Proxy

What is a Proxy?

A proxy, or proxy server, gives you online privacy and anonymity by masking your internet protocol (IP) address so your online actions are virtually untraceable. It acts as a gateway between you and the websites you browse.

If you’re using a proxy server, internet traffic flows through the proxy server on its way to the address you requested. The request then comes back through that same proxy server, and then the proxy server forwards the data received from the website to you.

There are broadly 3 types of proxies:

• Data Centre
• Residential
• Mobile/3G

Data Centre proxies are generally the most common and least expensive. There are two categories; public and private. Public proxies, as the name suggests, are widely available to the public (often found through Search Engine queries). Private proxies are meant for individual use, and not for public (i.e. mass) use.

Residential proxies are IP addresses used by residential internet users (i.e. home broadband via an internet service provider), who have given permission for others to use their internet connections.

Mobile/3G proxies are IP addresses available through the use of a mobile or 3g device, or sim card.

Proxies are generally used as a fixed, or static, IP address. Some proxy services offer rotating proxies, where connections rotate between a number of different IP addresses.

What's the difference between a Proxy and a VPN?

A proxy works on an application level, while a VPN secures all your network traffic. They both hide your IP address, but unlike a VPN, a proxy does not  redirect your internet data through an encrypted tunnel.