On this page 7 sections
Quick triage: 2 minutes before you change anything
Each test tells you where the problem is:
| Test | How | If the site loads |
|---|---|---|
| Incognito window | Ctrl+Shift+N (Windows, Linux, ChromeOS) or Cmd+Shift+N (Mac) | An extension is the cause: turn extensions off at chrome://extensions, then back on one by one |
| VPN off | Disconnect the VPN app or VPN extension and reload | The VPN's proxy or filter is the cause |
| Another browser | Open the same site in Edge, Firefox or Safari | The problem is inside Chrome (extension, policy, Chrome's own state) |
| Another network | Connect to a phone hotspot and reload | The first network (router, company firewall) blocks the connection |
If nothing loads anywhere on this computer, go to Step 1: the computer's proxy settings apply to every browser that uses them.
What the message means
Chrome shows a list of suggestions under "Try:" on its network error pages. "Checking the proxy and the firewall" is one of them, next to "Checking the connection" and, on Windows, "Running Windows Network Diagnostics" (Chromium error page strings). It isn't an error by itself; the error code at the bottom of the page is. The ones you will see with it:
| Error code | What failed | Most likely cause |
|---|---|---|
ERR_ | Chrome couldn't connect to the proxy server, or couldn't resolve its name | A proxy is set that is wrong, offline or no longer exists |
ERR_ | The proxy couldn't open a tunnel to the website | A proxy that is up but rejects the login or can't reach the site |
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT, ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED | The connection to the site or proxy timed out or was refused | A firewall, antivirus or network block, or the site is down |
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED | The host name didn't resolve | DNS; Chrome then suggests "Checking the proxy, firewall, and DNS configuration" |
The codes and their meanings are in Chromium's net_error_list.h: for example, PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED (-130) means Chrome "could not create a connection to the proxy server".
Step 1: check the proxy settings
Chrome on Windows and macOS uses the computer's proxy settings, unless an extension, a VPN or a policy overrides them. Open them from Chrome: Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings (or type chrome://settings/system).
Windows 10 and 11: Settings → Network & internet → Proxy.
- Leave "Automatically detect settings" on.
- Under "Automatic proxy setup", turn off "Use setup script" unless your organization gave you one.
- Under "Manual proxy setup", turn off "Use a proxy server" if you don't use a proxy.
- If you do, check the address and port. For ProxyField: address
gate.proxyfield.io, port7000. - Sites that must skip the proxy go in the exceptions box, separated by semicolons (for example
*.example.com;192.168.*). Tick "Don't use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses" so your router and printers stay reachable (Microsoft: use a proxy server in Windows). - A VPN connection has its own proxy: Settings → Network & internet → VPN → your VPN → Advanced options. Disconnect the VPN to test.
macOS: System Settings → Network → your network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) → Details → Proxies. Turn off every proxy type you don't use; for one you do, check the server, port and the "Proxy server requires password" login (Apple: change proxy settings on Mac).
ChromeOS, Linux and others: see what proxy settings are for each system, and how to turn off a proxy to remove one.
Then check whether an extension controls the proxy: if Chrome's settings say "Your proxy settings are controlled by an extension" (or a proxy or VPN extension icon is active), turn that extension off and reload. See proxy settings controlled by an extension.
If the proxy setting keeps coming back
Open chrome://policy and look for ProxySettings, ProxyMode or ProxyServer. A policy there means something enforces the proxy: your work or school administrator, a security program or, on a personal computer, unwanted software.
- On a managed (work or school) device, don't switch the proxy off: ask the administrator for the right proxy address, port, login method or setup-script URL.
- On your own computer, a policy you never set is a warning sign: uninstall programs you don't recognize and run a malware scan. More on this in how to turn off a proxy.
Step 2: check the firewall and antivirus
Windows: open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → "Allow an app through firewall", and make sure Google Chrome is allowed on the network type you use (Private, Public or both). If Chrome is already listed, remove it and add it again: Chrome's own error page suggests this when "it is already listed as a program allowed to access the network" (Chromium error page strings). Third-party antivirus suites with a "web shield" or "HTTPS scanning" feature act as a local proxy too: pause the feature for a minute and reload to test, then turn protection back on and add Chrome (or your proxy's host) to its allowed list.
macOS: the built-in firewall (System Settings → Network → Firewall) filters incoming connections, so it rarely stops Chrome from loading pages. Third-party security and VPN apps with network filters are the usual cause; pause one to test.
Work and school networks can block sites or ports on purpose at the network firewall. If the error appears only on that network, ask the admin; changing your own settings won't help.
Step 3: if you use a proxy on purpose
If you set a proxy for work, scraping or a location, the error means that proxy isn't reachable from Chrome as configured:
Test the proxy outside Chrome with one command, using the credentials from your account:
curl -x gate.proxyfield.io:7000 -U "<login>-country-us-city-new_york:<password>" https://api.ipify.orgAn IP address back means the proxy works and Chrome's settings are the problem. No answer, or an error, means the host, port or login is wrong, or your firewall blocks outgoing connections to port 7000.
