The new digital age brings a new reality-to keep yourself private on the internet. Browsing, online shopping, streaming your favorite shows-all of this comes with the constant threat of leaking personal information. Do not worry, though. One of the most straightforward yet highly effective methods for safeguarding oneself online is via a proxy server. So what is a proxy server? And how does one do this? Let’s demystify the mystery.
A proxy server can be understood as an intermediary that sits between your computer or smartphone and the internet. This, therefore, means that the website you are visiting does not view your real IP address; instead, it will see the IP address of the proxy server. When using a proxy, your internet traffic is forwarded through the proxy server before reaching its destination-whether it is a website or an online service.
How Do Proxy Servers Work?
You make a request: You have put a URL into the browser address bar, clicked on the link.
It is then routed to the proxy. That implies, in your case, the request is not sent directly to the website. Instead, it will be passed to the proxy server first.
The proxy passes the request. The proxy proceeds to forward the request to the website but includes its IP address instead of using your IP address.
The site sends back. Then, it sends the information back to the proxy server.
The proxy server pushes back the response from the website to your device: Finally, the proxy server sends the information to you.
Why Use a Proxy Server?
There are many reasons why using a proxy server is advantageous, especially in terms of online privacy and security:
Protect Your Identity: Since your real IP address is masked, it becomes even hard for websites, advertisers, and hackers to track your online activities.
This is very helpful when getting to websites and content that may be restricted due to a region you are located in. Therefore, one uses a proxy for videos only available in specific countries.
Bypassing censorship: Due to some governments, access to some websites might be restricted. By employing a proxy, it is possible to bypass such restrictions and enjoy an open internet.
Types of proxy servers
There are four types of proxy servers: one for browsing websites, which handles only web traffic; the SOCKS Proxy, which is versatile and more comprehensive in handling all types of internet traffic, from game and video streaming; the transparent proxy, which does not hide your IP address and is widely used by schools and businesses in controlling internet use; and anonymous proxies, which hide one’s IP address, giving some level of anonymity.
Do Proxy Servers and VPNs Have Similarities?
Though both proxy servers and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) serve the purpose of protecting your privacy, they operate in a different manner: the Proxies only mask your IP address, though they do not encrypt the data. This makes them faster but somewhat less secure.
VPNs mask not just your IP but also encrypt all your internet traffic, hence much more secure and private.
Use a VPN when you want to have security for instance while surfing via public Wi-Fi, then it is best to use a VPN. But if you want to just hide your IP in order to get access to some website you need, then a proxy server is fine.
Although proxy servers have a lot of benefits, here are some things to consider:
Conclusion
A proxy server is a simple and effective tool to enhance your online privacy, hide your IP address, and access restricted content. Whether you’re looking to protect your identity or bypass regional blocks, understanding how proxies work is a great first step toward safer, more private browsing.
However, do select a reliable proxy service and be aware of its constraints. To have the utmost safety online, it is also worth using a proxy in conjunction with other privacy applications, like a VPN or antivirus software with solid protection capabilities.
You will be able to use the Internet with more confidence and security if you are knowledgeable and careful.