> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.clianta.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Proxy Setup

> Configure a proxy to give each Instagram account a consistent home location

A proxy routes your account's traffic through a specific location, giving it a consistent IP address and geographic identity. This is one of the most important steps for keeping your accounts safe.

## Why proxies matter

Instagram tracks where you log in from. If your account appears in New York one hour and Tokyo the next, it raises a red flag. A proxy gives your account a fixed "home" so every session comes from the same place.

<Warning>
  Using the same proxy for multiple accounts is risky. Each Instagram account should have its own dedicated proxy.
</Warning>

## What type of proxy to use

| Type                     | Recommended?    | Notes                                                              |
| ------------------------ | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Static residential**   | Best choice     | Real residential IPs that don't change. Most trusted by Instagram. |
| **Rotating residential** | Not recommended | IP changes between sessions — looks suspicious.                    |
| **Datacenter**           | Avoid           | Easily detected and flagged by Instagram.                          |

<Tip>
  We recommend providers like Webshare, Smartproxy, or Bright Data for static residential proxies. Look for plans that offer dedicated IPs with a specific country.
</Tip>

## Proxy format

Enter your proxy in this format:

```
protocol://username:password@host:port
```

**Examples:**

* `http://user123:pass456@proxy.example.com:8080`
* `socks5://user123:pass456@192.168.1.100:1080`

Supported protocols: **HTTP**, **HTTPS**, and **SOCKS5**.

## Setting up your proxy

<Steps>
  <Step title="Get your proxy details">
    From your proxy provider, copy the host, port, username, and password.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open proxy settings">
    Go to your account's **Proxy & Geo** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the proxy">
    Paste your proxy URL or fill in the individual fields (host, port, username, password, protocol).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the country">
    Select the country that matches your proxy's location. Clianta uses this to set the correct timezone and geographic signals.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test the connection">
    Click **Test Proxy**. Clianta checks that Instagram is reachable through your proxy and measures the speed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What the proxy test checks

When you test a proxy, Clianta verifies:

* **Reachability** — Can Instagram be accessed through this proxy?
* **Speed** — How fast is the connection?
  * Under 1 second: Good
  * 1–3 seconds: Slow (may cause timeouts)
  * Over 3 seconds: Very slow (not recommended)
* **Location** — Detects the proxy's country and IP address automatically

## Timezone and location

Clianta automatically sets the timezone to match your proxy's country. This means:

* [Working hours](/features/scheduling) follow the proxy's timezone (e.g., a US proxy means Eastern Time)
* The device fingerprint reflects the correct geographic region
* Instagram sees a consistent location across sessions

<Note>
  If Clianta can't detect your proxy's country automatically, you'll be prompted to select it manually. Automation won't start until the country is set.
</Note>

## Common issues

See [Proxy Errors](/troubleshooting/proxy-errors) for solutions to connection failures, slow proxies, and geo mismatches.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Device fingerprints" icon="fingerprint" href="/connecting/fingerprints">
    How fingerprints work with your proxy
  </Card>

  <Card title="Proxy errors" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/troubleshooting/proxy-errors">
    Troubleshoot proxy connection issues
  </Card>
</CardGroup>