Direct Answer
To use a mobile proxy with cURL, pass it with -x: curl -x http://USER:PASS@HOST:PORT https://example.com. For SOCKS5 with remote DNS use --socks5-hostname USER:PASS@HOST:PORT. cURL is the quickest way to confirm a German mobile endpoint works before you wire it into any scraper or app.
Why Start With cURL
Before you touch a single line of Python or Node, cURL answers one question in one command: is the proxy actually working? It's the universal debugging tool — every fix for a broken proxy setup starts here. If cURL gets a clean German mobile IP, your code will too; if it doesn't, the problem is the endpoint or credentials, not your script.
Before You Start
You'll need four values from your GermanProxy.io account:
- Host and port of your endpoint
- Username and password
The examples use PROXY_HOST, PORT, USER and PASS as placeholders — replace them with your own.
HTTP Proxy
The -x (or --proxy) flag sets the proxy. Credentials can go in the URL:
curl -x http://USER:PASS@PROXY_HOST:PORT https://example.com
Or keep them separate with --proxy-user:
curl -x http://PROXY_HOST:PORT --proxy-user USER:PASS https://example.com
SOCKS5 Proxy
Use --socks5-hostname so DNS is resolved at the proxy (the German exit), not on your machine — this avoids a DNS leak:
curl --socks5-hostname USER:PASS@PROXY_HOST:PORT https://example.com
Plain --socks5 resolves DNS locally; prefer --socks5-hostname for clean results. See SOCKS5 vs HTTP proxy and what is a DNS leak.
Verify Your German Mobile IP
The single most useful command — echo back the IP cURL is exiting from:
curl -x http://USER:PASS@PROXY_HOST:PORT https://api.ipify.org
It should print a German mobile IP, not your own address. If it prints your address, the proxy isn't in the path — re-check the URL. A 407 Proxy Authentication Required means the credentials didn't reach the proxy; see how to fix 407 proxy authentication required.
Handy Flags for Debugging
-v— verbose: shows the proxyCONNECThandshake and headers.-I— headers only, for a quick reachability check.--connect-timeout 20— fail fast instead of hanging.-w "%{time_total}sn" -o /dev/null -s— measure response time through the proxy.
curl -v -x http://USER:PASS@PROXY_HOST:PORT -o /dev/null https://example.com
Sticky Sessions vs. Rotation
A single cURL call is one request. To observe rotation, run the IP-echo command twice and compare — with a sticky session the IP stays the same; rotate on demand at the proxy to get a fresh one. The country stays German either way. See sticky sessions and IP rotation explained.
Use It Responsibly
A mobile proxy improves reliability for legitimate requests and testing — it is not a tool to circumvent access controls or platform rules. Respect each site's robots.txt and terms, request only what you need, and handle any personal data in line with the GDPR. For the legal side, see is web scraping legal? EU & GDPR.
FAQ
What's the difference between -x and --proxy?
None — -x is the short form of --proxy. Both set the proxy for the request.
How do I pass the username and password?
Put them in the proxy URL (http://USER:PASS@HOST:PORT) or use --proxy-user USER:PASS. If a credential contains special characters, URL-encode it.
--socks5 or --socks5-hostname?
Use --socks5-hostname so the proxy resolves DNS at the German exit. Plain --socks5 resolves locally, which can leak your DNS.
Why do I get a 407?
407 Proxy Authentication Required means the username/password didn't reach the proxy. Re-check them; see the 407 fix guide.
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