How to create SOCKS proxy on Windows

A SOCKS proxy allows applications to route their traffic through an intermediary server. This method can be useful for privacy, accessing restricted content, or secure communication. Unlike a VPN, it works at the application level, making it versatile for specific use cases.

On Windows, you can set up a SOCKS proxy using PuTTY. PuTTY connects your Windows system to a remote SSH server, which acts as the proxy. This setup uses SSH tunneling to direct the traffic through the server, ensuring secure data transmission.

This guide outlines the steps to create a SOCKS proxy on Windows. The process is simple and requires only basic configuration of PuTTY and the SSH server.

1. Download PuTTY from the official website.

   https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html

2. Launch PuTTY.
3. Go to Connection → SSH → Tunnels from the category menu.
4. Enter the port number that you want the SOCKS proxy to listen to in the Source port field.

   Use unprivileged port which is from 1024 to 65535

5. Make sure Auto and Dynamic radio buttons are selected.
6. Click on Add button.
7. Go to Session from the category menu.
8. Enter the Host Name / IP address and Port of the server that you want to create a tunnel to and click on the Open button.
9. Log in to the server with a valid credential.
10. Configure your applications to connect to the newly created SOCKS proxy running on the selected port using SOCKS5 option.