Change Proxy Address from DNS Name to IP Windows

This guide explains how to replace a proxy DNS hostname (e.g., proxy.company.com) with a raw IP address on Windows, both manually and using PowerShell.

This is helpful in environments where:

• DNS resolution is unreliable or blocked
• Certificate trust or network latency issues occur
• Explicit egress IP-based access control is needed

Manual Method (Internet Options)

1. Launch Control Panel → Internet Options.
2. Navigate to the Connections tab.
3. Click LAN Settings.
4. Under Proxy Server, enable the checkbox:
   • Replace proxy.company.com with your proxy IP (e.g., 192.168.1.10)
   • Set the port (commonly 8080)
5. Click OK, then Apply.

This will apply to most applications that use the WinINET proxy stack (e.g., Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge Legacy, Office apps).

Scripted Method (PowerShell)

Use this PowerShell script to configure both WinHTTP and WinINET proxy settings using an IP address:

# Define proxy IP and port
$proxyIP = "http://192.168.1.10:8080"

# List of domains to bypass proxy
$bypassList = "localhost;127.0.0.1;*.microsoftonline.com;*.core.windows.net"

# Configure proxy for WinHTTP (used by system services like Intune, Windows Update)
netsh winhttp set proxy $proxyIP ";$bypassList"

# Configure proxy for WinINET (used by most user apps and browsers)
$regPath = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings"
Set-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name ProxyEnable -Value 1
Set-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name ProxyServer -Value $proxyIP
Set-ItemProperty -Path $regPath -Name ProxyOverride -Value $bypassList