Syrian IP vs VPN vs proxy: which one do you need?
The three terms are often used as if they meant the same thing. They do not. This article explains what each one is, what passes through it on your device and what does not, and which approach fits what you want to do.
Three terms, three meanings
- A Syrian IP address: the result, meaning the address a website sees when your connection reaches it. You get one through a VPN or a proxy.
- A VPN: a tunnel that carries the whole device's traffic to another server, which then goes out to the internet, so every app passes through it.
- A proxy: an intermediary that carries traffic only for the program you configure it in, while the rest of the device keeps its normal connection.
So the real question is not which one is best but what needs to exit from Syria: the whole device, the browser, or one program? With syriaproxy every method ends at the same kind of Syriatel address; an overview of the service is on Syrian proxy.
A tunnel for the whole device
The syriaproxy apps for Windows, Android and Linux, and the WireGuard file for iPhone, iPad, macOS and routers, all work this way. While the tunnel is on, every app on the device exits from Syria, including apps that give you no proxy setting, such as banking and wallet apps. The file steps are in WireGuard setup.
The trade-off is that everything the device uses counts against your balance, including updates and background backups, so switch the tunnel off when you do not need it. Usage estimates are in How much data you need.
The browser only
The Chrome and Edge extension makes the browser exit from Syria and leaves other programs on your normal connection. It suits people who need particular Syrian websites and want their calls and downloads to stay outside the tunnel. Installation is in Browser extension setup.
A proxy for one program
You set the proxy inside the program itself: SOCKS5 or HTTP on gw.syriaproxy.com port 2080, or the HTTPS proxy on port 2443, with a username and password from Connect in your account. Copy as link gives you the line ready to paste:
socks5h://USER:PASS@gw.syriaproxy.com:2080
If you need several sessions at once, the Proxy generator creates them, and with Static you choose how long each address is held, from 10 to 120 minutes. Code examples are in Syrian proxy for developers, and program settings in Proxy setup.
Encryption
The apps, the extension, WireGuard and the HTTPS proxy encrypt the path between your device and our server, so your internet provider cannot see what you open. SOCKS5 and HTTP do not encrypt that part, though sites that use https stay protected by their own encryption.
After our server, traffic leaves through Syriatel without our encryption, just as any phone's traffic does in Syria. That is why https protects the content you send to a site with every method. What to watch for with wallets is covered in Keeping your wallet safe with a proxy or VPN.
Domain names (DNS)
With the tunnel and the extension, names are resolved inside Syria automatically. With SOCKS5 that happens only if you write socks5h or turn on Proxy DNS in your program. Otherwise your device asks a DNS server in your own country, which can reveal that you are outside Syria.
Which one to pick
- Wallet and banking apps on a phone: a whole-device tunnel, meaning the syriaproxy app on Android or WireGuard on iPhone.
- Websites in a browser: the extension, so only what the browser opens is charged to your balance.
- Scripts and automated programs: a proxy inside the program, with Address type set to Static if the script signs in to an account.
- The whole home: WireGuard on a router that supports it, so every device connected to it exits from Syria with no setup on each one. The router file is on the Download page.
You do not have to choose just one. A single balance works on all your devices and methods: the extension on a laptop, WireGuard on a phone, a proxy in a script, all drawing from the same account. Amounts are on Pricing.
Questions
Does any VPN with a "Syria server" give the same result?
Not always. Many of those servers use data center addresses that many services block. Check the network field on ipinfo.io; the explanation is in Syrian mobile IP vs data center IP.
Is the proxy password sent in the clear?
With SOCKS5 and HTTP, the sign-in details for the proxy travel unencrypted. On a public network use HTTPS, and if you think someone has seen them, use New password in your account.
Can I give my proxy details to a friend?
No. Sharing or reselling connection details is not allowed under the Acceptable use policy; each person creates their own account.
Can I send email through the proxy?
No. Mail ports 25, 465 and 587 are closed on every method.
Does a proxy need anything installed?
No. You enter the host, port, username and password in the program's settings, so it works on any device or program that supports a proxy, even where we have no app.
Sign up and pick the method that suits your device from your account.