How to set up a proxy in Selenium in Python

Selenium with Python is a versatile tool for automating web browsers, widely used in testing and web scraping. Sometimes, setting up an authenticated proxy in Selenium is necessary to maintain anonymity and circumvent restrictions during data collection or testing. This article will guide you through setting up an authenticated proxy in Selenium using Python, specifically employing the selenium-wire library and creating a web driver.

Video tutorial for proxy configuration in Selenium

Step-by-step proxy setup in Selenium

1. Begin by installing the selenium-wire library using pip.

   

2. Create an instance of the Selenium driver using your choice of browser, such as Chrome or Firefox.

   

3. To utilize a proxy with authorization, ensure to configure the driver instance with your proxy server settings. For example, in Chrome, replace 'username', 'password', 'proxy_address', and 'proxy_port' with your actual proxy server details.

   

4. With the proxy-configured driver, you can now automate browser actions, with all HTTP requests being routed through the proxy IP address.

   

5. For illustration, here's how to set a proxy for a specific site in Selenium:

   

With these steps, you'll have successfully set up an authenticated proxy in Selenium using Python and the selenium-wire library. This setup is especially beneficial for tasks like web scraping, data collection, or automating internet activities with different IP addresses.