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What is a proxy server and how does it work?

What is a proxy server and how does it work?

Что такое прокси сервер и как он работает?

Proxy server— this is an intermediate link between your device and the Internet. When you use a proxy, your requests are first sent to this server, and then it contacts the desired web resource on your behalf.

Simply put, a proxy acts as an intermediary that transfers data between you and websites.

How the proxy server works

Imagine that you want to open a website. Without a proxy, your computer directly sends a request to the server of this site, receiving a response back.

When using a proxy, the scheme changes: the request first arrives at the proxy server, which processes it and redirects it to the target resource.

The response from the site also goes through a proxy before reaching you.

In this process, the proxy server can change your IP address, so that the site you visit sees not your real address, but the proxy address.

This provides a certain level of anonymity on the network.

Main types of proxy servers

HTTP proxiesare designed to work with web pages and process only HTTP traffic. They are suitable for general browsing.

HTTPS proxiessupport encryption and ensure secure data transmission, which is important when working with confidential information.

SOCKS proxiesare more versatile and can handle any type of traffic, including email, torrents and online games.

Transparent proxiesdo not hide the fact of their use and are often used in corporate networks to control traffic.

Why do you need a proxy server?

Proxy servers solve many problems. Firstly, they provide anonymity by hiding your real IP address from the resources you visit. Secondly, they allow you to bypass geographical restrictions by providing access to content that is not available in your region.

Companies actively use proxies to monitor employee Internet activity, block unwanted sites, and save traffic by caching frequently requested data.Caching means that the proxy stores copies of popular pages and serves them to users without having to contact the original server again.

In addition, proxy servers help protect the internal network from external threats, acting as a kind of barrier between the local network and the Internet.

Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits include increased privacy, the ability to bypass blocks, faster page loads due to caching, and an additional layer of security.

However, there are also disadvantages: free proxies are often slow and can collect your data. Some sites can detect and block proxy connections. It is also important to understand that a proxy does not encrypt all traffic, unlike a VPN.

Conclusion on the proxy server

Proxy server — this is a useful tool for ensuring privacy and solving various network problems. When choosing a proxy, consider your goals: an HTTP proxy is suitable for simple surfing, for secure work — HTTPS, and for universal use — SOCKS.Main — choose reliable providers so that your data remains safe.

Advantages and disadvantages of proxy servers

Key benefits include:

Classification of proxy servers

Proxy servers are divided into several types depending on the protocol and level of anonymity.

Here are the main types of proxy servers and their features:

HTTP proxies: designed to process HTTP requests and are suitable for surfing websites.

They operate at the application level and carry only HTTP traffic, so they are suitable for standard Internet surfing, but not for all types of data.

HTTP proxies do not provide encryption and should not be used to transmit sensitive data.
SOCKS protocols: support a large number of protocols (for example, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP), which makes them universal.

SOCKS proxies process any type of Internet traffic and are suitable for tasks that require the transfer of non-standard data, such as streaming and online games.

Unlike HTTP proxies, they are not optimized for fast processing of web pages, but only for data transfer.
Anonymous proxies: mask the user's real IP address, increasing the level of privacy.

They help bypass geo-restrictions, making them good proxies for SEO and excellent proxies for safe surfing.
Transparent proxies: transmit the user's real IP address to the target server and do not provide anonymity.

However, they are useful for internal traffic control and access filtering.

They are often used in corporate and educational networks to control access, filter content, and speed up the loading of frequently visited sites.

Each type of proxy has its own characteristics and limited application scenarios, so the choice depends on the tasks.

HTTP proxies are suitable for web surfing, for multimedia tasks and games — SOCKS proxy to ensure anonymity — anonymous proxies, and transparent proxies are convenient for monitoring traffic on local networks.

Review of leading proxy services

The best proxy for purchases, which one is it?

When choosing a proxy service, it is important to pay attention to a number of key factors: reliability, level of anonymity, connection speed, variety of servers, supported protocols and price.