As the internet progressed over the years, so did the user’s requirements. Over the years as certain rules and regulations started to cause problems. One of the most common problems is geo-restricted content. It is a situation where a user from a certain location will not be able to access content on certain websites.

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What is a proxy?

The general definition of a proxy is a server. That server acts as a gateway for all the requests that are sent from your computer. The data packets are routed through the proxy which sends them on their way to the website or service’s server. So, every time you want to access a website you send out request packages. Those packages go through the proxy server instead of the “traditional” route.

Knowing what a proxy is doesn’t mean that you can go and buy proxies. Now we need to define the types of proxies.

Types of proxies

There are several types of proxies that you can get.

* Anonymous Proxy - These proxies can be easily detected as a proxy by websites and services, but your real IP address is not disclosed

* High anonymity proxy - When it comes to the top dog of proxies, these are the ones you should be looking for. The high anonymity proxies are very difficult to detect as proxies, and they keep your IP address safe from websites.

* Reverse Proxy - The reverse proxies work similarly to the other two types, but the application is different. The most common use is for companies that want to monitor the internet activity of their employees.

* Transparent Proxy - The least anonymous type of proxy is the transparent one. As the name suggests, the proxy is easily detectable as such, and your IP address will not be a safely guarded secret. The most common use for them is for caching websites and speeding up site loading.

* Distorting Proxy - The distorting proxy works similar to the anonymous one. It can be identified as a proxy, but your IP address is “replaced” with a fake one, showing that you are somewhere else in the world.

* Intercepting proxy - The way these proxies work is similar to transparent proxies. The requests that you send out from your machine go through these proxies which act as a gateway.

Things to consider

Hiding your online identity isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you buy proxies.

The most important thing is to be very careful where you get the proxies from. Two things can go wrong if you get the proxies from the wrong place. The first thing is that you may get scammed – pay for the proxies and don’t get them. The second thing that can go wrong is the data that goes through the proxies. Getting them from a shady “company” means that the owners may have access to the data and your sensitive data.

Conclusion

The need for proxy addresses has increased drastically over the past decade. If you find yourself in a situation where you desperately need to use proxies for your online activity, first decide which type would suit you the best and be wary where you purchase them.

Author's Bio: 

Rahul