So you think you should get a proxy server but you don’t know where to start and why you should get one in the first place.
Even if you’re just a casual internet user who doesn’t handle sensitive data other than your login details, it’s probably still a good idea to use a proxy server–just in case someone tries to steal your identity.
If you’re a parent who wants to keep your children safe from websites that you know are either too dangerous or too mature for them, getting a proxy will help restrict their browsing experience.
If you’re a business owner and you want to monitor your employees’ internet activity to make sure they’re not using their working hours to browse social media–proxy servers can help you make sure they don’t.
Proxy servers, like this one, offer these security features and more.
Let’s discuss in detail what proxy servers are, how they work, and what benefits they can offer to make your browsing experience safe and secure.
What Are Proxy Servers?
A lot of people think of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when they hear proxy servers. Using a VPN gives you the ability to use the internet as if you’re in a different location. In doing so, you’ll be able to access content that is specific for that location only.
But proxy servers offer more than this.
The main function of proxy servers is to be an intermediary between the user and the internet.
Proxy servers are like big computers that oversee the internet activities of all the computers connected through it; helping to mediate, protect, and secure any identifying data of the sender.
How Do Proxy Servers Work?
Now that we’re familiar with proxy servers and what they do, how exactly do they work?
Think of proxy servers as a mailman between you and the internet. You send your information request via your mailman who delivers it to the internet address requested. Your mailman comes back with the response to your request after obtaining it from the internet.
Because this mailman of yours is a private mailman, the internet actually won’t know that it was you who asked for the information. The mailman will keep your personal information private and present his own information instead when the internet asks for it.
The same concept applies to proxy servers.
Proxy servers help protect you from the internet by hiding your IP address with another IP address. This way, if people from the site you just visited on the internet track you down, all they’ll see is your proxy server’s IP address instead of yours.
What Is An IP Address?
It was mentioned in the explanation earlier that proxy servers hide your IP address. But what exactly is an IP address in the first place?
If a proxy server is similar to a private mailman, your IP address is similar to your home address. The difference is that your IP address is the address of your computer in the world of the internet.
It’s what the Internet uses so that it knows where to send the information you’ve requested.
There are literally billions of IP addresses out there. Your IP address is unique and specific to your device so that the internet knows the exact location requesting or receiving specific information.
What Are The Benefits Of Proxy Servers?
Let’s talk more about how proxy servers help make your internet browsing experience safer and faster.
1. Security
As described earlier, proxy servers offer more security by hiding your IP address when you browse the internet; meaning that your internet activity is anonymous. The target website will not be able to identify you.
If cybercriminals tried to track you down, they would only be led to your proxy server’s IP address. They would have to be extremely good to trace your IP address from your proxy server.
There are specific proxy servers that will fit the level of security that you need for your internet browsing. The level of anonymity of these proxies range from public proxies that offer the least security up to high anonymity proxies such as a SOCKS proxy that are considered the most secure and advanced proxy.
Some proxy servers also offer data encryption.
You can think of data encryption as a secret language. Only those who can translate that secret language or have a password to access it, can read the data.
When data is encrypted, you can make sure that the data is only visible to the people who are meant to see it. It’s one step towards securing your sensitive data.
2. Faster Browsing Experience
If you’re using a proxy server for your company, a lot of people are wired into its system.
When one of these people accesses a web page, the proxy server will retrieve that webpage for the person trying to access it and then store the information in its centralized cache system.
When a different person from another computer tries to access the same webpage, the proxy server doesn’t have to access the internet again because it has already stored the information in its centralized cache system.
It’s able to retrieve information faster because there’s no need to go to the internet again for a search. This process also helps save bandwidth because of the reduced need to return to the internet to retrieve data. Proxies such as Geonode will also allow you to have a faster browsing experience. You can safely surf the internet without any restrictions and scrape data from anywhere and you are guaranteed almost zero IP blocks & uninterrupted connections.
3. Limit And Monitor Internet Activity
Proxy servers are very useful to companies and parents alike.
When you’re using a proxy server, it’s like you have a bigger computer that receives data from all the computers connected to it.
Having control over the proxy server gives you the ability to dictate which sites can be accessed and which ones are off-limits. Along with this, you can attach a little note that pops up whenever a user tries to access the off-limit sites.
The proxy server also stores a record of all the sites accessed by each user and at what time. This gives you the power to monitor the internet activity of those users that are connected to your proxy server.
This is why it’s a good idea to use a private proxy server instead of a public proxy server. Using a public proxy server can potentially expose your private information to the person who is managing the public proxy server.
4. Bypass Blocked Content In Your Area
Certain data are only available in certain locations. Proxy servers offer an option for you to browse the internet as if you’re in a different location; thus accessing sites that would be unavailable for your actual geographical location.
Similarly, if certain content is blocked in your area, you can “move” to a different location so you can access the content.
It is worth noting though that you should use this information wisely. Proxy servers still have their limitations when it comes to security so you are not advised to access illegal websites.
Conclusion
While browsing the internet, proxy servers offer a lot of benefits to users.
Security, being at the top of the list, is one of the main reasons why people get proxy servers. It helps increase your security while browsing on the internet by hiding your real IP address, making it harder for other people to track your digital footprint.
Other benefits of proxy servers include faster browsing experience, bypassing blocked content in your area and accessing the internet as if you’re in a different area.
Different proxies provide different benefits. Some focus on security and some focus on allowing more access regardless of geographical location.
Finding the right proxy server that fits your needs is the first step for an improved, faster, and more secure browsing experience. If you’re looking for a reliable proxy provider, visit Proxyway website.
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