How to Keep Real IP for Video Hosting with Proxy

Yes, it’s possible to keep your real IP address for specific video hosting platforms when using proxies. This is achieved by creating proxy server configuration rules that exclude certain domains from routing through the proxy, allowing them to see your real IP address. This approach is called a “whitelist” or “bypass list” and is implemented through proxy server or browser settings.

Contents

• What are proxy bypass rules
• Methods to keep real IP for video hosting platforms
• Configuring Squid proxy for whitelisting
• Browser configuration for proxy bypass
• Solutions for specific platforms
• Pros and cons of the approach
• Step-by-step implementation

What are proxy bypass rules

Proxy bypass rules allow you to exclude specific domains or IP addresses from routing through the proxy server. When you visit a site included in the bypass list, your connection is established directly without using the proxy. This means that video hosting platforms see your real IP address rather than the proxy’s IP.

As explained in the ClearOS documentation, using a content filter is preferable for whitelisting sites as it better distinguishes between groups and can have separate policies. However, sometimes it’s necessary to whitelist directly on the proxy server.

The main types of bypass mechanisms are:

• At the operating system level: Proxy settings in system parameters
• At the browser level: Extensions and proxy settings for specific sites
• At the proxy server level: Configuration files with domain exclusion rules

Methods to keep real IP for video hosting platforms

1. Using proxy authentication instead of IP authentication

Proxy servers have two main authentication methods: IP authentication (whitelisting) and username/password authorization. In your case, the second method is suitable - when the proxy requires a login and password but doesn’t block access by IP, you can configure bypass for specific domains.

2. Residential proxies for video hosting platforms

As noted by experts at My IP Hide, residential proxies use real IP addresses assigned to residential locations. They are difficult for video hosting platforms to detect and effectively work for content unblocking while maintaining a low profile. To keep your real IP, you can use residential proxies only for needed sites.

3. DNS bypassing

Configuring DNS for specific domains can allow them to bypass the proxy. This is especially useful for video hosting platforms that require direct connections for proper functionality.

4. Application-level configuration

Many video hosting applications (e.g., YouTube, Twitch apps) allow you to configure network parameters separately from system proxy settings.

Configuring Squid proxy for whitelisting

Squid is one of the most popular proxy servers with whitelisting support. As described in the Steelmon’s tech stuff guide, you can configure a strict whitelist proxy.

Basic Squid configuration:

# Open the Squid configuration file
sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf

# Add basic acl rules
acl videohostings dstdomain .youtube.com .twitch.tv .vimeo.com
acl bypass dst_regex ^http(s)?://(www\.)?(youtube\.com|twitch\.tv|vimeo\.com)

# Allow access to video hosting platforms without proxy
http_access allow bypass

# Deny everything else
http_access deny all

Whitelist file:

As mentioned in the DNS Tools article, you can create a separate file with a list of domains:

# Create a whitelist file
sudo nano /etc/squid/whitelist.txt

# Add domains in the format:
youtube.com
twitch.tv
vimeo.com
*.youtube.com

Browser configuration for proxy bypass

Proxy settings in browsers:

Most browsers allow you to configure exceptions for proxies:

1. Google Chrome:

   • Go to Settings → Network → Change proxy settings
   • In the “Do not use proxy for the following addresses” section, add video hosting domains

2. Firefox:

   • Settings → Network → Settings → Proxy settings
   • In the “Exceptions” field, add video hosting addresses

Extensions for proxy management:

As mentioned in the Thordata guide, the Proxy SwitchyOmega extension allows you to easily switch proxy servers and configure exceptions for specific sites.

