Google Chrome" --args --user-data-dir=/tmp/proxytest --proxy-server="http://GATEWAY_IP:PORT"
# Same window with no proxy at all, to prove your internet works:
# replace --proxy-server=... with --no-proxy-serverWhat the error does and doesn’t mean
Chromium splits proxy failures into separate errors, and the name tells you how far the connection got:
- ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED (-130): Chrome couldn’t resolve the proxy’s hostname or couldn’t open a TCP connection to it. Nothing reached the proxy.
- ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED (-111): Chrome did reach the proxy, but the proxy didn’t open the HTTPS tunnel. That’s a different problem, covered in the ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED guide.
- A 407 or sign-in dialog: the proxy is up and wants to know who you are. See 407 Proxy Authentication Required.
So with -130 you only need to look at three things: the address, the path between you and that address, and whether the proxy accepts connections from you.
Where Chrome gets its proxy settings
Chrome has no proxy fields of its own. In order of priority, it takes them from:
- Policies set by an organization (visible in
chrome://policy). - An extension that controls proxy settings. Only one extension can control them at a time, and it overrides the system.
- Command-line flags such as
--proxy-server, used by shortcuts, automation tools and some apps that launch Chrome. - Your operating system’s settings. On Windows: Settings → Network & internet → Proxy (the older dialog is Internet Options → Connections → LAN settings). On macOS: System Settings → Network → your connection → Details → Proxies.
If you change the Windows proxy and nothing happens, one of the higher layers is winning. Edge, Brave and Opera use the same Chromium code and read the same layers, so a leftover system proxy breaks them too. Firefox keeps separate settings (Settings → General → Network Settings) and shows its own message: “The proxy server is refusing connections.” The Windows and macOS guides walk through each screen.
Leftover settings: the usual suspects
When you didn’t set a proxy yourself, one of these usually did:
- VPN and “privacy” apps that set a system proxy while connected and don’t clean up after a crash or uninstall.
- Proxy-switching extensions still pointing at a proxy you no longer pay for.
- Automatic configuration scripts (PAC). A “Use setup script” address in Windows or “Automatic Proxy Configuration” on macOS that points to a dead server can break every connection.
- Adware that redirects traffic through its own local proxy, often
127.0.0.1with an odd port. If you find this and didn’t install it, run a malware scan before you just switch it off, because it often comes back.
Turning off “Automatically detect settings” is fine at home. On company networks it may be required, so check before you change it.
When the setup is right but connections still fail
If the address is correct, the port test from step 2 fails and your IP is authorized, look at the network you’re on. Hotel, school and office Wi-Fi often only allow web ports outbound. A phone hotspot is the quickest way to prove it: if the gateway works there, the network is blocking it.
Two Storm-specific notes help here. Gateway IP:PORTs are fixed and don’t change, so an address that worked last week is still the right address; look at your IP and network first. And if your home IP changes often, authorize a free dynamic DNS hostname (No-IP) instead of a raw IP, so the authorization follows you.
If you browse through the gateway on several computers or with automation running at the same time, add up their connections. Every browser, tool and script shares the same thread limit.
Common errors and fixes
ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED on every siteA system or extension proxy points somewhere unreachable. Check chrome://net-internals/#proxy, then turn the proxy off or correct it.TcpTestSucceeded : False / nc: connect ... Connection refusedNothing answered on that IP and port: a typo in the address or port, or a firewall in between. Test from a hotspot to tell them apart. An unauthorized IP doesn’t cause this; the TCP test passes and the gateway resets the connection later.FAQ
Is ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED a problem with the website?
No. Chrome never got as far as the website. The failure is between your computer and the proxy server.
How do I turn off the proxy in Chrome?
Chrome uses your system’s settings. On Windows, open Settings → Network & internet → Proxy and turn off “Use a proxy server.” On macOS, open System Settings → Network → your connection → Details → Proxies and switch off every proxy type. If an extension controls the proxy, disable the extension.
I just bought Storm proxies and get this error. What did I miss?
Most often the authorized IP. Rotating and residential plans accept connections only from the IP you saved in the member area, and saving it can take up to 15 minutes to apply. There is no username or password to enter.
Do Storm gateway addresses change?
No. Your gateway IP:PORTs are fixed; the exit IPs rotate behind them. If a gateway stopped working, check your own IP and network first.
Can I put a Storm gateway in Chrome’s SOCKS field?
No. Storm gateways are HTTP(S) proxies, not SOCKS. Use the HTTP and HTTPS (Secure Web Proxy) fields.
Does clearing the cache fix this error?
Rarely. Cache and cookies have nothing to do with reaching a proxy. Fixing the proxy settings or authorization does.
Still have questions? Contact us here. A real person answers.
Related guides
Tool facts checked against the official documentation (October 2026): Chromium net error list · Chromium: proxy support in Chrome · Microsoft: Use a proxy server in Windows · Microsoft: Test-NetConnection · Microsoft: netsh winhttp · Apple: Change proxy settings on Mac · Firefox: Connection settings. Storm Proxies facts: our plans page and refund policy.
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