The world of internet proxies can seem complex, going by all the technical terms that pop up whenever you conduct a search on the topic. In this article, we seek to explain the concept of proxies. We’re putting things simply, so even a layman can understand.
Internet Proxies Explained
How often do you think of your privacy when browsing the internet? When checking out the usual stuff like the weather, it may not bother you much to think that someone can uncover your identity with a few clicks. There comes a time, however, when you want to conceal your identity for various reasons.
Let’s start by explaining how to unravel the identity of a web user. Once you get onto the internet, you generate a pathway that leads from your device to the website. There’s a specific number assigned to this pathway known as an IP address. This address leads back to the device that has been used to connect to the internet.
If you do not want to be identified this way, you can use internet proxies. With a proxy server, you no longer connect directly to a website. Your request first goes to an intermediate device, which bears a different IP address. Anyone trying to track the connection will be directed to this other device, essentially concealing your identity.
Why Do People Use Internet Proxies?
Why do people want to conceal their identity? Is it even legal to use a different IP address? Simply put, using internet proxies is not illegal. Granted, we have people who have used proxies to carry out cyber-crimes such as hacking, identity theft, cyberbullying, extortion and financial scams. Those engaged in such acts will face charges for the specific crimes, but not for the use of proxies.
Provided you obtain your proxies from a legitimate service provider and use them responsibly, you are breaking no law. There are several benefits of using proxies for individuals and organizations. Some of them include:
- Strengthened Security: Using shared WiFi puts you at risk of hackers who can extract your personal details from the shared network. If you’re carrying out sensitive transactions online, malicious parties can then access your traffic data. Using a proxy conceals your details and saves you from such fraud.
- Location Alteration: You can hide your real location by using the IP address of a computer that is in a different location. Some websites bar viewers from certain areas. By using a proxy, you can bypass such barriers and browse freely, no matter where you are.
- Web Scraping: Companies often collect data from different websites to inform their business decisions. Such data offers information on pricing, offers, products, sales, and so on. The data, presented in an easy-to-understand format, is the result of web scraping. Most websites are apprehensive of data crawlers, and they are often flagged as malware and banned. Thanks to proxies, data crawlers can collect a tonne of information within minutes without risking a ban.
- Social Media Management: If you’re running social media for a company, you may need to create several accounts, say belonging to different branches of the business. While there’s nothing wrong with this, many sites tend to flag multiple accounts attached to the same IP address. The assumption is that it could be a bot or a malicious program out to cause harm. Thanks to proxies, you can run several accounts from a single device with no problem at all.
Other uses of proxies include protecting sensitive data, blocking inappropriate websites, and facilitating online work.
Types of Internet Proxies
All proxies perform the basic function of concealing the real IP address of the user. They then fall into different groups depending on how they work. Some of the common ones include:
Residential proxiesReverse proxiesTransparent proxiesISP proxiesForward proxiesDistortion proxiesPublic proxiesEach of the above employs a different method to conceal the IP address. Even more importantly, the proxies offer varying degrees of security (with a matching price tag). If you’re dealing with sensitive information, where you cannot afford to leave anything to chance, then you have to dig deeper into your pocket and go for the most secure ones. Look at it as an investment. With a proper proxy, you can rest knowing that you will not be dealing with identity theft, hacking, or being blocked from information that you need.
Conclusion
You’re now sufficiently informed on matters of internet proxies. There’s a whole lot of resourceful information online, some of which you may not access due to restrictions. Fortunately, with an efficient proxy, nothing is beyond reach.
