What is the difference between Socks4 and Socks5?

Published Time: 10/01/2024

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The Socks5 protocol has more functions and higher security than the Socks4 protocol. The Socks5 protocol provides more authentication methods and encryption methods, supports TCP and UDP protocols, and more proxy functions, making it more secure and flexible in network transmission. Therefore, if users need a more secure proxy connection in the network, it is recommended to use the Socks5 protocol.

Socks5 protocol

The Socks protocol is a network protocol that allows applications to conduct secure, connectionless communication between clients and servers. There are two versions of the Socks protocol: Socks4 and Socks5, and there are some differences between them.

Socks4 protocol

The Socks4 protocol is the first version of the Socks protocol, which was released in 1996. The Socks4 protocol only supports the TCP protocol and does not support the UDP protocol. It only requires a handshake. The client can establish a connection with the proxy server through the Socks4 protocol and send a request to the server, and the server will forward the request to the target server. The Socks4 protocol is not encrypted during network transmission, so it is not secure and can be easily attacked by hackers.

The Socks5 protocol is the second version of the Socks protocol, which was released in 1996. Unlike the Socks4 protocol, the Socks5 protocol supports TCP and UDP protocols, allowing for more network application proxies. The Socks5 protocol provides greater security and more authentication methods.

Unlike the Socks4 protocol, the Socks5 protocol supports multiple handshakes and supports multiple encryption methods. For example, the Socks5 protocol supports authentication using usernames and passwords, and encryption protocols such as GSS-API for authentication. The Socks5 protocol also supports connecting to the remote host's DNS server through a proxy server, which allows it to prevent the remote host from accessing the local host's DNS server.

In addition, the Socks5 protocol also supports remote resolution of proxy servers, which can help clients obtain more network information. For example, the client can use the Socks5 protocol to obtain network service information from the remote host through the proxy server, such as FTP, SSH, and Telnet. The Socks5 protocol also supports connection load balancers, which can help clients balance network load among multiple proxy servers.

The Socks5 protocol has more functions and higher security than the Socks4 protocol.

The Socks5 protocol provides more authentication methods and encryption methods, supports TCP and UDP protocols, and more proxy functions, making it more secure and flexible in network transmission. Therefore, if users need a more secure proxy connection on the network, it is recommended to use the Socks5 protocol.

The Socks protocol is a network transport protocol that provides access to services on the Internet without using the traditional TCP/IP protocol. There are two main versions of the Socks protocol: Socks4 and Socks5. The main difference between them is that Socks5 has more features than Socks4.

The main differences between Socks4 and Socks5 protocols

Authentication method

Socks4 has no authentication method and anyone can use it. Socks5 supports multiple authentication methods, such as user name/password authentication, GSSAPI authentication, etc., which can improve network security.

Supported address types

Socks4 only supports IPv4 address types, while Socks5 supports both IPv4 and IPv6 address types.

UDP support

Socks4 does not support UDP protocol, while Socks5 supports UDP protocol. This means that using Socks5 can support applications such as instant audio and video that require UDP protocol support.

Data transfer method

Socks4 and Socks5 also differ in data transmission methods. Socks4 uses TCP when transmitting data, while Socks5 can use TCP or UDP, which can improve the speed and efficiency of data transmission.

Firewall penetration

Socks5 supports penetration through firewalls, which can better protect network security.

In general, Socks5 has richer functions and higher security than Socks4, but in some specific application scenarios, Socks4 also has its unique advantages. If it is just a simple proxy access, using Socks4 is enough, but if you want to ensure network security and support more applications, it is recommended to use Socks5.

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What is the difference between Socks4 and Socks5?

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