Enter the login when Chrome asks. Chrome's proxy settings have no password field; Chrome shows a login prompt when an HTTP proxy asks for one. A prompt that keeps coming back means a wrong login: see 407 Proxy Authentication Required.
Use HTTP, not SOCKS5, if your proxy needs a login. Chrome doesn't send a username and password to SOCKS5 proxies. ProxyField serves HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5 on the same
gate.proxyfield.io:7000, so pick HTTP in the settings, or allowlist your IP and use SOCKS5 on the port you set up in the dashboard.Or use an extension that stores the proxy and its login for Chrome only. The full setup is on Chrome proxy settings.
Allowlist your IP in the ProxyField dashboard if you'd rather not type a login, and enter the port you set up in the dashboard instead of 7000.
Step 4: reset Chrome's network state
If the settings are right and it still fails:
- Restart Chrome completely, not only the tab (on Windows, check that no Chrome process is left in Task Manager).
- Clear Chrome's host cache at
chrome://net-internals/#dns(Clear host cache). If your Chrome version still has the Proxy tab atchrome://net-internals/#proxy, use "Re-apply settings" and "Clear bad proxies" there too. - Flush the system DNS cache: on Windows,
ipconfig /flushdns; on macOS,sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder. - Restart the computer and the modem or router.
- Reset Chrome's settings (Settings → Reset settings) as a last step; it turns extensions off and clears temporary data.
If every browser fails on this network, the problem is the network or the computer's proxy settings, not Chrome. The general checklist is in why is my proxy not working.
'Checking the Proxy and the Firewall' in Chrome FAQ
What should Chrome's proxy settings say for ProxyField?
ProxyField proxies use the address gate.proxyfield.io and port 7000 for HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS5. Enter them in your computer's proxy settings (Chrome → Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings) and type your login when Chrome asks, or allowlist your IP in the dashboard and enter the port you set up there instead of 7000. The Easy Trial is 1 GB for $2.95, with no subscription.
What does "checking the proxy and the firewall" mean in Chrome?
It is a suggestion on Chrome's error page, not the error itself: Chrome couldn't connect and asks you to check 2 things, the proxy set on your computer and the firewall that may block Chrome. The code at the bottom of the page, such as ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED, says what failed.
Chrome shows "checking the proxy and the firewall" with ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED after I set up a proxy; how do I fix it?
Chrome can't reach the proxy you set: the address or port is wrong, the proxy is offline, or a VPN, extension or firewall is in the way. Test the proxy with curl first; if curl gets an IP back, correct the host and port in your computer's proxy settings, enter the login when Chrome asks (HTTP, not SOCKS5, for a login), and allow Chrome in the firewall. If you don't need a proxy, turn "Use a proxy server" off.
How do I check the proxy and the firewall?
Open Chrome's Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings, and turn off any proxy you don't use or correct the one you do. Then allow Chrome in your firewall or antivirus, and reload the page.
How do I check the proxy and firewall on Windows 10?
For the proxy, go to Settings → Network & internet → Proxy and switch off "Use a proxy server" and "Use setup script" unless you need them. For the firewall, open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall, and allow Google Chrome.
How do I check the proxy and firewall on Chrome?
Chrome itself has no separate proxy switch on Windows or macOS: Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings takes you to the system settings it uses. Also check that no extension controls the proxy, and look at chrome://policy for a proxy policy, since both override the system settings.
What does "checking the proxy, firewall and DNS configuration" mean?
Chrome shows this suggestion when a host name couldn't be resolved, such as with ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED. Check the proxy and the firewall as above, then your DNS: flush the DNS cache or try another DNS server.
Can antivirus software cause "checking the proxy and the firewall"?
Yes. Antivirus suites with web protection or HTTPS scanning sit between Chrome and the internet like a local proxy, and their firewall can block Chrome. Pause the feature briefly and reload to test, then add Chrome to its allowed list.
Can a VPN cause "checking the proxy and the firewall"?
Yes. A VPN app or VPN extension can set its own proxy or filter traffic, and if it is disconnected or broken, Chrome can't connect. Disconnect the VPN and reload; on Windows, also check the VPN's own proxy under Settings → Network & internet → VPN → Advanced options.
What if every browser shows the same error?
Then the cause is outside Chrome: the computer's proxy settings, the firewall, or the network itself. Test on another network, such as a phone hotspot; if it works there, the first network blocks the connection.
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Does a proxy extension cause "checking the proxy and the firewall"?
It can: a proxy extension overrides the system settings, and if its proxy is down or its login is wrong, Chrome can't connect. Open an Incognito window (extensions are usually off there); if the site loads, turn the extension off.