Table of contents
- 1. What is a proxy server and how does it work ?
- 2. What are the benefits of using a proxy server?
- 3. Is it safe to use a proxy server? Do I need to worry about my data being leaked?
- 4. What are HTTP、HTTPS、SOCKS5 proxy？
- 5. HTTP proxy or SOCKS proxy?
- 6. What is the difference between IPv4 proxy and IPv6 proxy?
- 7. What is Data Center, Residential, ISP, Mobile Proxy？
- 8. How to choose a good proxy service provider？
1. What is a proxy server and how does it work ?
A proxy server is a special kind of network node that allows users to obtain resources, such as web pages, from remote servers instead of directly from the server of the target website. In this process, the server of the target website only sees requests from the proxy server, not from the user, providing a way to protect the user's network identity.
Therefore, the proxy server serves as a "middleman" between the user and the Internet, playing a vital role in protecting user privacy and providing more efficient network access.
When the user sends a request (for example, to access a website), the proxy server first receives this request. Then, on behalf of the user, the proxy server sends a request to the Internet according to the user's request. So, the server of the target website sends the response to the request back to the proxy server, not directly to the user. Then, the proxy server sends this response data back to the user.
2. What are the benefits of using a proxy server?
The main reasons to use a proxy server are likely to protect personal privacy and bypass geographic restrictions on websites.
Protecting privacy: A proxy server can hide your IP address, making your activities on the web untraceable by others.
Increasing security: Some types of proxy servers (for example, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) proxies) can encrypt your data, preventing hackers or malware from accessing your information.
Bypassing geographic restrictions: If the website or service you are trying to access is blocked in your region, you can use a proxy server to access it.
The proxy server can make it look like you're in another country or region, bypassing these restrictions.
Improving loading speed: Proxy servers can cache (i.e., store) frequently visited web pages. This way, the next time you or other users visit these pages, the proxy server can provide them more quickly.
3. Is it safe to use a proxy server? Do I need to worry about my data being leaked?
Even when using a proxy server, you still need to be cautious and not assume that using a proxy server is 100% safe. If used improperly, it can still leak your personal data and privacy.
Free is the most expensive
Some free or untrustworthy proxy servers may suddenly become unusable or have poor stability, which can affect your internet experience. For example, the proxy server may frequently disconnect, or be unable to connect to certain websites.
Data security and privacy risks
Some proxy servers may log your online activities or try to steal your data. For example, they might log the websites you visit, the information you enter on the websites (such as usernames and passwords), and even your credit card information.
If the owner of the proxy server chooses to log and share your activities, your privacy may be threatened. For example, they may log your browsing history, search history, and even your online shopping habits. Therefore, it is important to choose a reliable proxy server provider.
Secondly, the target website can obtain your real IP address through other technologies, so don't think that you can hide your identity by using a proxy server. We have previously written an article on how websites use WebRTC to obtain the real IP addresses of users, which you can read if you are interested.
However, you do not need to worry too much, as long as you use the appropriate tools to prevent IP leakage and choose a reliable proxy service provider, you can minimize these risks.
4. What are HTTP、HTTPS、SOCKS5 proxy？
HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS5 are all types of network protocols that specify how applications on computers or network devices transmit data over the network.
HTTP protocol sends information in plaintext. If a hacker intercepts the transmission message between the web browser and the server, they can directly obtain the information within.
HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP. HTTPS establishes an SSL/TLS protocol on HTTP, which can encrypt data and ensure the security of network communication.
SOCKS5 is a transport layer protocol. SOCKS5 proxy servers will simply forward the client's network requests, which can make the client appear to the other party as if the proxy server itself is making the network request. SOCKS5 supports TCP and UDP, supports various types of network requests such as HTTP, HTTPS, etc., supports IPv6, and can also perform DNS resolution through the server.
