GitHub Copilot Behind a Proxy: VS Code and JetBrains Setup and a Check

What a proxy does not change

This article is about network setup, not about whether Copilot is available to you. GitHub's page on trade controls says use of GitHub is subject to U.S. export control and sanctions laws, and that GitHub Copilot is barred from embargoed destinations and certain restricted countries. A proxy changes only the network exit. It does not make Copilot available where it is not, and it does not change GitHub's terms or your plan.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: GitHub and trade controls

Proxy in VS Code

In VS Code the GitHub documentation says: File → Preferences → Settings, then Application → Proxy, and enter the proxy address in the text box under Proxy, for example http://localhost:3128. The same page describes this field; it does not print a settings.json key. The VS Code documentation names the setting http.proxy, and the Proxy box most likely stores it, but neither page confirms that Copilot reads it, so confirm with the checks below. To edit it as text, run Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON) from the command palette. Restart VS Code after changing it.

• VS Code proxy guide

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Configuring network settings for GitHub Copilot
• Visual Studio Code docs: Network Connections

Proxy in VS Code: example

http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT

The Proxy box in VS Code takes this address. Replace HOST, PORT, USERNAME and PASSWORD with the values from My assets.

Proxy in JetBrains IDEs

In JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and the others) the GitHub documentation says: Settings → Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → HTTP Proxy, select Manual proxy configuration and HTTP, then enter the host name and the port number. For a username and password, tick Proxy authentication on the same page and enter them. The documentation warns that these credentials are stored as plain text. Alternatively you can put the credentials in the proxy URL and set that URL in a supported environment variable.

• JetBrains proxy guide

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Configuring network settings for GitHub Copilot

If you set no proxy in the editor: environment variables

If no proxy is set in the editor, Copilot looks at environment variables in this order: HTTPS_PROXY, https_proxy, HTTP_PROXY, http_proxy. It uses the first one it finds for both HTTP and HTTPS requests, which GitHub notes does not follow the usual convention. An environment variable set in a terminal is not seen by an editor started from the desktop, so set it before launching the editor from that same terminal, or use the editor field instead.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Network settings for GitHub Copilot

Username and password: basic authentication

GitHub's documentation says Copilot supports basic authentication and Kerberos. For a proxy sold with a username and password, basic authentication is what you use. In VS Code the username and password go into the address as http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT (GitHub's own example is http://USERNAME:[email protected]:5187/) and the address is stored in VS Code settings or in a supported environment variable.

Percent-encoding is general URL practice and the GitHub page does not describe it: if the password has special characters, write @ as %40, : as %3A, / as %2F, # as %23 and % as %25.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Configuring network settings for GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Docs: Network settings for GitHub Copilot

HTTP or SOCKS5

GitHub's network page says only basic HTTP proxy setups are supported and that proxy addresses beginning with https:// are not currently supported. It does not mention SOCKS. The VS Code documentation says authentication for SOCKS5 proxies is not implemented yet. So choose HTTP and write the address with http://.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Network settings for GitHub Copilot
• Visual Studio Code docs: Network Connections

Certificates

If your proxy replaces certificates, GitHub says Copilot reads certificates from the operating system's trust store and also from the file named by the NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS environment variable. Install only certificates you have verified: a certificate lets its owner read your traffic.

As a last resort GitHub lists turning off Proxy Strict SSL in VS Code, or Accept non-trusted certificates automatically under Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Server Certificates in JetBrains, and says it can cause security issues and is not recommended.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Network settings for GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Docs: Configuring network settings for GitHub Copilot

How to check that the proxy works

1. Step 1

   Test the proxy from a terminal. GitHub's troubleshooting page gives this check: run the curl command below. A working connection returns an HTTP 200 response. For Copilot Chat the same page uses https://api.githubcopilot.com/_ping instead.

2. Step 2

   Look at the IP the proxy shows. It shows the IP, country and network that websites see. The guide on how to check your proxy's IP, country and ISP explains how to read the ip, country, city and org fields.

   • how to check your proxy's IP, country and ISP

3. Step 3

   Restart the editor and open Copilot. After the restart, sign in to GitHub in the editor and send a short chat message or accept one suggestion. GitHub's page points to the editor's debug logging and to its article on viewing Copilot logs if it still fails.

4. Step 4

   If a company firewall is involved, allow GitHub's list. GitHub's allowlist reference names, among others, https://github.com, https://api.github.com/copilot_internal/*, https://copilot-proxy.githubusercontent.com and https://*.githubcopilot.com/*. Read the full table there; it differs for company plans.

How to check that the proxy works: example

curl --verbose -x http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT -i -L https://copilot-proxy.githubusercontent.com/_ping

Replace HOST, PORT, USERNAME and PASSWORD with the values from My assets.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Troubleshooting network errors for GitHub Copilot

Show the IP websites see

curl -x http://USERNAME:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT https://ipinfo.io/json

Replace HOST, PORT, USERNAME and PASSWORD with the values from My assets.

Common errors

• read ETIMEDOUT or read ECONNRESET when Copilot starts. GitHub names two common causes: a proxy address that starts with https://, which is not supported, and authentication problems. Use http:// and recheck the username and password.

• The proxy answers but the login fails. Copy the details again from My assets and check the percent-encoding. The GitHub pages used here do not mention the 407 error by name.

• Certificate messages such as unable to verify the first certificate. Add the proxy's certificate to the operating system trust store or set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS, as above; turning checks off is a last resort.

• Timeouts with curl. The proxy does not answer on that port, or the IP lease has ended.

• A company proxy. GitHub says the administrator of your proxy server or firewall also needs to configure network settings for Copilot.

• Sources:
• GitHub Docs: Troubleshooting network errors for GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Docs: Network settings for GitHub Copilot

How to do it with Proxy302

A static ISP proxy fits Copilot because one developer keeps one permanent address for the whole lease, and you choose HTTP at purchase. The GitHub Copilot proxy page has the details and a ready preset, and the product itself is described on the static residential proxies page.

• GitHub Copilot proxy page
• static residential proxies

How to do it with Proxy302: steps

1. Step 1

   Open the static ISP page, choose the country, set Protocol to HTTP, choose the term and the quantity, then review the cost and generate.

2. Step 2

   Open My assets and copy HOST, PORT, USERNAME and PASSWORD. The Connect page shows a ready example with your own details. HTTP uses port 2222.

3. Step 3

   Put the HTTP address into the Proxy box in VS Code, or the host, port and Proxy authentication fields in the JetBrains HTTP Proxy page, then restart the editor.

4. Step 4

   Run the curl request against the GitHub ping address, then sign in and try Copilot.

Prices and limits

A static ISP IP costs US$0.50 for one day and US$7.99 for 30 days, about US$0.27 per day, the same in every country. Availability by country changes daily and is shown on the order page. There is no free trial, and the smallest purchase is one IP for one day.

• Sources:
• Proxy302 product facts and price list

Related guides

The editor steps are covered in detail in the VS Code guide and the JetBrains guide.

• VS Code proxy guide
• JetBrains proxy guide

FAQ

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