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UDP and QUIC (HTTP/3) support on Residential proxies

Residential proxies support UDP and QUIC (HTTP/3) over SOCKS5: what they are, who needs them, and how to set them up in Proxifier.

Proxy-Seller Residential proxies support not only regular TCP traffic but also UDP and QUIC (HTTP/3). Through a Residential IP you can run online games, voice and video calls, IPTV, streaming, and other services that need UDP.


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This article explains what UDP and QUIC are, who needs them, and how to set up a UDP connection on a computer.


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What UDP and QUIC are and why they are needed

Almost all internet traffic is sent over one of two protocols: TCP or UDP.

  • TCP is reliable but slower. It checks that every packet arrived and resends it if it is lost. Websites, email, and file downloads use TCP.

  • UDP is faster. It sends data right away, without confirmations. This matters where delay is more noticeable than the loss of a single packet: in games, calls, and broadcasts.

QUIC is a modern protocol built on UDP. HTTP/3, the new version of the web protocol, runs on it: pages and video load faster, and the connection is more stable on an unreliable network.


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Who needs it

UDP through a proxy is needed if you use:

  • online games — most games send game data over UDP;

  • voice and video calls — Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp, Zoom, and other messengers;

  • IPTV and streaming — many services broadcast video over UDP;

  • programs that send UDP requests themselves, including DNS.


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How it works

  • UDP and QUIC work only when connected over SOCKS5. The HTTP protocol carries TCP traffic only.

  • You do not need to turn anything on separately. The same connection details from your proxy list are used: host, port, login, and password.

  • It works with all Residential proxy lists.

  • The IP address for UDP may differ from the IP for TCP. Even when connecting through the same port, UDP traffic may leave to the network from a different IP address. The country and other location parameters are set by the list settings, so they do not change.

  • Technical details, including UDP relay ports, limitations, and code examples for UDP and HTTP/3, are available in our API documentation: HTTP/3 & UDP over SOCKS5.

Please note. IPv4, ISP, IPv6 and Mobile proxies still work over TCP only. If you need UDP, choose Residential proxies.


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Why websites open over HTTP/2 in a browser

If you set a proxy in the settings of Chrome, Firefox, or a browser extension, websites will open over HTTP/2, not HTTP/3. This is normal, and the proxy is working correctly.

The reason is that browsers cannot send UDP through a proxy: when connected through a proxy, they always use TCP. This is a limitation of the browsers themselves and does not depend on the proxy.
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To send real UDP through the proxy, you need a program that intercepts application traffic and sends it through SOCKS5. Below we show how to do this in Proxifier.


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Before you start: where to find the connection details

For the setup you need the details from your Residential proxy list:

  • Host (proxy address);

  • Port;

  • Login;

  • Password.
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They are in your personal account, in the section with your Residential proxies. If the list has not been created yet, create it first. How to do this is described in the article Creating and Managing Proxy Lists for Residential.


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Setting up in Proxifier

Proxifier is a PC program. It sends the traffic of selected programs through a proxy, even if the programs themselves cannot work with proxies.


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Step 1. Add the proxy

Add the proxy to Proxifier following the instructions in the article How to set up proxy in Proxifier?.

Pay attention to two points:

  • in the Protocol field, choose SOCKS5. HTTP and HTTPS protocols do not carry UDP;

  • enter the details from your Residential proxy list.


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Step 2. Send the needed programs through the proxy

  1. Open Profile → Proxification Rules.

  2. Click Add.

  3. In the Applications field, specify the program that needs UDP, for example a game or a messenger.

  4. In the Action field, choose the SOCKS5 proxy you added.

  5. Click OK.
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If the traffic of all programs should go through the proxy, choose the proxy in the Action field for the Default rule.


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Step 3. Check that UDP is not blocked

Proxifier can block UDP connections. In Profile → Proxification Rules, check that there is no rule with the Block action for the needed program.


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Step 4. Set up DNS

  1. Open Profile → Name Resolution.

  2. Choose Resolve hostnames through proxy.
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This way DNS requests also go through the proxy and do not reveal your real IP.


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Step 5. Check the connection

  1. Start the needed program.

  2. Open the Proxifier window and look at the list of connections. Next to the program's connections, your proxy should be shown. If you see Direct or Block, the traffic goes past the proxy: check the rules from steps 2 and 3.


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Good to know

  • You cannot connect to the proxy itself over https://, TLS, or QUIC. In programs, specify the regular SOCKS5 protocol. This does not prevent QUIC and HTTP/3 from working with websites: such traffic passes inside the SOCKS5 connection.

  • If UDP does not work, check that SOCKS5 is selected in Proxifier.

  • If a program's traffic goes past the proxy, check the rules in Profile → Proxification Rules.

  • Other programs that support UDP over SOCKS5: Clash, sing-box, v2rayN, and Shadowrocket (iOS). In their settings, choose the SOCKS5 proxy type and turn on UDP.
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If something does not work, write to us in the support chat, and we will help with the setup.

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