If you still find these concepts difficult to understand, let me explain with an analogy:
You can think of HTTP as a bus that delivers the web page content we need from the other end of the Internet (server) to our computer or mobile phone (browser). But the problem with the HTTP bus is that it carries everything openly. If someone intercepts this bus on the road, they can see all the content on the bus.
To solve this problem, we have HTTPS, which is like a bus with a safe. Even if someone intercepts the bus, they can't see the contents of the safe because those contents are encrypted. This way our information is safe.
As for the SOCKS5 proxy, you can imagine it as a kind of invisibility cloak. When you use this proxy, it's like you're wearing an invisibility cloak. Others can't see what you're doing. All your network behaviors are carried out through this proxy server, as if the proxy server is doing these things. What's more, SOCKS5 proxy can also help you do many other protocol things, making it more powerful.
5. HTTP proxy or SOCKS proxy?
HTTP Proxy: HTTP proxy is only suitable for HTTP and HTTPS traffic and is mainly used for web browsing. If your main goal is to anonymously browse web pages, access blocked websites, or perform some basic operations on web pages, then an HTTP proxy is enough. It is usually faster than a SOCKS proxy because it only needs to handle HTTP traffic. In addition, HTTP proxies can also cache and optimize HTTP traffic to improve browsing speed.
SOCKS Proxy: SOCKS proxy supports not only HTTP and HTTPS traffic but also any other type of network traffic, including FTP, SMTP, POP3, etc. If you need to proxy non-web network services, such as online games, P2P file sharing, remote desktop, etc., then you should choose a SOCKS proxy.
6. What is the difference between IPv4 proxy and IPv6 proxy?
IPv4 and IPv6 are two versions of the Internet protocol, and the main difference between IPv4 proxy and IPv6 proxy lies in the different versions of the Internet protocol they use. If you want to know more detailed information, you can read the article about IP addresses we wrote before.
IPv4 proxy uses the IPv4 protocol, which is currently the most commonly used version of the Internet protocol. IPv4 addresses are made up of four groups of numbers, each ranging from 0-255, such as 192.168.1.1. IPv4 proxies are widely used in the current Internet environment, and almost all devices and websites support IPv4.
IPv6 proxy uses the IPv6 protocol, which is the new generation of Internet protocol. IPv6 addresses are made up of eight groups of four hexadecimal digits, such as 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. However, the popularity of IPv6 is not high, and many devices and websites do not support IPv6.
If you need broad compatibility, then IPv4 proxy is better because it can be used on almost all devices and websites. If you need a large number of IP addresses, then IPv6 proxy is better because it can provide almost unlimited IP addresses and is cheaper. But please remember, before buying IPv6 proxy, please confirm whether the website you want to visit supports IPv6.
Tools to confirm whether the website supports IPv6:
https://dnschecker.org/ipv6-compatibility-checker.php
https://www.ipaddressguide.com/ipv6-check
Tools to confirm the IP address ownership:
7. What is Data Center, Residential, ISP, Mobile Proxy？
When you buy proxy services online, you will often see these proxy services. On the contrary, data center proxies are the cheapest, residential proxies and ISP proxies are more expensive, and mobile proxies are sometimes more expensive. The reason for the different prices is that their sources are different:
Data Center Proxy
These are proxies hosted on servers in data centers, usually provided by third-party service providers. They are fast and stable, but because their IP addresses are associated with data centers, they may be more easily recognized and blocked by some websites. Data center proxies are relatively abundant and low in cost, so they are cheaper.
Residential Proxy
Uses real residential IP addresses, which usually come from Internet service providers (ISP, Internet Service Provider) and are assigned to home users. These proxies are more authentic and not easy to be blocked. Because of the above characteristics, when operating multiple accounts, many individuals and institutions will prefer to use residential proxies.
ISP Proxy
The proxy service provided by the Internet service provider, these proxy IPs directly come from the ISP, such as Telecom, Unicom, Mobile, etc., belong to the combination of data center IPs and residential IPs, both the stability and speed of data center IPs, and the authenticity of residential IPs.
