Set up Smartproxy’s proxies with the Waterfox browser

If you haven’t done so, install the Waterfox browser from their website. Select your operating system, download it, and go through the installation process. Once you’re done, launch the application, and you’ll arrive at a new tab window. The interface needs no explanation as it is simple and intuitive, especially if you’ve used Firefox or similar web browsers. You can play around with it and see how it works, test its features, change some settings, and get comfortable with it. 

If you’re using an older operating system, you might also be interested in a classic version called Waterfox Classic. However, remember that it’s an old version with several vulnerabilities and bugs and won’t have most of the features included in the newest version.

Once you’re all set and ready, let’s not hesitate and set up our proxies to browse safely from the beginning:

1. In the top right corner, open the menu and click Settings.

2. In the General tab, scroll to the bottom and find the Network Settings section. You can also use the search bar at the top to find it more easily.

3. Click Settings…

4. Select Manual proxy configuration found under Configure Proxy Access to the Internet.

From this point, you can approach it in two ways: set up residential or datacenter proxies.

Integration with residential proxies

To set up Waterfox with Smartproxy’s residential proxies, follow these steps:

1. Open the Smartproxy dashboard.

2. Select Residential proxies from the sidebar and then Residential.

3. Purchase a plan that best suits your needs.

4. Open the Proxy setup tab.

5. Navigate to the Endpoint generator.

6. For the Authentication method, select Whitelisted IP. While we aren’t necessarily going to use this method, it will create an easy-to-copy endpoint string.

7. Select other necessary parameters, such as location and session type, and set the protocol as endpoint:port.

8. Copy one of the generated endpoints.

9. Return to Waterfox’s Manual proxy configuration window and paste the generated endpoint in the HTTP Proxy, HTTPS Proxy, or SOCKS Host input fields. Make sure to separate the port number and enter it in a separate field on the right side.

10. Click OK to save your configuration.

And you’re done! You’ll now browse the internet through a configured proxy server using the Waterfox browser.

Integration with datacenter proxies

To set up Waterfox with Smartproxy’s datacenter proxies, follow these steps:

1. Open the Smartproxy dashboard.

2. Select Datacenter proxies from the sidebar and then Datacenter (Pay/GB), Datacenter (Pay/IP), or Dedicated Datacenter.

3. Purchase a plan that best suits your needs.

4. Open the Proxy setup tab.

5. Navigate to the Endpoint generator.

6. Select the necessary parameters, such as proxy location and session type. The choice of output format doesn’t matter, as you’ll only take a part of it. Leave it as endpoint:port.

7. Copy one of the generated endpoints.

8. Return to Waterfox’s Manual proxy configuration window and paste the generated endpoint in the HTTP Proxy, HTTPS Proxy, or SOCKS Host input fields. You’ll only need the endpoint part without the username and password (ex. gate.dc.smartproxy.com). The port number must be entered in a separate field on the right side.

9. Click OK to save your configuration.

10. Enter any website’s page by entering an address in the URL bar. You’ll be prompted to enter your username and password for authentication. Copy them from your dashboard, paste them, and click Sign in.

That’s all! You’re now browsing the web through datacenter proxies. Sometimes, you might get an alert window and must re-enter your authentication details, so ensure you’ve got them saved.

Further customization

There are several more options in the Connection Settings window that you might find helpful:

• No proxy for – enter a list of website URLs or IP addresses you want to connect to without a proxy. Values need to be separated by commas.
• Do not prompt for authentication if the password is saved – you’ll sometimes get a prompt to re-enter your credentials while you browse various sites. However, if you saved your password before and then select this option, it will not require it. This can significantly improve your experience without those extra annoying pop-ups getting in your way.
• Proxy DNS when using SOCKS v5 – by default, this option is disabled, and DNS lookup happens through your main connection instead of a proxy. Check this option if you want to perform it through the SOCKS v5 protocol instead.