The article provides a comprehensive guide on configuring and using proxies with pip to facilitate package management in restricted networks, highlighting the differences between public and private proxies. Public proxies, while easily accessible and free, are often unreliable due to slower speeds and lack of features like authentication and caching, making them unsuitable for production environments. In contrast, private proxies offer greater security and stability, supporting features such as proxy authentication and rotation, albeit at a cost. The article explains how to set up proxies with pip using command line options, pip configuration files, and environment variables, with detailed instructions for both Linux/macOS and Windows systems. It also discusses common issues like authentication and certificate errors, the advantages of using rotating proxies, and best practices to avoid security vulnerabilities such as hard-coding proxy credentials. Additionally, the article explores the benefits of using proxies over VPNs for pip requests and introduces Bright Data as a solution for high-quality proxies, offering various IP addresses and specialized tools for data collection and web scraping.