<![CDATA[Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox)]]>Old versions of Opera (until Opera 12, when it was not based on Chrome) used to be extremely advanced; in some aspects, it was much more advanced than Opera 104 (despite the fact that it was created about 15 years ago).

One of the features I enjoyed a lot on old Opera versions was its proxy / VPN settings. Opera's proxy did not depend solely on Windows proxy settings. Opera could use system proxy, but it also could use a second proxy set by the user. Moreover, it could also ignore system proxy and connect to the net directly. Lots of flexibility, intelligence, and power.

Today, only Firefox keeps such Windows-Independent proxy settings. All Chrome-based browsers lack it, and depend totally on Windows' proxy. Very dumb. Please be so kind as to implement this feature back into the Chrome-based Opera.

ps. I do know that all Chrome-based browsers can connect directly to the internet and bypass Windows' proxy using the --no-proxy-server command. But in Firefox and old versions of Opera (until v12), this can be done simply by clicking a simple option. Besides, in Firefox and old Opera versions, it is possible to turn it on and off while browsing. However, this --no-proxy-server command is not available in the middle of browsing. Very dumb still.

pps. Now, there is a very related power-user, super-awesome feature that is limited to old versions of Opera. Even Firefox lacks it. I will create a follow-up thread for that one. I asked it here: https://forums.opera.com/topic/67484/gui-toggle-button-for-turning-on-off-the-internal-proxy-vpn-settings-of-opera

]]>https://forums.opera.com/topic/67483/windows-independent-proxy-vpn-settings-like-old-opera-until-v12-and-firefoxRSS for NodeSat, 18 Apr 2026 08:24:08 GMTWed, 01 Nov 2023 12:35:00 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:29:33 GMT]]>Apparently these are other good proxy switchers:

Oxylabs – 🏆 Winner!
Bright Data
Smartproxy Proxy Changer
FoxyProxy
Proxy SwitchyOmega
Proxy Switcher and Manager
BP Proxy Switcher
Proxy SwitchySharp

... others...

Should test and compare them, but welcome any commendation.

https://earthweb.com/proxy-switchers/
https://increditools.com/proxy-switchers/

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/337150https://forums.opera.com/post/337150Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:29:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Sat, 04 Nov 2023 14:11:09 GMT]]>@victorxstc Yes, that's about the cost/benefits thing I was talking about.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332444https://forums.opera.com/post/332444Sat, 04 Nov 2023 14:11:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:38:17 GMT]]>@leocg Sure everything has a cost, but cost alone is never considered; the thing to always consider is the cost-to-benefit ratio.

Anyways, with this awesome add-on, there is no need to implement this feature anymore.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332440https://forums.opera.com/post/332440Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:38:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:08:43 GMT]]>@burnout426 I was surprised to see that I had previously installed Proxy SwitchyOmega on my Vivaldi, but had disabled it and forgotten about it (for unknown reasons. Perhaps it didn't work fine before, or Vivaldi didn't grant it its needed permissions to work at that time).

Anyways, I tested it on Opera, Vivaldi, Edge, and Firefox. It worked like a charm in all of them, though it had a few minor bugs, which I reported here: https://github.com/FelisCatus/SwitchyOmega/issues/2437

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332415https://forums.opera.com/post/332415Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:08:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Fri, 03 Nov 2023 10:53:24 GMT]]>@victorxstc Everything has a cost. The cost to create the code, the cost to keep that code, etc.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332365https://forums.opera.com/post/332365Fri, 03 Nov 2023 10:53:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Fri, 03 Nov 2023 05:48:33 GMT]]>@leocg don't see why it is costly. It seems straightforward and easy to implement.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332355https://forums.opera.com/post/332355Fri, 03 Nov 2023 05:48:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:53:58 GMT]]>@victorxstc The costs probably don't worth doing it.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332174https://forums.opera.com/post/332174Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:53:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:10:26 GMT]]>@burnout426 thanks; it seems promising ❤ should learn how to use it and test it though.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332169https://forums.opera.com/post/332169Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:10:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:09:19 GMT]]>@leocg why?

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332168https://forums.opera.com/post/332168Wed, 01 Nov 2023 16:09:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Wed, 01 Nov 2023 14:53:23 GMT]]>@victorxstc I really wouldn't expect Opera or any Chromium based browser to change it.

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332152https://forums.opera.com/post/332152Wed, 01 Nov 2023 14:53:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Windows-Independent Proxy / VPN settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox) on Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:47:52 GMT]]>@victorxstc said in Windows-Independent Proxy settings (like old Opera [until v12] and Firefox):

--no-proxy-server

There's also --proxy-server. But yeah, not easily switchable.

https://www.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/network-settings/

https://www.linuxbabe.com/desktop-linux/configure-proxy-chromium-google-chrome-command-line (Which mentions this proxy switcher extension which might work in Opera, but not sure.)

]]>https://forums.opera.com/post/332147https://forums.opera.com/post/332147Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:47:52 GMT