Mobile Proxy
Uses IP addresses assigned to mobile phones and other mobile devices. These proxies are particularly useful in simulating real user behavior, such as social media marketing, advertising verification, etc. Since mobile IP address resources are relatively scarce, their prices are usually higher, after all, the scarcity is the most expensive.
Residential proxies are not necessarily slower than data center proxies, and data center proxies can sometimes access many websites without being banned. This depends on the quality of the proxy provided by the actual proxy service provider. Therefore, choosing a reliable proxy service provider is very important.
8. How to choose a good proxy service provider？
It's hard to define a "good" proxy service provider, because the purpose of using proxy servers is different, and everyone's needs, costs, and business scenarios are different. We can only say that the one that is "suitable" for ourselves is the best. When choosing a proxy server, you can consider the following aspects:
Reliability and stability: The proxy service provider should be able to provide stable services and have a very low failure rate. However, the advertisements of general proxy service providers are well done. You can only obtain this information through trial use or by searching for relevant reviews on the Internet.
Security: Security is very important. You need to ensure that the proxy service provider has sufficient security measures to protect your data, and their business practices are legal and will not abuse your data.
Service quality: This includes the speed of the proxy server, response time, and whether there is enough bandwidth to meet your needs. If the proxy service provider's page does not clearly state, then it is best for you to contact their technical support to confirm whether the proxy meets the requirements.
Technical support: Good technical support is very important when you encounter problems. Proxy service providers with fast-response technical support teams are generally very reliable.
IP address selection: Some proxy service providers may provide IP addresses from specific regions or countries. If your business has specific geographic location requirements, then you need to find relevant information on its official website and try it out to confirm whether it meets your business needs.
Proxy type: Depending on your needs, you may need a data center proxy, residential proxy, mobile proxy, or ISP proxy. You need to confirm whether the proxy service provider provides the proxy type you need.
Flexible plans and strategies: You may need different numbers of proxies, or need proxies at different times. Flexible pricing strategies mean you can more easily control costs.
9. Static Proxy vs Residential Proxy？
Static Proxy and Dynamic Proxy are different in terms of the stability of their IP addresses during use.
Static Proxy refers to the proxy server whose IP address remains unchanged during use. This means that whenever you connect to a static proxy, you will get the same IP address.
Dynamic Proxy, on the other hand, gives you a new IP address each time you connect. This means each time you access the Internet, you will appear to be from a different location. Relative to this, the online time of dynamic proxies is generally short, ranging from a few minutes to a few hours.
Therefore, you often see these types of proxies:
Static Data Center Proxy
Dynamic Residential Proxy
Static ISP Proxy Dynamic
Mobile Proxy
... and so on.
10. Does using a proxy server affect Internet connection speed?
Of course, the primary factor that impacts you is network latency. Let's revisit this diagram; your usage of a proxy server will involve two steps, 1 and 2.
The way a proxy server operates is that your network request is first sent to the proxy server (step 1 in the diagram), and then the proxy server forwards these requests to the destination server (step 2 in the diagram). This process increases network latency, which is the time it takes for your request to be sent and receive a response. If the proxy server is geographically distant from you or the destination server, this latency will be more noticeable.
Secondly, bandwidth limitations. Some proxy service providers may impose bandwidth restrictions, limiting the network speed you can use. For instance, if the proxy service provider restricts your bandwidth to 10Mbps, then even if your network speed is 1000Mbps, the speed at which you access the internet through the proxy server can only reach 10Mbps.
The final factor is related to the proxy service provider, that is, the load on the proxy server. If the proxy server has a high load, meaning that many users are using the proxy server simultaneously, it could become very slow. All network requests need to pass through the proxy server, and if it can't handle the traffic, it will slow down the speed.
In conclusion, to have a good experience when using proxy services, both your own network environment and the service of the proxy provider are equally important.