Settings for specific platforms:

For YouTube and Twitch, you can create separate profile settings:

{
  "proxyMode": "pacScript",
  "pacScript": {
    "data": "function FindProxyForURL(url, host) {\n  if (shExpMatch(host, '*youtube.com') || shExpMatch(host, '*twitch.tv')) {\n    return 'DIRECT';\n  }\n  return 'PROXY proxy.server:8080';\n}"
  }
}

Solutions for specific platforms

YouTube:

As explained by IP2World, YouTube has complex proxy detection mechanisms. To keep your real IP when accessing YouTube:

1. Use “Direct” mode for *.youtube.com domains
2. Disable proxy for YouTube mobile apps
3. Configure bypass for YouTube CDN (.googlevideo.com)

Twitch:

According to CyberNews, Twitch requires stable connections and may block proxy servers. To keep your real IP:

1. Configure bypass for *.twitch.tv domains
2. Exclude *.twitchcdn.net from routing through the proxy
3. Use direct access for Twitch chat

Other video hosting platforms:

For Vimeo, Dailymotion, and other platforms, configure similar rules by adding their domains to the bypass list.

Pros and cons of the approach

Advantages:

• Maintaining real IP for needed services
• Improved performance of video streaming through direct connections
• Bypassing proxy restrictions for specific platforms
• Configuration flexibility

Disadvantages:

• Reduced anonymity for excluded sites
• Setup complexity for beginners
• Potential security risks with direct connections
• Conflicts between different bypass methods

As noted by ProxyMesh, in internet proxy usage, “whitelist” refers to a list of IP addresses considered acceptable senders. Requests from addresses in the proxy server’s whitelist are not filtered.

Step-by-step implementation

Method 1: System proxy configuration with exceptions

1. Open network settings in your operating system
2. Go to the proxy settings section
3. Add video hosting domains to exceptions:
   *.youtube.com
   *.twitch.tv
   *.vimeo.com
   *.dailymotion.com
   

4. Save settings and test access to the sites

Method 2: Using a PAC file

1. Create a PAC file with the following content:

function FindProxyForURL(url, host) {
    // List of domains for direct access
    var directDomains = [
        "youtube.com",
        "twitch.tv", 
        "vimeo.com",
        "dailymotion.com"
    ];
    
    // Check if the host matches one of the excluded domains
    for (var i = 0; i < directDomains.length; i++) {
        if (shExpMatch(host, "*." + directDomains[i]) || 
            shExpMatch(host, directDomains[i])) {
            return "DIRECT";
        }
    }
    
    // Use proxy for everything else
    return "PROXY your.proxy.server:8080";
}

2. Configure your browser to use this PAC file
3. Test the configuration

Method 3: Proxy server configuration

1. Install a proxy server (Squid, TinyProxy, etc.)
2. Configure the settings with exclusion rules
3. Reconfigure clients to use your proxy
4. Test access to video hosting platforms

Conclusion

Keeping your real IP address when using proxies for specific video hosting platforms is quite possible and is achieved through bypass rules. The main approaches include:

1. Configuring exceptions in system proxy settings - the simplest method for basic needs
2. Using PAC files - a flexible solution for complex scenarios
3. Proxy server configuration - a professional approach for corporate environments

For YouTube and Twitch, it’s recommended to create separate exclusion rules, considering their CDN infrastructure and connection requirements. Residential proxies can provide an optimal balance between anonymity and performance for video hosting platforms.

It’s important to remember that bypassing proxies for specific sites reduces overall anonymity, so this approach should be used consciously, evaluating the risks for each specific case. For maximum effectiveness, it’s recommended to periodically update exclusion lists and test the configuration after changes in the video hosting platforms’ network infrastructure.

Sources

1. ClearOS Documentation - Add Whitelist of Sites to Proxy Server
2. ProxyMesh - Whitelisting in ProxyMesh
3. Steelmon’s tech stuff - Setting up a strict whitelist proxy server using Squid
4. DNS Tools - Adding Whitelists to a Squid authenticating proxy server
5. Proxy Server - IP Authentication (Whitelisting) vs. Proxy Authentication
6. IP2World - How to bypass YouTube proxy restrictions
7. Thordata - Unlock YouTube in 2025
8. My IP Hide - Bypass proxy YouTube
9. CyberNews - Unblock Twitch in 2025 with a VPN
10. vpsBoard - Setting up a restricted (whitelist) proxy