# Authentication

EProxies supports two authentication methods. Choose whichever fits your network environment — both can be used at the same time.

## Method 1: Username/password authentication (recommended)

Send a username and password with each proxy request. Works in any network environment and supports geo-targeting and session control via [username parameters](https://www.eproxies.io/docs/usage/username-syntax).

```bash
curl -x proxy.eproxies.net:23333 -U "USERNAME-pool-flow:PASSWORD" https://ipinfo.io
```

* Find your username and password on the dashboard's Proxy Settings page.
* The username body must be followed by the `-pool-flow` pool identifier, then any targeting/session parameters as needed.
* The password is always used as-is; all parameters are appended to the username.

## Method 2: IP whitelist authentication

Add your server's exit IP to the whitelist, then use [API extraction](https://www.eproxies.io/docs/usage/api-extraction) to fetch a list of `IP:port` proxies you can connect to directly — no username or password. Ideal for servers with a fixed exit IP and for software that cannot be configured with proxy authentication.

**Setup steps**

1. Log in to the dashboard and open the Whitelist page.
2. Click "Add current IP" (the page auto-detects your exit IP), or manually enter another server's IP.
3. Once the whitelist is active, use links generated on the API Extraction page to fetch proxy lists.

> Whitelist entries can be enabled/disabled or deleted at any time. If your server's exit IP changes, update the whitelist — otherwise the extracted proxies will refuse connections.

## Comparing the two methods

| | Username/password | IP whitelist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Environment | Any (including dynamic exit IPs) | Servers with a fixed exit IP |
| Targeting/session control | Username parameters, finest granularity | Extraction link parameters |
| Integration effort | Requires proxy-auth support | No auth, maximum compatibility |
| Typical scenarios | Code integrations, antidetect browsers | Legacy software, tools without auth support |