http-proxy.html.md.erb

---
title: Using the cf CLI with a proxy server
owner: CLI
---


If you have an HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy server on your network between a host running the cf CLI and your API endpoint, you must set `https_proxy` with the hostname or IP address of the proxy server. The `https_proxy` environment variable holds the hostname or IP address of your proxy server.

The `https_proxy` is a standard environment variable. As with any environment variable, the specific steps you use to set it depends on your operating system.


## <a id="format"></a> Format of https_proxy

The `https_proxy` variable is set with hostname or IP address of the proxy server in URL format, as in the following example:

```
https_proxy=http://proxy.example.com
```

If the proxy server requires a username and password, you must include the credentials, as in the following example:

```
https_proxy=http://username:password@proxy.example.com
```

If the proxy server uses a port other than 80, you must include the port number, as in the following example:

```
https_proxy=http://username:password@proxy.example.com:8080
```

If the proxy server is a SOCKS5 proxy, you must specify the SOCKS5 protocol in the URL, as in the following example:

```
https_proxy=socks5://socks_proxy.example.com
```

The <code>cf ssh</code> command for cf CLI v7 does not work through a SOCKS5 proxy.


## <a id="mac-linux"></a> Set https_proxy in Mac OS or Linux

To set the `https_proxy` environment variable in Mac OS or Linux:

1. Use the command specific to your shell. For example, in bash, use the `export` command, as in the following example:

    ```
    export https_proxy=http://my.proxyserver.com:8080
    ```

1. To make this change persistent, add the command to the appropriate profile file for the shell. For example, in bash, add a
line like the following example to your `.bash_profile` or `.bashrc` file:

    ```
    https_proxy=http://username:password@hostname:port
    export $https_proxy
    ```


## <a id="windows"></a> Set https_proxy in Windows

To set the `https_proxy` environment variable in Windows:

1. Open the **Start** menu.

1. Right-click **Computer** and select **Properties**.

     ![An arrow points to 'Properties' as the last item of the right-click menu.](./images/properties.png)


1. In the left pane of the **System** window, click **Advanced system settings**.

     ![An arrow points to'Advanced system settings', which is the last item in the Control Panel Home.](./images/adv-settings.png)

2. In the **System Properties** window:
    1. Select **Advanced**.
    2. Click **Environment Variables**.

     ![An arrow points to'Advanced system settings', which is the last item in the Control Panel Home.](./images/env-var.png)

3. Under **User variables**, click **New**.

    ![An arrow points to the 'New' button, which is the first button under the user variables table](./images/new.png)

4. For **Variable name**, enter `https_proxy`.

5. For **Variable value**, enter your proxy server information.

     ![Variable name text field has 'https_proxy' entered. Variable value text field has 'http://my.proxyserver.com:8080 entered.](./images/proxy.png)

6. Click **OK**.