[Bug] Proxy validation fails in v2.3.4 (worked in v2.3.0) - "testProxy error: axios error"

[salomonamiga]

Bug Description

Proxy configuration fails in Evolution API v2.3.4 with error "testProxy error: axios error", but the same proxy configuration worked correctly in v2.3.0.

Environment

• Evolution API Version: v2.3.4 (Docker: evoapicloud/evolution-api:latest)
• Previous working version: v2.3.0
• Deployment: Docker Swarm
• Server OS: Ubuntu on Hetzner

Proxy Configuration Tested

• Protocol: HTTP
• Host: p.webshare.io
• Port: 80
• Authentication: Username/Password (rotating proxy)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Go to instance settings → Proxy
2. Enable proxy
3. Enter proxy details:
   • Protocol: http
   • Host: p.webshare.io
   • Port: 80
   • Username: [rotating proxy username]
   • Password: [proxy password]
4. Click Save
5. Error appears: "Error: Invalid proxy"

Expected Behavior

Proxy should be accepted and configured successfully (as it was in v2.3.0)

Actual Behavior

Error message: "Error: Invalid proxy"

Logs

[Evolution API] v2.3.4 177 - Mon Oct 06 2025 04:59:55 ERROR
[ProxyController] [string] testProxy error: axios error: Error

Verification Tests

The proxy works correctly when tested directly from the server:

# Test 1: HTTP connection - SUCCESS
curl -x http://username:password@p.webshare.io:80 http://api.ipify.org
# Returns IP successfully

# Test 2: HTTPS connection to WhatsApp - SUCCESS
curl -x http://username:password@p.webshare.io:80 https://web.whatsapp.com
# Connects successfully with SSL handshake

Analysis

- The proxy itself works correctly at the network level
- The issue is in Evolution API's internal testProxy validation function
- This validation was introduced or changed between v2.3.0 and v2.3.4
- The error message is generic and doesn't provide details about what
specifically failed

Impact

- Cannot configure proxy for instances
- With a lot of instances on single server IP, proxy is important to avoid WhatsApp rate limiting
- Users get sync messages on mobile devices due to IP location changes

Suggested Fix

- Make the testProxy error more descriptive (what URL is being tested, timeout values, etc.)
- Review changes to proxy validation between v2.3.0 and v2.3.4
- Consider making proxy validation optional or configurable
- Support rotating proxies explicitly

Workaround

Currently no workaround available besides downgrading to v2.3.0

Additional Context

Using Webshare.io rotating residential proxy service