How do I use XMRig with a proxy or Tor?

You can use XMRig through Tor or another SOCKS5 proxy by setting its --proxy option to the proxy’s address and port. You still enter your mining pool’s address separately: the proxy carries the connection, while the pool receives your mining work.

Know which kind of proxy you need

XMRig is a standalone mining program, not a browser miner. Its built-in proxy option uses SOCKS5, a way to pass network connections through another program or server.

These two tools have similar names but different jobs:

• A SOCKS5 proxy, including Tor’s local proxy, forwards your XMRig connection.
• XMRig Proxy combines connections from several miners before forwarding them to a pool. It is mainly a management tool, not an anonymity service.

An ordinary HTTP web proxy is not a drop-in replacement for SOCKS5. Also, XMRig’s proxy setting applies to its pool connection; it does not route everything on your computer through Tor.

Connect through a SOCKS5 proxy

Start your proxy first. Then launch XMRig with a command like this:

xmrig -o POOL_HOST:POOL_PORT -u YOUR_XMR_ADDRESS -p x --proxy 127.0.0.1:1080

Replace:

• POOL_HOST:POOL_PORT with your pool’s published mining address and port.
• YOUR_XMR_ADDRESS with your Monero wallet’s receiving address.
• 127.0.0.1:1080 with your SOCKS5 proxy’s address and port.

Here, 127.0.0.1 means “this computer.” The password value x is common, but your pool may require something different.

You can also add the proxy inside the relevant pool entry in XMRig’s config.json:

"socks5": "127.0.0.1:1080"

Keep the surrounding JSON punctuation correct. If your installed version does not recognize the option, check its help output and update from the official XMRig project.

Use Tor as the proxy

Tor passes your connection through several relays to make its origin harder to trace. A standalone Tor service commonly provides SOCKS5 on 127.0.0.1:9050.

With Tor running, use:

xmrig -o POOL_HOST:TLS_PORT -u YOUR_XMR_ADDRESS -p x --tls --proxy 127.0.0.1:9050

Use your pool’s actual TLS port. TLS encrypts the connection between XMRig and the pool. It matters with Tor because an ordinary pool connection leaves Tor through an exit relay.

Tor Browser commonly uses port 9150 instead. Its proxy may be available only while the browser is running. Check your actual setup rather than assuming either port is open.

Tor does not make mining completely anonymous. Your wallet address and worker name can still connect mining sessions together. DNS—the process of turning a hostname into an IP address—also deserves checking if hiding your pool destination is important. Do not assume every lookup or other XMRig connection follows the pool’s proxy setting.

Check that mining still works

Look for successful pool login messages and accepted shares in XMRig’s log. Shares are small proofs of work that your pool uses to measure your contribution.

If you cannot connect:

• Confirm that the proxy is running and listening on the specified port.
• Check the pool address and TLS settings.
• Check whether the pool blocks Tor exits.

Tor adds delay and can disconnect unexpectedly. That may cause more rejected or outdated shares, even if your computer’s mining speed stays the same.

The bottom line

Set XMRig’s SOCKS5 proxy, keep your pool settings separate, and use the pool’s TLS connection where available. Tor can obscure your connection’s origin, but expect reliability trade-offs—not guaranteed anonymity or higher earnings.