Setting up your ProxyBox

Your ProxyBox is designed to go from cardboard to fully online in under five minutes. This page walks through every step, and tells you what to do if something doesn't go as expected.

What's in the box

• The ProxyBox unit.
• A 5V/2A USB-C power adapter.
• A short USB-C cable.
• A quick-start card with your claim code + QR sticker.

Step 1: plug in the power

Use the included adapter. Plug the USB-C into the ProxyBox and the other end into a wall outlet. A solid green LED appears within 15 seconds. A steady red LED means the Pi is powered but the firmware hasn't booted yet, wait another 30-60 seconds.

Step 2: pick a pairing path

There are three ways to bring your ProxyBox online. Pick whichever fits the device in your hand:

• iOS app: The native ProxyBox app is coming soon. In the meantime, use the web Bluetooth flow below or the captive Wi-Fi portal, the fastest paths available today.
• Web Bluetooth at proxybox.us/pair: Pair right from a Mac, Windows, or Linux laptop using Chrome, Edge, or Opera. No app install.
• Captive Wi-Fi portal: Open Wi-Fi settings on any phone or laptop, join ProxyBox-Setup-XXXX, the setup page opens automatically.

The rest of this guide walks the web Bluetooth path. All three flows are described in Three ways to pair.

Step 3: pair over Bluetooth

On a Mac, Windows, or Linux laptop, open proxybox.us/pair in Chrome, Edge, or Opera and sign in. Click "Scan for ProxyBox" and allow Bluetooth access when the browser prompts. (A native iPhone app is coming soon; for now the browser flow takes about the same couple of minutes.)

The browser scans for nearby ProxyBox units. Within 5-10 seconds, yours should appear in the picker, the name is "ProxyBox-xxxx" where xxxx is your Box ID. Select it.

Step 4: give it your Wi-Fi

Enter your Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and password on the page, then click "Connect."

Watch the progress checklist: Sending Wi-Fi, Connecting, Acquiring IP, Starting services. Each step typically takes 3-8 seconds. Total time: 30-45 seconds.

Step 5: verify it's online

After pairing completes, add your claim code at your dashboard to attach the box to your account. Your device shows up with a green "Online" dot. Open it and you'll see the proxy credentials, services status, and network details.

Troubleshooting

"ProxyBox doesn't appear in scan": Make sure the box is within 15 feet of your laptop, and that Bluetooth is enabled on the laptop. If it still doesn't appear, power-cycle the box (unplug for 10 sec, plug back in). Fresh boot takes 90 sec. If Bluetooth still fails, try the captive-portal path on Three ways to pair.

"Wrong Wi-Fi password": The page will surface a clear error. Go back, re-enter password. Check case-sensitivity.

"Stuck on Registering": Your Wi-Fi may not have internet access, or our servers might be unreachable from your specific network. Wait 60 seconds. If still stuck, try from a different network to rule out local issues.

Last updated: 2026-04-29