Service eligibility and regional restrictions
PuppyIP serves only compliant overseas businesses and their authorized personnel. Proxy services are not available in mainland China. The service may only be used for lawful business activities outside mainland China. Use of this service within mainland China is prohibited.
Hosting a proxy IP or server overseas does not change these restrictions. The service must not be provided to end users in mainland China through relaying, forwarding, sharing or resale. Before use, read the Terms of Service.
Key Takeaways
- An API Key is a server-side credential. Store it in environment variables or a controlled secrets system, never in frontend code, public repositories or screenshots.
- The Base URL determines which service actually receives the request. Official and relay endpoints may differ in models, billing, logging and error semantics.
- Model must be a model ID actually supported by the current project and endpoint. Do not guess from a marketing name or an old tutorial.
- 401, 404, 429, 5xx, DNS, timeout and TLS failures belong to different layers. Preserve the original status code and request ID and investigate each layer separately.
- Change only one variable per test and verify with a minimal request containing no sensitive data.
Separate API Key, Base URL and Model first
API Key establishes the caller's identity and project permissions; Base URL is the API root address to which the client sends requests; Model is the model ID specified in the request. The three fields are related, but none can replace the other two. A valid key does not mean the endpoint supports the model you entered, and a correct model name does not mean the request reached the intended service.
Before troubleshooting, record four nonsensitive details: the service provider, the endpoint's domain and path structure, the model ID and the time of the failure. For the real key, record only its project and most recent rotation time. Never paste it into tickets, chats, screenshots or public logs.
Use only the current service's official documentation for configuration
OpenAI, Claude and Gemini each have their own authentication methods, project permissions, model catalogs and API conventions. Create or confirm the key through the current service's official API documentation, then copy the model ID from that same service's model catalog. Do not combine a key from service A, a Base URL from service B and a model name from service C.
Third-party clients may label these fields API Host, Endpoint, Provider URL or Model Name, but they should still map to the provider's documentation. Endpoints, SDK parameters and model names in old tutorials may have changed. Mark any value you cannot verify in the current official documentation or console as unconfirmed instead of continuing high-frequency retries.
Base URL mistakes usually involve domains, paths or duplicated path segments
Some clients expect an API root address and append the version and resource paths internally; others expect a complete endpoint. Giving an address that already includes a version path to a client that appends it again can produce a duplicated path and a 404. Conversely, omitting a required path can send the request to the wrong page or gateway.
Check the field examples in the client's documentation, then compare them with the provider's current API reference. Record only the redacted domain and path structure, and use one minimal request to confirm that the response comes from the intended service. When using a relay endpoint, separately check its supported paths, model mappings, billing, logging and rate limits. Do not assume full compatibility with the official endpoint.
Use a callable model ID; do not guess from a display name
The display name on a product page is not necessarily the model ID required by an API request. Even within one model family, snapshots, regions, project permissions and staged availability can differ. Use the official model catalog, console or supported model-list endpoint to confirm which IDs the current project can call.
For model not found, model unavailable or insufficient-permission errors, first check the model ID's capitalization and spelling, then confirm it belongs to the current Base URL, project and key. Repeatedly changing proxies will not fix a model that has not been enabled, missing project permissions or a server-side retirement.
Separate 401, 404, 429, 5xx and network errors by layer
For 401, first check whether the key is complete or revoked, whether the authentication header is correct and whether the key belongs to the current project. 403 more often points to permissions, organization policy or service scope. For 404, check both the path and model ID. For 429, inspect request frequency, token limits, concurrency, project quota and retry guidance in the response. For 5xx, generally preserve the request ID and check the official status page before deciding whether to retry.
DNS resolution failures, connection timeouts, TLS certificate errors and interrupted requests belong to the network layer and cannot be attributed directly to the API Key. For general DNS, TCP, proxy authentication and TLS checks, use the proxy connection troubleshooting checklist. If the proxy address structure is unclear, start with the proxy URI format guide.
Build repeatable evidence with a five-minute minimal request
Keep the machine, SDK or command-line client, project and network environment unchanged, and send only a minimal text request without customer information. First validate authentication, then confirm the model, and only then add real business parameters. At every step record the time, HTTP status code, error type, model ID and redacted endpoint domain.
If the response provides a request ID, remaining rate-limit allowance or retry time, save those fields alongside the original error. Change only one variable when a test fails. If you change the key, endpoint, model and proxy together, even an occasional success will not reveal the real cause. For a fuller classification, see the AI API and relay error troubleshooting guide.
A proxy changes the connection path, not account or model permissions
A stable proxy egress can reduce DNS, connection and session fluctuations in cross-border development environments, but cannot fix invalid keys, incorrect model names, insufficient balance, project permissions or provider restrictions. Check proxy credentials for a proxy-layer 407, and API credentials for an API 401. Do not confuse them.
If you need a fixed egress for AI API documentation access and development environments, visit the PuppyIP website and follow the PuppyIP tutorials after purchasing. Every network solution must comply with the provider's regional, account, rate and usage rules.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check first when an AI API returns 401?
Check whether the key was copied completely, whether it has been revoked, whether the authentication header follows the official documentation, and whether the key belongs to the current project and Base URL. Do not start by changing the model or proxy.
Should the Base URL include a version path?
That depends on the client. Check whether it automatically appends version and resource paths, then compare with the provider's current API documentation. Both duplicated and missing paths can return 404.
Is Model not found a network problem?
Usually, first check the model ID, Base URL, project permissions and whether the model is still available. Continue to the network layer only if there is also evidence of DNS failures, timeouts or interrupted connections.
Does an AI API 429 mean the balance is insufficient?
Not necessarily. 429 can also indicate request-frequency, token, concurrency or project-quota limits. Check the response body, rate-limit headers and provider console.
Can I put an API Key in webpage frontend code or a public repository?
No. Official documentation generally requires treating keys as secrets and loading them server-side through environment variables or a controlled secrets system. If a key leaks, rotate it immediately and audit usage.
Can changing the proxy resolve every AI API error?
No. A proxy affects only the connection path. Handle 401, 403, missing models, missing project permissions, balance and rate limits at the corresponding service layer.